I am not sure why anyone has shares in any airline? It has got to be the worst business in existence for making money?

Airlines fly people around on unsustainable fares so they can fill their planes using what cash they can get to pay for the loans that are on their planes!  When the debts get too high, they re-organise. In the USA this  means going into "Chapter 11 Bankruptcy". This gives the airline the ability to reorganise To my eye, this seems to involve the  cancellation of mountains of debt so they can borrow more money!! In other places in the world, they try and get a government bail out.

If either measure fails, then the airlines goes bust. The number of failed airlines in the last twenty years is extraordinary!

Can anyone explain the economics better?

Some airlines go bust because of bad luck or bad situations-but the reality is most go bust because of bad management - a management that takes its eye off the fundamentals. For example:
"This is the worst airline ever! They should not be allowed to offer flights to anyone. I can't express enough how disappointing my trip with them was."

"Flight from Calgary, Alberta, Canada was overbooked by 19 people! There were 19 of us that were not allowed on the plane. The representatives said this happens all the time"

"THIS IS BY FAR THE WORST AIRLINE EVER!!!! Their customer service is non existent. They have 5 customer service telephone numbers and they are all busy. Finally, when my call went through the person couldn't help me. All I needed was to check in online and their online service wasn't working. If I would have known they were this stupid and rude- I would have tried some other airline. "

These comments belong to Mexicana, one of Mexico's airlines.Mexicana only joined the One World alliance in November, 2009 (One World includes American, British, Cathay, Iberia, Qantas).

Skytrax gives them 3 out of 5 stars. The comments above come from Review Center where the airline is rated a mere 1 out of 5!


I am not sure they are the worst airline ever (my worst airline list) but....


 It has now has filed for bankruptcy protection in the US and Mexico. The airline blames high labour costs and has made their staff two offers. One of my favourite blogs Cranky Flier has a good analysis of the offers and he says they are both unpalatable offers.

Will Mexicana survive? I think so but I would not fly them!  Another reviewer says:
Drive, walk, ride your bike, take the bus, or even hitchhike before booking with this airline.

If you are flying to Mexico be warned: the US Government has downgraded Mexico's airlines from Category 1 safety to Category 2 based on an assessment of day-to-day oversight of carriers by the   government.

So flying to Mexico? I say use Air France, Air Tran, Alaska, Continental,  LAN, Lufthansa and United.

In the meantime, bets please on Mexicana survival?

Ok, everyone has a horror story...weather delays, lost bags, line ups etc etc. I am not talking about those hiccups in travel but the consistent poor treatment of customers by an airline. The continual treatment of us as if passengers were an on-going nuisance.

Martin's DO NOT FLY LIST
This does not include the airlines I wont even try at all:  airlines in most of Africa, Kyoro North Korean Airlines, Biman Bangledeshi and Cubana- find all  airlines banned from Europe airspace here.

My do not fly list is ordered from THE worst to the not as worst!

1. Air Zimbabwe- no confidence in them at all-very sad state of affairs
2. DELTA...delayed Late and TArdy-In 2002, I vowed never, never, never will I fly them ever, ever again. Delta also tops the list for the most complained about airline in the USA! Things seem to be moving there, however and I am curious to see what things are like now
3. Alitalia- Italy has style, passion, beautiful women, good food and wine- none of that seems to have got to an Alitalia plane
4. Jetstar - as a Qantas subsidiary there are certain things they get right but fundamentally I cannot join the ads with leaping people with excitement. Herded onto crowded planes by harassed staff with no luxuries such as food and entertainment means grumpy passengers and some horrible incidents. I feel sorry for JQ staff but not sorry enough to fly them.
5. Air Asia - The times I flew Air Asia, my heart was in my mouth. Boarding the always late flights consisted of the staff opening the doors and standing back as the passengers stampeded the plane-no one was safe! I saw grandmothers bowled over by people wanting the "best seat". Ironically this was not the emergency exit which is where I sat! I hope their safety provisions and pilot training was better than everything else I saw. Cabin crew minimally helpful and in an emergency, I would have no confidence in them. 
6. Us Airways ...I was always told US stands for unserviceable...enough said
7. American Airlines - operating as a fragment of their once proud selves, American is tatty, rude, and uncomfortable. Unfortunately for Qantas customers like me, they are part of One World and offer codeshares, joint lounges, combined frequent flyer programs etc. The Contrast of getting off a gleaming Qantas or British or Cathay Pacific craft onto an American flight is extraordinary. Qantas Premium Economy is better than American's Domestic First Class (I have flown both a few times)! If you see me on American its because I am grabbing at One World Frequent flyer points. If I am on American and enjoying it, offer up thanks for a miracle.
8. Ryanair- I actually had an all right experience with Ryan and many of my friends do. I flew them because I specifically wanted to see what they are like. In fact, I would fly them again-in a pinch.  Note well their hidden costs (fares start at pennies but you then add seat cost, booking fees etc etc. NB their airports  are often miles from where you expect them to be, their cabin crew are almost rude and I frankly don't trust Ryanair's safety and I wonder at some of their ethics. (picture is the Ryanair safety card printed on seat back as they have removed the pocket on the back of the seat)