Rochelle has a destination wedding planned this November in Mazatlan, Mexico, and she and most of her guests planned to travel on the same Alaska Airlines flights from Seattle. They reserved this travel far in advance. Too far in advance, apparently. Alaska Airlines has since cut their number of weekly flights to Mazatlan, forcing the couple and their guests to find different flights on different days. The schedule change prevents some guests from attending altogether. The problem: the airline didn’t actually tell the couple about this, instead letting them find out from another guest who booked her travel through Orbitz. [More]
Alaska Airlines Cancels All Your Wedding Guests’ Flights, Forgets To Tell You
By June 22, 2012
Stuck In Mexico Without Any Bags Thanks To Gate-Checked Carryon
By May 7, 2012
Edwin’s wife flew to Mexico last week, toting only her carry-on luggage. United Airlines personnel made her gate-check the suitcase, telling her that it was too big and that she would definitely get it back when she landed. She hasn’t seen her suitcase since, and suspects it might have been stolen. United, as of yesterday, refused to give Edwin or Mrs. Edwin any answers. [More]
Shareholder Sues Walmart Board Over Mexico Bribery Allegations
By April 25, 2012
The fallout continues over WalmartMexicoGate, a term I just made up right now that will likely never be used again. A shareholder in the nation’s largest retailer has filed a lawsuit against the company’s board of directors over the bad press tied to allegations that Walmart spent millions of dollars bribing folks in Mexico. [More]
Kodak Uses Creative Shipping To Solve Printer Problem In Mexico
By August 11, 2011
Joe got Kodak to agree to send him a replacement printer when his kept showing “replace the cartridge” error messages, even after installing several completely new cartridges. There was just one problem. Joe lives in Mexico. Kodak, based in the US, doesn’t ship internationally. How to get around this cartridge conundrum? Deb in Kodak’s executive customer service had an ingenious idea… [More]
For Some Reason, Mexican Reader Finds This Halloween Costume Offensive
By October 14, 2010
Javier, a Consumerist reader who lives in Mexico, crossed the border to do some shopping at Walmart. He noticed this costume in the Halloween section. He finds it offensive. “I was wondering if we might also find a costume like this,” he writes, enclosing an old photo of a white performer in blackface. [More]
More People Buying Mexican Coca Cola
By September 21, 2010
Perhaps it’s the glass bottles. Or it could be the lack of high fructose corn syrup. Maybe it just tastes better. Whatever the reason, a growing number of folks on the north side of the Rio Grande are drinking Coca Cola bottled in Mexico. [More]
If You're Going To Smuggle 18 Monkeys Onto A Plane, Don't Try Hiding Them Under Your Clothes
By July 20, 2010
Okay, so it’s not exactly the opening scene of Midnight Express, but imagine the sight: You’re in line at the airport, waiting to go through the security checkpoint, when you notice a man being pulled out of line in front of you. Authorities pat down the bulge beneath the man’s shirt and begin pulling out monkeys… 18 of them. Now that’s a vacation memory. [More]
Save Money On Dental Care: Go To Mexico
By July 7, 2010
It costs a lot of money to go to the dentist. And with many Americans lacking dental coverage, getting your teeth taken care of is often cost-prohibitive. But a handful of entrepreneurial dentists in Mexico have stepped up to the plate, offering discount dentistry to a growing U.S. customer base. [More]
15 People Kidnapped For Filming A Beer Commercial Without Permission
By June 14, 2010
So, Mexico is apparently pretty @#$%ing intense. A total of 28 people were kidnapped by machete-wielding locals who objected to Grupo Modelo, the maker of Corona beer, filming a commercial on their land. 13 of the people kidnapped were actually Mexican reporters who had nothing to do with the beer company. [More]
Delta Offers More Money For Pooch Lost In Transit, Apologizes
By May 7, 2010
Paco is still missing, but after we contacted them, Delta reached out to Josiah and said sorry, along with offering to reimburse him for all the costs he put into the dog and two additional $200 vouchers for future travel on their airline. Josiah says that’s unnecessary, as he still probably won’t be flying Delta ever again after this experience. [More]
Entire Dog Lost, Delta Offers $200 Credit
By May 7, 2010
Where’s Paco? Josiah doesn’t know, his girlfriend doesn’t know, someone at Delta might know. After all, Delta was supposed to load Josiah’s new dog on the same plane that Josiah got on. Paco didn’t land with them. Frantic, Josiah called around desperately before being told that Paco was safe and sound, being taken care of by Delta employees, who would put him on the next flight out. Paco wasn’t on that one either. More harried calls and Delta told Josiah Paco had “escaped” and the best they could do is refund his $200.00 pet transportation fee, but only as a “credit” for future Delta travel. That doesn’t do Josiah any good, as he’s vowed to never fly Delta again. Here’s his story, and more adorable/sad puppy pictures: [More]
Foxconn Workers In Mexico Revolt, Set Factory On Fire
By February 20, 2010
Gizmodo reports, based on a story in the subscription-only El Norte, that workers in a Foxconn factory in Juarez, Mexico became enraged and set the building on fire. Supervisors had misled the workers into working unpaid overtime. A delightful follow-up to the Reuters report about a Foxconn security guard threatening a foreign reporter. [Gizmodo] (Thanks, GitEmSteveDave!) [More]
Want Free Health Care? Visit Mexico City
By June 9, 2009
Although the A/H1NI flu virus (referred to as the swine flu) outbreak didn’t kill everyone like alarmist media commentary led us to believe it would, it did deal a devastating blow to the Mexican tourism industry. The sprawling metropolis’s hotels are lonely places these days, sitting at 27 percent capacity compared to 50 percent a year ago.
Carnival Cruises Is So Over That Swine Flu Thing
By May 16, 2009
Pack up your maracas, Carnival is returning to Mexico! The cruise line wasn’t happy with putzing off the California coast, and the CDC says that swine flu isn’t deadly enough to keep us out of Mexico forever. By the end of the month, souvenir-seeking Americans will again be able to down margaritas and scoop up trinkets in Cabo, Cozumel, and Puerto Vallarta.
Continental: No Refunds For Swine Flu Cancellations
By May 1, 2009
The swine flu outbreak is making thing tough for people who had booked Mexican vacations. Reader Kurt is one such person. He got a full refund from the hotel, but is dismayed that Continental won’t extend him the same courtesy.
Memo To Cruise Lines: Seattle Is Not Cozumel
By May 1, 2009
A few different cruise lines took initiative and changed the itineraries of ships heading to Mexico in the near future. However, they won’t let customers who are uninterested in sailing to the tropical paradise of San Francisco rebook or get full refunds.
Canceling A Vacation Due To Swine Flu? Expect The Runaround
By April 28, 2009
So, you’ve decided to cancel your “nonessential” trip to Mexico to avoid the swine flu outbreak. Great. Just don’t expect the cancellation process to go smoothly.
Airlines Allowing Passengers To Rebook Due To Swine Flu Outbreak
By April 27, 2009
Several U.S. airlines are allowing passengers to rebook due to the swine flu outbreak in Mexico. American Airlines, Continental Airlines Inc and US Airways all said that they were allowing customers to change travel plans if they were concerned about the illness.
