Who Is Flying Christmas 2023 ??

[KeyWestPirate]

Shelley is coming up while her truck is being fixed. She is looking to leave in a week.

There is a United 1 way from Liberia to Phoenix for less than $200,, $192 I believe she said.


But she could also fly Spirit to Lauderdale,, and then Frontier to Phoenix for about $400

Her valid point is,, factoring in a bus,, night's accommodation in Liberia, crossing the border,
it might be easier if not cheaper to just pay the extra for the flight out of Managua


The Question is,,, is Spirit really flying or just taking your money ?

[el duende grande]

Promises, promises...

Not hard to figure out
https://www.eaai.com.ni/en/internationals

If they keep promissing long enough some day they might be right but no guarantee. I'm surprized the Chinese have not picked up a route or 2.

[bill_bly_ca]

I quickly googled and the legal minimum for filing a flight plan is 1 hr before departure so that is no good as a heads up.

You could probably see the departure list of FLL and the arrival lists at MGA,but those are typically only one day ahead

So all in all we will not know if AA and/or Spirit are Shit or Shinola until Dec 2

[KeyWestPirate]

Promises, promises...

Not hard to figure out
https://www.eaai.com.ni/en/internationals

If they keep promissing long enough some day they might be right but no guarantee. I'm surprized the Chinese have not picked up a route or 2.

They are making more money on NOT flying than flying.
They take your money,, then try to give you a "credit" as a refund.

If I didn't know better I'd think that the airlines were Sandi owned.

[el duende grande]

One possibility is they are hedging their bets for fear of sanctions. Rusky airlines have been sanctioned everywhere in Yurrup, bad trend but what else can the US do to make life miserable for others?

Relative made it in from EU but her flight got changed enroute from Sal to Guate causing a delay.
Hopefully they will try to cash in on the xmas rush to test the waters.

I noticed a lot of crap flights to CR, too. Who in their right mind in the US would want to start a vacation with a redeye or a latenight arrival?

A friend in US was talking about a beach vacation and I pumped up SJDS. His girlfriend immediately chimed in Mexico is closer and cheaper. They went to Rocky Point, had a great time.

[bill_bly_ca]

One possibility is they are hedging their bets for fear of sanctions. Rusky airlines have been sanctioned everywhere in Yurrup, bad trend but what else can the US do to make life miserable for others?

It is complicated in that the ruskies can not get airspace passage and then, if diverted, a good possibility of the plane being seized as most of their planes ("Their" in quotes) as they are leased and then just natiolised them (mostly Airbus)

So if they get diverted - Poof the plane turns into a pumpkin

[KeyWestPirate]

Shelley successfully booked a Dec 3 on Spirit to Lauderdale (and much more of a sure bet,, Frontier onward to Phoenix).

If Spirit doesn't fly she loses her Frontier money of course. But it wasn't that much.

Liberia would be a sure bet, and less money, but she is tired of the long commute.
If we lived in Managua,, no problem, but for us it's find our way down from the farm at either 5:30 or 6:30 AM to Condega,, on to Esteli, on to Managua, then to the border, Liberia. Overnight, flight the next day.

Spirit flies in the wee hours of the madrugada,, but getting there in time for the flight is not a problem.

[bill_bly_ca]

I guess this is the most current "Flight" thread

Apparently United announced a return to Managua Jan 4

Sansa resumes their puddle jumper service (SJO to MGA) on Dec 16 as well

[KeyWestPirate]

I guess this is the mot current "Flight" thread

Apparently United announced a return to Managua Jan 4

Sansa resumes their puddle jumper service (SJO to MGA) on Dec 16 as well

Shelley is so far on track for Dec 3 with Spirit to Lauderdale and Frontier to Las Vegas. Spirit has not cancelled the flight --YET

[el duende grande]

Airport website shows Spirit but they have a booger in their programing--tomorrows flight is lumped in with todays flights "a tiempo". (Redeye leaves fl on 1 day and arrives mga on another day). ow 218 bucks.

Like the facebook page says, we will believe it when we see it.

Spirit still does not have a mia to las flight, so i will have to search a flight within a flight

American is supposed to be landing today, too. Here's hoping.

[cookshow]

AA landed today.

[el duende grande]

Prices on aa for Feb2023 are not real bad but hours are bad to vegas. Late night arrival going and red eye coming back. let's see if United comes back in Jan and what they can do.

[Little Corn Tom]

AA landed today.

Great news....thanks Kevin.

[cookshow]

Prices on aa for Feb2023 are not real bad but hours are bad to vegas. Late night arrival going and red eye coming back. let's see if United comes back in Jan and what they can do.

United is selling tickets, guess we will see,

[cookshow]

Other than Spirit the fares I am seeing are pricey, but if AA and United both start / keep flying, surely prices will drop. AeroMexico is still stupid high but for Vegas that would be a good route and Mex City would be a nice stopover.

[cookshow]

AA has a nonstop to DFW from Liberia, from DFW flights are abundant and usually decently priced, lots of Vegas flights.

[KeyWestPirate]

Shelley said that the Airport X is no longer "puros cubanos".

The middle of the night Spirit departure does have some advantages:
It tees you up for an early morning fight from Lauderdale to your eventual destination,

in her case a Frontier flight to Phoenix.

She burned out with the border crossing,, even though there is no question that Liberia has some well priced flights.

Her truck is now mechanically sound,, but there is a door, windshield, fender, and bumper (and of course body and paint) left to go.
When I say mechanically sound,, the mechanic was able to drive it to the guy who is doing the body and paint.

Uri is going to manage the body and paint,, and Arielka is going to manage Uri
I suspect that the final nut will be about $2500, about half of what we paid for the little truck.

Pic is of Corky at the Airport X,, and close up with a piece of the french fries Shelley was feeding him.

How can you not feed a face like that ??

[el duende grande]

The new normal. aa and spirit will coast thru the xmas rush, avianca will have to downsize a/o lower prices. Netnet, daily flights from the big carriers are better than nothing.
We'll see what passes when United opens 4 jan. For the western US united was always king--a couple bucks cheaper and 2 hours less than AA. Only once did they have the DFW route which didn't save me any money or time anyway. As soon as united opens I will get on the phone to change my san Jose flight.

Note that right now US carriers are not gouginf on one ways .

Same conumdrum-- other than xmas and Semana Santa family visits. there is no reason for anybody to go to Nic. No tourists=no flights, no flights = no tourists. Us DS expats trying to ride the coat tails of the tourists are out of luck.

Thanx for the heads up on Airport X, might stay there depending on how bad or good united 's flight is Lotta beggars here claiming to be Vens. How long till Nica scammers jump on the bandwagon?

Speaking of Nicas, lotta chatter here that they are disapperaing. Employees going north, others with hubby up north quitting to stay at home with the kids. I see tohono ohono syndrome increasing.

[KeyWestPirate]

Note that right now US carriers are not gouging on one ways


I noticed that too. DFW would be nice for us on the west coast.

Shelley said the majority of the guests at Airport X were cheles.
So someone is coming to NicaVille for some reason


My daughter was in Havana for three days,, said the old town is full of Europeans again.
Germans and Italians,, she thought.

She was in Cancun,, so it's only a 45 minute fight there and back.


others with hubby up north quitting to stay at home with the kids

I've seen a lot of that over the years.
if you can send back $300 - $500 monthly,, most people don't make that in Nicaragua unless they are some kind of professional.
Why work ??


Steady money tees you up for a small business,, a restaurant perhaps, or used clothing resale.