cheap flight to coz
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blawler1
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Both funjet www.funjet.com and Adventure tours www.atusa.com run charters out of Texas. These are usually much cheaper than Continental, which is currently the only scheduled option out of Texas. Funjet flys out of Houston, Austin (summer only), San Antonio and DFW. Adventure flys out of DFW. At any time, both of them run last minute specials that run $200 to $300 (all taxes included) for airfare to Cozumel. They also run specials on air/hotel packages. Check the website and sign up to get the specials. I got an email today for a one day sale for SA to Cozumel for about $160
z28pwr
Guest
You can also checkout the Internet Specials Section of www.bayadventures.com they have some AirFare Specials.
Kat
Contributor
A couple weeks ago Funjet had a special 1 day sale w/ a local radio station. $105 round trip, plus taxes to Las Vegas, Cancun or Puerto Vallarta - from Chicago. Now that's a deal!
naturalsummer
Guest
maybe this is the one you heard about ...
$85 -- Cozumel from Dallas (R/T) * http://www.travelzoo.com/
$85 -- Cozumel from Dallas (R/T) * http://www.travelzoo.com/
I went with MLT Vacations From DFW. They fly 727's nonstop, which seems to make the trip a little faster than with Allegro Air or Continental. Best price I could find too.
Don Anthony
Registered
The $99 air-only airfares have not existed for some time (in reality) but they do still appear from time to time on paper. Read the fine print. By the time one pays the hidden taxes, they will be lucky to get the fare for under $250-$300. Still a good rate but why dont they simply publish what the real air-fare is? To me, this practice borders on deceptive trade practice. I dont mind paying a fee for something but I like to make my purchasing decision based on a true rate, and not find out each step of the booking process that another $50 - $100 will be added.
I have been traveling to Cozumel with ATUSA and their various contracted carriers several times a year since 85 and have a little history to share with anyone interested. Many moons ago, Adventure Tours did publish DFW to COZ air-only on sale (last minute deals) for $99 and actually mean it. One could actually have their credit card charged this low fee and travel with little hassle. Adventure Tours first began contracting with Mexicanna Airlines and later Aero Mexico. Back then, not only could someone obtain a round trip airfare for $99 (including taxes) but all the beer and wine on the round trip were free! Then Adventure Tours switched to a private carrier, Champion Air. I made many complaints about this, but to no avail. They followed by using Champion Air for many years but have recently dropped them for Ryan Air. I am uncertain what the issue is causing them to no longer use Champion. (My only personal complaint is that Champion did not offer free drinks!) I do know that I heard tales of several minor mishaps with Champion. I personally experienced our plane having a flat on the Cozumel runway and waiting 4 hours for them to send for and install a new tire. A friend of mine who works for the FAA also said they had to return to DFW once when the cockpit door fell off in flight. All minor stuff, but still who would complain for the $99, right?
Now that Cozumel has turned into cruise ship city with 10 or more ships visiting per day, there apparently is a lot of pressure from the industry for Cozumel to provide a lot of US amenities. It seems that along with the Americanization of Cozumel, the government started increasing departure tax to rates nearing $100. This came about around the same time that Cozumel changed its name to Isla Cozumel and the Cancun coast became the Myan Riveria. <sneer> What Adventure Tours and its parent company, Funjet have done is simply keep adding these additional taxes on to their advertised rate, while they still publish in the paper and online the same rates that they did in the 80s. Nice trick aye?
I recently booked my first ATUSA trip using their new contracted carrier, Ryan Air. Of course, I have long been callused to the inaccurate rates advertised but I was hit with a new gotcha on this booking. ATUSA tells me to pay attention to the new baggage limits. ATUSA says due to the recent commuter flight crash in Raleigh, new baggage restrictions exist. Each person is limited to 2 bags of no more than 22lbs each. (My dive bag with the most minimum equipment weighs 35lbs!) This is a safety issue they say. However, miraculously, a $25 fee paid by me each way somehow eliminates this safety issue. ATUSA directs me to Ryan Air for any complaints and a phone call to Ryan Airs customer support center updated me to the fact that there were no baggage restrictions imposed recently and that these baggage restrictions have always been in effect. They say that ATUSA makes the decision how this rule is administered, i.e. to honor it to the letter as they are stating they now will, rather than the previously more liberal policy of adjusting the maximum allowed to flight load. He would not comment on my theory that ATUSA was possibly using this as another gimmick to pad the advertised low rate, the one that is really not available. He did strongly suggest I purchase insurance (and gave me some company names) because he said that a lot of people dont read the fine print and that sporting goods are not insured on his airline and if someone destroys or steals dive equipment, they will not be liable to pay.
Now how much was that bargain airfare again?
I have been traveling to Cozumel with ATUSA and their various contracted carriers several times a year since 85 and have a little history to share with anyone interested. Many moons ago, Adventure Tours did publish DFW to COZ air-only on sale (last minute deals) for $99 and actually mean it. One could actually have their credit card charged this low fee and travel with little hassle. Adventure Tours first began contracting with Mexicanna Airlines and later Aero Mexico. Back then, not only could someone obtain a round trip airfare for $99 (including taxes) but all the beer and wine on the round trip were free! Then Adventure Tours switched to a private carrier, Champion Air. I made many complaints about this, but to no avail. They followed by using Champion Air for many years but have recently dropped them for Ryan Air. I am uncertain what the issue is causing them to no longer use Champion. (My only personal complaint is that Champion did not offer free drinks!) I do know that I heard tales of several minor mishaps with Champion. I personally experienced our plane having a flat on the Cozumel runway and waiting 4 hours for them to send for and install a new tire. A friend of mine who works for the FAA also said they had to return to DFW once when the cockpit door fell off in flight. All minor stuff, but still who would complain for the $99, right?
Now that Cozumel has turned into cruise ship city with 10 or more ships visiting per day, there apparently is a lot of pressure from the industry for Cozumel to provide a lot of US amenities. It seems that along with the Americanization of Cozumel, the government started increasing departure tax to rates nearing $100. This came about around the same time that Cozumel changed its name to Isla Cozumel and the Cancun coast became the Myan Riveria. <sneer> What Adventure Tours and its parent company, Funjet have done is simply keep adding these additional taxes on to their advertised rate, while they still publish in the paper and online the same rates that they did in the 80s. Nice trick aye?
I recently booked my first ATUSA trip using their new contracted carrier, Ryan Air. Of course, I have long been callused to the inaccurate rates advertised but I was hit with a new gotcha on this booking. ATUSA tells me to pay attention to the new baggage limits. ATUSA says due to the recent commuter flight crash in Raleigh, new baggage restrictions exist. Each person is limited to 2 bags of no more than 22lbs each. (My dive bag with the most minimum equipment weighs 35lbs!) This is a safety issue they say. However, miraculously, a $25 fee paid by me each way somehow eliminates this safety issue. ATUSA directs me to Ryan Air for any complaints and a phone call to Ryan Airs customer support center updated me to the fact that there were no baggage restrictions imposed recently and that these baggage restrictions have always been in effect. They say that ATUSA makes the decision how this rule is administered, i.e. to honor it to the letter as they are stating they now will, rather than the previously more liberal policy of adjusting the maximum allowed to flight load. He would not comment on my theory that ATUSA was possibly using this as another gimmick to pad the advertised low rate, the one that is really not available. He did strongly suggest I purchase insurance (and gave me some company names) because he said that a lot of people dont read the fine print and that sporting goods are not insured on his airline and if someone destroys or steals dive equipment, they will not be liable to pay.
Now how much was that bargain airfare again?
Don Anthony
Registered
Another thing to keep in mind is if anything goes wrong, i.e. your plane is very late, you miss your connecting flight, your hotel is full when you arrive, and if you complain to ATUSA, about all you will be able to get out of them a coupon for your next trip for $100 or $150 off the regular price. Be sure to read the fine print here. In reality, this means the consolation prize will indeed be less than the full rate, however it usually ends up being a few hundred more than the fare you typically sign up for when the vacation is on sale.
To clarify, if you purchase a last minute deal on a hotel package for $329 and have any kind of problem, complain, and as a result receive a $150 off coupon for your next ATUSA trip, this wont buy you much the trip you like to take (i.e. diving in Cozumel) has a regular price of $799.
To clarify, if you purchase a last minute deal on a hotel package for $329 and have any kind of problem, complain, and as a result receive a $150 off coupon for your next ATUSA trip, this wont buy you much the trip you like to take (i.e. diving in Cozumel) has a regular price of $799.
Kat
Contributor
You can call a travel agent & they will tell you what the final price will be. You can go directly to their web sites & you will also get the final price with all taxes included. When I see a local store having a sofa sale, advertised in the paper, it does not include the tax in the advertised price. Nor does any other product I have ever seen advertised. Tax is always extra & the only one profiting from it is the government.
As someone who works in the airport, I am always amazed at people who expect an entire refund because they have experienced a delay. Your not getting a full refund because you don't deserve one. Your compensation is based on the severity of the problem.
Believe me, no one wants to see you get on your plane & leave more than the airline employees. When your car gets a flat do the other passengers in the car verbally abuse you (& threaten you) until you can get it fixed? All of the yelling, screaming & carrying on is not getting the problem resolved any faster. We now have a zero tolerance policy for passengers who threaten us.
FYI: airline employees DO NOT isuue refunds at the airport.
As someone who works in the airport, I am always amazed at people who expect an entire refund because they have experienced a delay. Your not getting a full refund because you don't deserve one. Your compensation is based on the severity of the problem.
Believe me, no one wants to see you get on your plane & leave more than the airline employees. When your car gets a flat do the other passengers in the car verbally abuse you (& threaten you) until you can get it fixed? All of the yelling, screaming & carrying on is not getting the problem resolved any faster. We now have a zero tolerance policy for passengers who threaten us.
FYI: airline employees DO NOT isuue refunds at the airport.
Don Anthony
Registered
Do you work for Adventure Tours? Just wondered since you say you work at the airport. Regarding your example, how often do you accept the taxes you are charged as being near the same price as your referenced sofa? I don't think you understand the point of my story. The term "plus tax" in the retail world typically means around 8-10% added to the advertised rate. In Adventure Tours land, apparently it can be 100% or more of the advertised rate. Bottom line, just tell me how much I am going to be charged, ATUSA, and stop all the double-talk. Truth in advertising and all that .....
Regarding my money back for travel gone bad, I have been on a trip before with Adventure Tours where when I arrived, the beach hotel was full and they put me in a hotel downtown. Granted, that has been many years ago but nevertheless, in my mind a just reason to request my money back and not some worthless coupon (and also one of the reasons I now buy air-only).
The overall point to this story is to read all the fine print when booking a trip with a bargain carrier and consider things like no luggage insurance, additional luggage weight charge, hidden "taxes", no consolations for mishaps along the way, etc. when you compare these rates with commercial carriers.
Regarding my money back for travel gone bad, I have been on a trip before with Adventure Tours where when I arrived, the beach hotel was full and they put me in a hotel downtown. Granted, that has been many years ago but nevertheless, in my mind a just reason to request my money back and not some worthless coupon (and also one of the reasons I now buy air-only).
The overall point to this story is to read all the fine print when booking a trip with a bargain carrier and consider things like no luggage insurance, additional luggage weight charge, hidden "taxes", no consolations for mishaps along the way, etc. when you compare these rates with commercial carriers.
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