The Airport in Cozumel - arrival insanity

[BTravlin]

^^ Some of that is the exact reason that public campgrounds are now fully against my religion. If it's not a spot inaccessible except by a lot of hiking, I ain't camping.

Isn't that the truth. Sometimes I'll give a tent only campground a shot but even there people are too inconsiderate.

 

[ggunn]

The smartest thing Cozumel could do is make that arrival process more comfortable and less stressful. Here are some ideas I have off the top of my head:

1) Kicking out those Timeshare salesmen.
2) Have all the rental car vendor counters there
3) Have visible pay phones
4) Normal taxi service.
5) An information counter staffed with multi-lingual people who are not out to sell you anything.
6) A bank our money exchange counter with a fair exchange rate.

Then we can relax, have fun and enjoy what another culture has to offer. Please don't tell others to "Just Relax" unless you truly understand the stresses they are going through. That airport is just not friendly to arriving passengers.

I probably should have read the rest of the thread before responding, but...

First of all, this is Cozumel, not Baghdad. Or Houston, for that matter. Your loved ones were safer on the curb there than they would have been in most major US cities.

Second, your stress was brought on by your wanting things to be other than they are. Get over it and go with the flow.

1) The timeshare folks are a minor irritation at worst.

2) The best way to deal with a rent car is to get yourself, your luggage, your family, etc. to your hotel first, then go get the car. Or not, if you are staying close to or in town. If you try to deal with getting yourself around by driving in a place you have never been, you are just going to add to your stress level. Cabs are easy and cheap on Cozumel, and it's a small island.

3) If you take the shuttle to your hotel, you don't need a phone.

4) The taxi service is normal, but it's different. Taxis taking folks from the airport would make for a terrible traffic snarl. Take the shuttle to your hotel.

5) The shuttle window folks are fairly fluent in English, though all they really need to understand is the name of your hotel. Tell them where you are staying and they will tell you how much the shuttle costs to get there in pesos or dollars.

6) You don't need a money exchange in the airport; you can pay the shuttle fee in dollars and worry about getting pesos later.

The problem as I see it is that you expected the airport on Cozumel to be like a typical cosmopolitan US airport, which is an airport, a rental car terminal, a bank, a restaurant, a communications center, a social services center, a shopping center... The Cozumel airport isn't all that; it's just an airport. All it is concerned with is getting folks on and off planes; if you have other needs, you need to handle them elsewhere.

You really need to deal with things as they are rather than carp about the way you wish they were. THAT is where your stress was coming from, IMO. But you've done the hard part now; now you know how it works and next time you'll be fine.

 

[DandyDon]

Isn't that the truth. Sometimes I'll give a tent only campground a shot but even there people are too inconsiderate.

Eh, we pack for camping like I pack for Cozumel: Everything I want! And they wanted running water, when came in quite handy. After playing in the murky water, we hosed each other down with the spray nozzle. My daughter shampooed her hair even. It was the RV people who kept driving by us so much tho. This ground only has one tent site with water away from the road and it was taken already.

Hehe we camped near San Antonio for a couple of days in June - so very hot! Then we went to the city to check in a luxury hotel: "Clampets, party of 5" The hotel was nice about storing our camp gear.

 

[BTravlin]

Eh, we pack for camping like I pack for Cozumel: Everything I want! And they wanted running water, when came in quite handy. After playing in the murky water, we hosed each other down with the spray nozzle. My daughter shampooed her hair even. It was the RV people who kept driving by us so much tho. This ground only has one tent site with water away from the road and it was taken already.

Hehe we camped near San Antonio for a couple of days in June - so very hot! Then we went to the city to check in a luxury hotel: "Clampets, party of 5" The hotel was nice about storing our camp gear.

Hope you didn't think I was talking about you Don. I mainly get upset with the people who aren't quiet in the morning and after around 8 at night. And the people who drive through campgrounds like they're racetracks. Camping is supposed to be, on some level, about enjoying the peace and quiet of nature.

 

[DandyDon]

Oh no, not at all. This ground is not a part of the park system. Just a reservoir that allow camping, etc. At least the ATVs were restricted to the back side. It's also where my town water comes from, which is why I use RO water in the kitchen.

 

[BTravlin]

Good deal.

Getting back to the topic at hand. Does anyone else think that departure through the Coz airport runs pretty darn good compared to most Caribbean airports?

 

[firstdive2005]

One of the easiest and nicest airports I use regularly is on St. Lucia at the southern airport. Hewanarra(?) Airport does not have the hassles of hawkers except the fellas asking very nicely once only if you need a cab.
The first time through I was not 'on guard' like I was going through Coz airport. My wife likes St. Lucia also. To tell you the truth if the diving was better there thats where I would be going because you are not overwhelmed by these guys, they wait until you are in the towns walking around. Then they just are selling coconuts or some corny jewellry.
The Coz I like ARE the people AND the diving, landing will always grate me there, but not enough to make me not come back. My friends on island are a prize at the end of the guantlet. When I come back December I know my humour will take over versus anger at something I dont understand completely.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Good deal.

Getting back to the topic at hand. Does anyone else think that departure through the Coz airport runs pretty darn good compared to most Caribbean airports?

I think it runs pretty good compared to most any airport. It's hard to beat an international airport where your flight is most likely the only one even on the ground while you're there. If you time it right, check-in and security is a 5-minute process, then wait a bit then out to the plane.

 

[Diver Kat]

Good deal.

Getting back to the topic at hand. Does anyone else think that departure through the Coz airport runs pretty darn good compared to most Caribbean airports?

Yup! Runs better than most US airports I've been in & out of. Although I do like our Austin airport. Things usually run pretty smooth there because it's not very big.

 

[DandyDon]

Remember before TSA, when beggars were allowed to solicit in US airports, but they had to stay behind their counters - not chase people or get in their way? They're gone now I think - but wouldn't it be nice if the TS companies had to...

1: Rent space for tables, limited to one per company;

2: stay behind the tables and out of the way.​

Then a new person to the airport could look around, find their way, etc.