The no-frills airline that offered non-stop services from Austin, Texas, to Mexico for lower prices has dropped its services after its launching in 2008. VivaAerobus has stated they are pulling out of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport as a result of sharp drops in Mexican travel after the recent swine flu scare.
According to VivaAerobus officials, about 50 percent of passengers have canceled their trips to Mexico and are not rescheduling. A 30 percent spike in no-show passengers has also plummeted recent sales.
“VivaAerobus made this decision due to the extraordinary external circumstances impacting travel with Mexico. Their actions are consistent with what many Mexican carriers are having to do. We wish them luck during this challenging time and hope they can successfully return to ABIA," Jim Smith, Executive Director, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.
VivaAerobus was the Texas capital city's only direct flight to Mexico. They offered twice-a-week flights to Cancún and Puerto Vallarta. Their 2008 launch came with high hopes to lure Mexican tourists to Austin and to entice American travelers searching for more affordable travel options.
VivaAerobus advertised flights starting at $9.99 USD plus taxes and fees totaling to about $130 USD for a round-trip ticket. The airline maintained low prices by eliminating jet bridges, ticket counters, baggage handling and snacks.
The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport converted an old United States National Guard warehouse to house the economy airline and hoped other low-budget airlines would follow. The barebones terminal with a sparse waiting area resembled the warehouse-style terminal in Monterrey, where VivaAerobus has its headquarters. The airline's target travelers were first-time fliers who regularly chose to ride the bus over flying because of the affordability.
VivaAerobus had plans of expanding its services to other Mexican destinations including Guadalajara, Puebla, León, Querétaro and Veracruz. But the low-budget airline showed signs it was already struggling when it reduced its services to Cancún and dropped the Austin-Monterrey service.
In a VivaAerobus statement, officials said that before they took this decision they carefully monitored traveler patterns after the flu outbreak was announced.
"While demand on Mexican routes has returned to normal levels in the last week, the pattern of behavior on the Austin – Cancun and Austin – Puerto Vallarta routes has not changed; passengers are still calling for refunds and new demand is almost non-existent," according to VivaAerobus.
The last VivaAerobus flight will depart the Austin-Bergstrom Airport on Sunday, May 31, 2009. All passengers who booked a flight after this date will receive a full refund by May 26. Customers who do not receive a refund reflected on their account should email refunds.austin@vivaaerobus.com
Nancy Flores - My freelance work, which ranges from writing articles, producing and editing online video and shooting photos, focuses on Mexican travel, ...
