AUSTIN | ABIA Updates

[Major AWACS]

I am not sure what random non factual points you are trying to make here but you are once again incorrect.

The US Mexican bilateral air agreement only allows 2 airlines from each country to fly between most cities in each country so Viva could only choose San Antonio or Austin as Dallas and Houston are full.

What do you mean Houston is full? We have Ellington... And why is this aggrement enacted? We need more airlines between Mexico and USA, this is so clear and obvious.

The US and Mexico, as the US does with many countries, has a bilateral air agreement. There is no open skies. Open skies means you can fly wherever you want. many include 5th freedom and 6th freedom rights on routes.
Ellington Field and Hobby are part of Houston and fall under the same rules.

The US-Mexico bilateral only allows two airlines from each country to fly on most city pair routes. There is not enough O/D demand for medium haul airliner on a daily route from most Mexican cities to Texas. The bilateral is being revamped but Open skies are not coming soon.

Viva could not fly from say Houston to Monterrey because Aeromexico and Aviacsa fly it from the US side, With Continental on the US side. A US flagged carrier could fly the route, and Mexican one could not.

Ellington field has a small terminal, CO Express used it for years with hop flights to IAH. IN Fact Houston was the only US city with intra city limit flights on fixed wing aircraft, for nearly Two decades.

Guys in Ellington told me that if any company approaches them with a promise of terminal they will not charge a dime per customer. They also said Viva did not approach them.

Again, Ellington Field has a small terminal. If you are as "familar" with the airport as you say you should know this. Co Express used it for years on the "Houston Express" route to IAH. It is near the old tower SE of the 147 FW ramp. Viva did not approach them because the couldn't fly main routes to Mexico and it was a horrid business plan.

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Here is what I do not understand. The airline industry in Mexico is exploding. There are almost 15 airline companies in Mexico at this moment. Once they got familiar with the business and make profits, they will start looking new destinations to expand business and make more money. US is the first destination that comes into mind and Houston and LA are the 2 cities that they will want to fly first for obvious reasons.

While I disagree with your overly basic analysis of Mexican aviation (go to Airliners.net or Flyertalk.com for some basic reading) as I noted above the US Mexican treaty will not allow most of those flights you wish for.

Third, you can fly from numerous tiny cities in the north and west to Mexico for dirt cheap whenever there is sale. Just an example is Sipirit Air and another one is Airtran and many others. They have sales as low as $5-$10 and even you add the tax, the round trip cost less than 100 bucks. There are no such airlines in the southern cities.

Those fare bucket sales are only for roughly 10-15% of the seats on those flights. Businessmen and even many VFR-visiting friends and relatives don't travel like you discuss above. The CASM and RASM on flights from these markets does not allow the flights you wish for.

Fourth, caribbean countries are so close to both mexico and US, this will be an opportunity for airlines flying between US and mexico because it is so close to the route.

This makes no sense at all. Caribbean traffic is well covered from Miami, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte and Dallas the big hubs for Carib traffic. No one would fly via Mexico to the Caribbean, it addes hours to the flight, a connection meaning moremissed bags and delays and doesn't save money.

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One day this vacuum will be filled. I still can not believe that there is an aggreement that restricts number of airlines flying between US and Mexico. It takes only 2 hrs and 15 minutes to fly from Houston to Cancun and yet there is only one or two airlines flying and cheapest is $500. This is crazy. This should not happen in a country praising itself all the time with free enterprise and competition. Something is definitely wrong in here.

Well write your congressman to change it. Until this coming March, the Bermuda II agreement limited flights from the US to London Heathrow meaning Houston couldn't have direct flights to LHR only Gatwick, causing many missed oil connections. Starting in March Houston will get 4 daily flights to London with the new rules. Aviation rules are complex.

Take a look at any vacation package deals from Dallas and Houston to Mexico and you will notice that Dallas is by far cheaper than Houston. I wonder why. Something is really wrong with airline services from Houston. What makes Dallas cheaper than us to a destination which Houston is closer.
Gotta hate continental

Actual the vacation packages you mention are not "always" cheaper from Dallas and this (vacation deal pricing) has nothing to do with Continental.
There is a reason, Continental makes money, is constantly ranked #1 US airline for customer service and provides excellent international connections from Houston. In fact Houston actually has some of the lowest air fares in the country.

I hate to break it to you but you cannot fly everywhere you want for 200$ roundtrip each time. That is not how it works. Oil is up, landing fees and airport fees are up and the airlines have to make a profit for shareholders. The true cost of CASM will be passed on to consumers.



The Bureau of Transporation stats at BTS.gov is great place to start research and learning about such things, as are the websites I noted above...

Ciao,
AWACS