Being the fellow diver at the same hotel as the OP before they went on the ill fated trip, was there when they walked in from the experience, talked to them continually during their stay, and was with them as they walked off the premises to the airport to end their vacation..... this thread is way of course from what are the issues........
The OP asked me to remain quiet until they left the island which I have, but have spoken to quite a few dive professionals on the island, vacationers with quite a bit of dive experience on the island and a few ex pats living here after the experience the other afternoon, plus have spoken to the OP and his companion at length about this whole ordeal.
This thread is totally way off base and turned into a congratulations to the dive operator for firing the inexperienced captain and for her to refund the money and write a few nice posts....
The issues are.....
Lack of communication to a diver and companion new to Cozumel of where and what time they are to meet. In the age of instant and continuous communication with smart phones, how hard is it to put a fork down in a restaurant and write a 1 or 2 sentence reply to an apprehensive new visitor that has booked with you, paid you money and entrusted their enjoyment with you?
Renting a BCD that leaks and won't hold air for extended periods of time given to a women on her very first open water dive. Now maybe if there were no issues, one could get away with this, but there were issues and we found out that both the DM and the divers companion had to help keep the woman afloat while they drifted on the surface and as they swam ashore.
The other issues are that there was absolutely no communication from the dive operator after this incident until the OP got home, went to work and posted this on scuba board. Now, who besides me thinks that if this wasn't posted for the world to see after the OP got home, there never would have been a response, apology and refund.... if the operator could not communicate with the OP for their few days remaining on the island, why is she now being praised because something was finally done after the OP left the island days after the incident and posted his experience on scuba board?
I'm really amazed by the responses given on this thread praising someone that tried to sweep all this under a rug. I know the OP was dumbfounded as he walked off the hotel property toward the airport with no apology or response from the operator, because I was right there talking about this with him as he turned and left.
You people need to put down the kool aid and realize the facts of this unfortunate incident.