BajaNomad - Mexico lets Aerocalifornia fly some planes again

Mexico lets Aerocalifornia fly some planes again

BajaNews - 6-27-2006 at 03:37 AM

http://today.reuters.com/stocks/QuoteCompanyNewsArticle.aspx...

Jun 26, 2006

MEXICO CITY, June 26 (Reuters) - Mexican authorities said on Monday they would partially lift a ban on the operations of airline Aerocalifornia because the company had fixed safety problems.

Aerocalifornia is based in tourist city La Paz, Baja California and flies throughout Mexico and to U.S. airports such as Los Angeles.

The company was grounded on April 2 due to safety concerns after inspections during more than a year showed serious deficiencies.

The transport ministry said those problems had now been resolved and it would allow Aerocalifornia to renew flights on five of its 29 aircraft.

"During the suspension, which lasted almost three months, the company has carried out the actions required by the authorities to resolve the deficiencies and anomalies," the ministry said in a statement.

Before the ban, the airline had grounded a third of its fleet and was cannibalizing parts from those planes to keep the rest operating. The company operated an average of 80 flights a day.

Aerocalifornia is a private low-cost airline flying to several Mexican cities, Los Angeles and Tucson. It operates from 10 of the 12 airports owned by Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico (GAPB.MX: Quote, Profile, Research)(PAC.N: Quote, Profile, Research), or GAP, and represents about 11 percent of the airport company's total passenger traffic.

In 2004, an Aerocalifornia DC-9 slid off the runway in Mexico City while trying to take off in heavy rain and four people were injured.

Shares in GAP rose 2.18 percent in afternoon trading on Monday, to 35.2 pesos.

tim40 - 6-27-2006 at 01:55 PM

It is my favorite Baja Tourist City...

tim40 - 6-27-2006 at 01:59 PM

Any rumors as to when they will start and what routes first? Would love to learn it was from LAX to LAP.

Bruce R Leech - 6-27-2006 at 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lencho

Quote:

Originally posted by tim40
Any rumors as to when they will start and what routes first? Would love to learn it was from LAX to LAP.

Here's a question for the group: would you entrust yourself to Aerocalifornia after what's come down?

--Larry

absolutely not :lol:

deficiencies and anomalies :?:

bajalou - 6-27-2006 at 06:21 PM

Sounds safer than the 405 to me-- :?:

Don Alley - 6-27-2006 at 07:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lencho

Here's a question for the group: would you entrust yourself to Aerocalifornia after what's come down?

--Larry

Consider folks flying from distant places...with Aerocal's old schedule places from as far away as Montana, even New York were within reach of a single day's flying. With Alaska, hotel rooms each way. More time, more dollars. And hey, I'm getting old anyway, lol.

Also, I would welcome AeroCal's return to the air if it helps provide competition and lower ticket prices.

But here's a variation on your question: would you book your children or grandchildren on Aero California?

Ack! :no:

Paula - 6-27-2006 at 07:52 PM

Quote:

Here's a question for the group: would you entrust yourself to Aerocalifornia after what's come down?

--Larry

Well, they have a good safety record, in spite of the grounding.
But since I still hold a ticket purchased on sale for a May trip (on sale, non-refundable), and they insisted that they would be flying by then, I think maybe not. In order to not waste a domestic (US) ticket purchased separately to complete the trip, I bought an Aerolitoral ticket to make the connection. That Aerocal ticket was the most expensive cheap ticket I ever bought! :no:

Don Alley - 6-27-2006 at 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by morgaine7

Quote:

Originally posted by lencho
Here's a question for the group: would you entrust yourself to Aerocalifornia after what's come down?

Interesting question, Larry. I think I probably would. This may be naive, but I can't see the ministry ungrounding them now if they haven't reached some level of compliance. On my last trip, it was sad to see the abandoned planes, counters, offices, and so many folks unemployed ... I thought of them as I watched the Labor Day celebrations. Presuming safety concerns are addressed, I'd love to see those folks bringing home paychecks again.

Kate

Great points. We really like the AeroCalifornia staff in Loreto...great people giving great service in an age where air travel has so often become so unpersonal and service so poor.

capt. mike - 6-28-2006 at 05:50 AM

several of the concerns of the mex FAA feds that Aerocal corporate mgmt agreed on were:

1. change back to std control yokes from the miniature chain link steering wheels many pilots had put on.
2. remove the hanging dice from the glare shield center supports.
3. remove the little Jesus statues prevalent on most of the DC-9 dash boards.
4. replace the jumping hydraulics with std shock struts at the landing gear assemblies.

with the above in mind, the carrier should run smoothly according to sources close to the guvmint.

turtleandtoad - 6-28-2006 at 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by morgaine7
Larry ... am I getting close?
http://www.traveltrade.com/headline_news.jsp?articleID=7685
Consider the source, though. Quote from article:
"A new oceanfront walkway called the Malecon is being developed in La Paz."
I am not making this up.

Kate

How old is this quote????

I could have sworn that I took this photo in La Paz.

longlegsinlapaz - 6-28-2006 at 05:47 PM

turtleandtoad

Keep on swearing you took that pic in La Paz, because you did!! That's a relatively new section (1-2 years) of what seems like perpetual changes/improvements/modifications along the length of the malecon.

flyfishinPam - 6-28-2006 at 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lencho
Here's a question for the group: would you entrust yourself to Aerocalifornia after what's come down?

--Larry

No I would not entrust myself, my family or our clients (but they can make their own decision on that). We also won't be posting their information on our website that's how much we don't entrust them! Nice employees or not, their planes were held together by a prayer and it was pure luck that they had a good safety record (IMHO).

Aero Maybe!

mike odell - 6-28-2006 at 08:43 PM

For many past trips, spanning several years, the wife and I have traveled on Aero Maybe, about 6 to 8 trips a year from San Jose to Guadalajara, never thought much about the service or the air worthyness of the aircraft until the last trip,afterall it's just a quick jump at high altitude, at extreme speed, over water,mountains,for no more than 2 and 1half hours of cramped time, with your fellow humans, why worry?
But On the last flight for some reason, I happened to note the tail number of this fine air machine, and after taking our assigned seats in row 8, ABC seats, I looked toward the window and it's shade, a LARGE lumb of bubble gum was smeared on the shade track, and the window, the odor of extremely dirty feet and body odor filled this air machine, but I did notice that the starboard engine was only leaking a small amount of oil on the visible surfaces of the housing, so for the price, why worry, right??
5 days later ,yep, you guessed it, return trip, same gum same odor, same seat assignment, and SAME oil leak on the same motor, only worse!!!!
Flyem again, nunca mas!!! I will swim first.
Mexicana, and Aero Mexico are about 50 to 120 usd for the same round trip more, I think I'll spring for the upgrade, until I see the bubble gum!!

tim40 - 6-28-2006 at 09:36 PM

Yes, I would fly them for certain flights. Flown them numerous times without incidence. Old...so are many of the American Airlines planes I have been on since 9/11.

So I take it no one knows when/where they will fly first?

Loretana - 6-28-2006 at 09:50 PM

Re: Aero Maybe

Mike Odell, your story reminds me of my July '05 flight home. I had a group of 16 fishermen on board going home to Portland. (including my immediate family).....

The overhead bin above my brother-in-law's seat popped open during takeoff and spilled out the hand carrys, and the flight attendants simply ignored it. Brother-in law replaced the contents and slammed 'er shut as soon as we got in the air. After all, the bags were ours.......

By the third time the bin opened and spilled out he was fed up, so he took the duct tape he had brought to seal up his ice chest and.......you guessed it!

The large silver swath of duct tape holding the overhead bin shut never even got the crew's attention. That stuff is so handy!! :lol:

turtleandtoad - 6-29-2006 at 09:13 AM

When I was there, I wondered about all the eel grass (or whatever is the Sea of Cortez equivilant), and decided to forego a swim. A non-functional sewer system would explain the grass. The fact that there weren't any "No Swimming" signs is troubling.

As to flying Aero, if the flights originate or end in the U.S, then I might consider it. The way I understand it, airlines operating from the U.S. have to meet U.S. standards.

JESSE - 6-29-2006 at 08:57 PM

Aerocalifornia is destined to die.

If someone can tell me how can 5 planes produce enough profits to:

1.-Refund the millions they got from selling seats AFTER they knew they where going to get grounded.

2.-Pay the huge debt they have with airport authorities for landing fees they havent paid in probably years.

3.-Pay for the millions they owe for social security.

4.-Pay all the liquidations of the 1000+ employees they laid off illegaly.

5.-Settle all the lawsuits coming and pending.

6.-Pay all the millions of backtaxes they owe to the feds.

7.-Pay for the millions they owe for jetfuel.

Aerocalifornia is dead, they will simply get a few planes in the air to create the appearance that they tried so they can blame the feds.

jerry - 6-30-2006 at 10:10 AM

just get a few planes in the air so they can steal the money tell they close down

i seldom hear any complants from the ppl on planes that crash
only from the ppl still flying wonder why?? :?: