Newsflash: Frontier Airlines cancels Wed. Cozumel flights

[scubafanatic]

Airline prices are going to go up because of the cost of fuel. Less people will go to Coz because of the prices of the airline tickets. Will the hotels and dive ops lower their prices to entice divers back? Or will they raise their prices to make up for lost volume? I gotta tell ya, I'm balanced on the edge right now. I'd love to go, but the cost from New York... I just can't commit. If the hotel and dive prices go up, well, I'll be diving the local mud exclusively this summer.

I definitely wouldn't count on Cozumel lowering any costs on the island.....they certainly hadn't lowered any prices on my last trip in 02/06 ( a few months after Coz was heavily damaged by 2 hurricanes in 2005. ) They refused to acknowledge (and still do to this day, IMHO) the island's greatly diminished status as a dive location since 2005...to me, if that didn't change anything pricewise, I certainly wouldn't count on anything esle doing the trick.

 

[loudives]

I got the same screwing from USA3000 airlines. Had a flight out of Cozumel for Wed. April 2 (today) to Chicago O'Hare, they emailed me on 3/22 that they canceled the flight. Offered me to fly out of Cancun at 5am on the 3rd. Extra $50 each, or take a full refund. Took the refund and was able to book ATA Cancun to Chicago Midway for same price but at leased the flight was at 1:30 pm.

I'm still out the ferry and bus fare but had to get back or be in trouble at work. IMO cancellations of scheduled flights not due to weather should have substantial penalties. The airlines would think twice before canceling then.

 

[caseybird]

I definitely wouldn't count on Cozumel lowering any costs on the island......

Well I was really just trying to give a hint about cutting prices....

As for the rest I think there is going to be a huge drop off in all tourism because of economic reality. I've seen a serious decline in my business because of it. Scuba travel is an optional expense for most, and if costs don't come down, the divers just can't/won't show up. The hotels, restaurants and dive ops can just play fat, dumb and happy and hold onto the current prices and hope the rich folks show up, or they can get ahead of the game and make the place a little more affordable. (Yes, I know dive boats use fuel too.) I didn't say it's easy, but it might be necessary.
I dove post Wilma, I didn't think the diving suffered that much.
For the record, I don't think the dive-op prices are way out of line. I think the food and hotels have gotten substancially more expensive since I started in Coz about 2000.

 

[ggunn]

I definitely wouldn't count on Cozumel lowering any costs on the island.....they certainly hadn't lowered any prices on my last trip in 02/06 ( a few months after Coz was heavily damaged by 2 hurricanes in 2005. ) They refused to acknowledge (and still do to this day, IMHO) the island's greatly diminished status as a dive location since 2005...to me, if that didn't change anything pricewise, I certainly wouldn't count on anything esle doing the trick.

What, since they got hit by a hurricane, they should lower all the prices on the island? Riiiight. ;^)

As to their (who is "they", anyway?) refusing to acknowledge the "greatly diminished status", it's not up to anyone there to acknowledge anything. The island is open for business, and if folks come, they come. Divers who can't take it that hurricanes happen and don't want to dive there anymore go somewhere else, but there are plenty more of us who don't look at it that way. If enough people stay away from Cozumel that prices have to come down to entice folks to return, then that's what will happen; that's the free market. Don't hold your breath on that one, though.

 

[old gaffer]

Seems to me that Coz is kind of the value dive destination from the States as it is. I know when I have compared the total package of air, hotel and diving on Cozumel with Belize, Roatan, Curacoa or Bonaire Cozumel has been the lowest.

PS: I was sheduled to fly to Coz for a week at the Occidental Grand this Saturday the 5th but due to illness of one of our traveling companions we had to cancel. I am really bummed.

Gaffer.

 

[bcaderunr]

I got the same screwing from USA3000 airlines. Had a flight out of Cozumel for Wed. April 2 (today) to Chicago O'Hare, they emailed me on 3/22 that they canceled the flight. Offered me to fly out of Cancun at 5am on the 3rd. Extra $50 each, or take a full refund. Took the refund and was able to book ATA Cancun to Chicago Midway for same price but at leased the flight was at 1:30 pm.

I'm still out the ferry and bus fare but had to get back or be in trouble at work. IMO cancellations of scheduled flights not due to weather should have substantial penalties. The airlines would think twice before canceling then.

... AND 24 hours later ATA goes out of business!!! Anybody got a train schedule?