clamd6

My husband and I are traveling to Playa del Carmen with our 2 yr old in April. It's our first time using Air Mexicana airline and there will be a 5 hour lay over in Mexico City Int'l Airport on our way back home. I'm concern about the quality and service of Air Mexicana and the long lay over at Mexico City airport with a young child. Any feedbacks on this would be appreciated.airline and the airport ?

colokid

I flew Aeromexico last Dec thru Mexico City to Cancun and then Playa. Different airline but the airport itself is large and has many restaurants, shops, etc. to keep you busy. Large spaces for the little one to run around. I was a bit sad on the way back as I wanted to go to one shop in particular and I was late returning to my connection so I had to run and missed it. The airport was pretty easy to navigate thru....I had no problems. Be aware that when you arrive in Cancun you will be arriving at Terminal 2 and not 3 which is the domestic terminal.

colokid

Sorry, make that depart Cancun.

Pinotmom

My husband and I just returned from Mexico--ORD to Mexico City then to Merida. First time at both airports and with Mexicana---was really impressed with both the airline and the airports. They feed you on Mexicana--edible, decent food. On the 2 hour flight from Mexico City to Merida they had a "Bacardi" cart and offered a free drink from the Bacardi group--which isn't just rum...Dewars, Casadora tequila, etc. Nice way to start the vacation.
Ditto what colokid said about the Mexico City airport. When you get through security there are tons of dutyfree (called Dutyfry for some reason) shops, restaurants etc. Go up the stairs though to Hall B and theres' even more.

robertino

The airport is just fine.

One minor word of caution, though - gates can change, so be careful to keep watching the monitors as your flight time approaches.

beefight

I am a fan of Mexicana & Aeromexico in general-- free food, free drinks, and I perceive there to be marginally more legroom. Sometimes you'll take off late, but 9 times out of 10, they seem to have padded the schedule enough that you almost always arrive on time.
Mexicana flies in/out of Terminal 1 in Mexico City. You can find some general airport commentary on my blog here: http://www.midwesternerinmexico.com/...-city-airport/
There should be links there w/more details re. restaurant/store offerings inside the terminals if you are interested in advance. Best of luck & enjoy Playa!

fishee

I believe Mexicana had more legroom in economy than all U.S. carriers. It's a perfectly respectable airline -- and you get elite qualifying miles if you are with oneworld. The in-flight entertainment wasn't great as screens drop down along the aisle and not in back of seats.

I thought the MEX airport was small and rundown -- was I not in Terminal 1? (This was on my way to EZE.)

I'm connecting through MEX on a Wed at 7 pm -- is 1 hr 35 min enough time or will I miss my flight?

nukesafe

If you have Elite status with the airline, or one of it's code share partners, you should be able to use the lounge. It is on the third floor. I have not used Mexicana's lounge in MEX, but I was able to use my Delta status to use the Aeromexico lounge. It made a very long lay over tolerable, if not a joy.

I have trouble with altitude, now, and Mexico City's 7,000 ft. elevation would have given me fits if I could not have just plunked down in a comfortable chair and veged out on the constant supply of drinks and snacks.

PatrickSch

We just went through Terminal 2 last month- it is a beautiful terminal with nice restaurants and stores. A few years ago we went through Terminal 1 which is older and seemed harder to navigate but the airport staff is very helpful. One problem with the gates and monitors. We were scheduled on a small plane to Zihuatanejo and they didn't post the gate on the monitor. About fifteen minutes before takeoff I finally asked the info person who gave me the gate-75. This gate is really hidden behind the ticket desk- a large 75 is on a nearby wall but it was very confusing. We were led down a walkway behind the ticket desk and then boarded a bus to the plane. The gate is supposed to be posted 40 minutes before takeoff but this may not happen for smaller planes.

nancyjacky

Mexicana is located out of terminal 1; Aeromexico out of Terminal 2

kjehd

PatrickSch: You said the gate is supposed to be posted on the monitors 40 minutes before takeoff - can you tell me how you know that information and where you got it? Thank you.

I'm asking because we missed a flight out of Mexico City for this very reason. We were flying Continental. A friend of mine who flies into Mexico City many times a year told me - after the fact - that this is a regular problem there and the source of lots of confusion.

PatrickSch

The girl at the information desk told me that flights are posted 40 minuted before departure. Although on our way back we had to get boarding passes for our flight from Mex to Atlanta and the person who issues the boarding passes told us the gate and it was about 2 hours before takeoff.