ASA-MTY Overnights

[McNugent]

What's the new hotel? Didn't our old one (the Holiday Inn) get overrun with gunmen a few years back. Pretty sure they had private security all over that joint.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/apr/21/world/la-fg-mexico-monterrey-20100422

I sure do miss those Nuevo Luna dos por uno nights though. I only heard gunshots a few times.

Think on the bright side though, it's better than doing the Lagos overnights that Delta does.

 

[FishandFly]

I will not do it and if I get an occurrence I'll be on the news. Our company screws up way too much for me to trust it on something like this.

 

[COOPERVANE]

They do a pretty good job with re-branding.......

Oh, wait!!........

 

[jetracer5]

We used to ovenight there years ago and stayed at the Holiday Inn downtown. Never had any problems. How bad could it be?

Uh the Holiday Inn got stormed by the cartel and people were kidnapped about 2 years ago.........so yea its bad

 

[manfred33]

WELL, i am in MTY right now, and it is not that bad. Sure there is a lot of crap going on downtown MTY, but not a whole lot happens by the hotel. Yes, the Holiday Inn had some problem a few years ago, but I have been coming down here for almost 3 years now and have had no problems. Most of us enjoy coming here- the ground staff is great at the airport, the hotel staff is great and 9E says it is safe, so it must be!! Like somebody else said, don't do anything stupid or be an idiot and you'll be fine. Not entirely sure the reason that we are stopping service here.....couple of different rumors, but I for one am disappointed that we will no longer be coming here. Just my 2¢ worth.....

 

[ohplease!]

Let's take a poll:

How many would be okay with (or even look forward to) doing a MTY layover, and how many would avoid it at all costs (swap/trade/drop/sick)?

I vote for avoiding the place.

Not going. Period.

 

[Medeco]

So how many different overnights does XJT do in Mexico? Are they refusing overnight flights?
I'm really unsure how I would handle it, but lucky for me my plane isnt going there anymore.

Obviously, the violence is really bad and mostly in pockets of the country. Until, they decide to branch out into new areas, which they are doing.

Yes the press blows up everything, but the numbers are real.

 

[spudskier]

Not entirely sure the reason that we are stopping service here.....couple of different rumors, but I for one am disappointed that we will no longer be coming here. Just my 2¢ worth.....

It's called the Delta Shuffle... we did MTY years ago and now we're back... you'll be going down south before ya know it. :laugh:

 

[manfred33]

It's called the Delta Shuffle... we did MTY years ago and now we're back... you'll be going down south before ya know it. :laugh:

Oh, I am familiar with Delta's infamous dance, unfortunately..... However, it was rumored that our mgmt decided to voluntarily withdraw our services from MTY, for whatever reason, again, numerous rumors exist on that as well... Well, we still get to go to BZE....which is nice, so I got that goin for me.... But, i'm sure that'll be gone again before too long too.

 

[Oakum_Boy]

The BIG question is.. why did "we" have to spend 133 million dollars to procure an international safety manager?

Did you ASA'ers know that your ASA health insurance is not even accepted in Mexico and the company REQUIRES crewmembers to pay out of pocket only to be reimbursed (may take several months at this dump) by the company?

XJET'ers, what say you of this jewel.. your new owners think so highly of you, they send you to some third-world hell hole with no medical insurance.

http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/CTVNewsAt11/20061208/whistleblower_mexico_061213/

 

[dojetdriver]

Me thinks the HI comment about "how bad can it be?" was sarcasm.

So how many different overnights does XJT do in Mexico? Are they refusing overnight flights?

Off the top of my head;

CUU, SJD, DGO, TRC, SLW, MTY, SLP, TAM, AGU, QRO, MEX, BJX, PVR, GDL, MLM, LOV, ZIH, TLC, OAX, VSA, VER, PUB, ZCL.

Some come and go, some we've always overnighted in, some maybe not at all anymore. But fear not, our security committee is "on it". Don't wear a shiny watch and you should be good to go. Also, many of the hotels are by BMW dealerships so they're COMPLETELY safe.

IIRC, the ONLY time our company stopped service somewhere was during the teacher's strike in OAX and there was lots of protesting and civil unrest going on not far from the hotel. And *gasp*, some people were killed in a riot. Aside from that, like mentioned before, our security committee has deemed it "safe".

 

[Inconceivable]

9E said that MTY was "Memphis Safe" and flashed a grill of gold teeth in a grin...right before returning the flying to DL.

Even the post-Trennary bureaucrats know that it isn't safe. The boys in St. George aren't worried about you - they have magic underwear, remember?

 

[Nevets]

XJET'ers, what say you of this jewel.. your new owners think so highly of you, they send you to some third-world hell hole with no medical insurance.

.

Personally, I knew they don't think highly of their employees since the first buyout attempt.

As for insurance, excuse my ignorance, but do we have the same policy? I've heard of people using medical services in MX and not having a problem.

 

[dojetdriver]

Off the top of my head;

CUU, SJD, DGO, TRC, SLW, MTY, SLP, TAM, AGU, QRO, MEX, BJX, PVR, GDL, MLM, LOV, ZIH, OAX, VSA, VER, PUB, ZCL.

Removed TLC, don't think we've ever overnighted there.

 

[tomgoodman]

It could be worse

A retired PanAm guy told of the time they got a midnight call at their layover hotel somewhere in Africa: "This is the Station Manager. Get your crew downstairs now! We have to take you across the river. The rebels are almost at the city limits." :uzi:

 

[CesnaCaptn]

A retired PanAm guy told of the time they got a midnight call at their layover hotel somewhere in Africa: "This is the Station Manager. Get your crew downstairs now! We have to take you across the river. The rebels are almost at the city limits." :uzi:

That sounds similar to a tale a captain told me. His "friend" was interviewing at an ACMI carrier. He was asked, what would you do if you had just landed in Africa with two hours of fuel, and armed rebels came out shooting from the jungle? The friend responded, "I'd button up the plane and takeoff with or without flight paperwork--it's life or death." The interviewer replied, "Good. That's what we did when it happened to us."

 

[Oakum_Boy]

.As for insurance, excuse my ignorance, but do we have the same policy? I've heard of people using medical services in MX and not having a problem.

It's in our FOM. It specifically says crewmembers are responsible for paying for medical services internationally, then applying for company reimbursement. Now personally, what I'd like to know is:

Do they take American Express or do I need to bring my Visa card?

If they do take Amex, will I be reimbursed quickly enough to pay next month's bill? Will the company pay the interest if not?

How much of my medical condition will I have to disclose to Shanaynay in payroll, and the chief pilot on that pesky online reimbursement form?

How much cash should I have on hand for the hospital so they'll treat me? 10K? 20K?

How did the corporate attorneys figure this was legal and a good idea?

How many companies send their employees abroad on a regular basis without medical insurance?

And finally, without insurance, needing to be flown home by air ambulance, who makes that decision, when, and who will pay for it? My FA? FO?

 

[nimtz]

Overnighted in MTY last week in the exact hotel area being stressed about here. Dear god I had to walk 3 minutes to the 7-11 to grab a 35 peso 40 oz of Tecate! On the way I passed this strange place full of Hispanic people called 'Chilis'.

There were definitely Mexicans in the 7-11 so my guard was up! Thankfully I was ready to use the hammer fist since I always pay attention to those TSA self defense videos in recurrent. I think the checkout girl was trying to start trouble by blabbering to me in Spanish, but I quickly told her "hey English only senorita!" And the hotel breakfast in the morning, well it was nice but how do I know the waiter that helpfully refilled my coffee 3X wasn't a Zeta!?! Seriously You worry warts probably think the local Walmart is an Al Qaeda target. Grow a pair!

 

[Nevets]

It's in our FOM. It specifically says crewmembers are responsible for paying for medical services internationally, then applying for company reimbursement.

I'll have to go look that up although I don't know if the FOM can override the insurance policy I am currently paying for. I'll have to review the policy itself as well.

I know that at XJT, the company "chartered" one of it's own planes to bring back a pilot. I don't doubt Inc would scoff at that idea.

 

[rausda27]

Me thinks the HI comment about "how bad can it be?" was sarcasm

Bingo!