shillmac

Today's Tico Times (ticotimes.net) carried an article about a 50% reduction in airfare with TACA. Not sure if it affects flights originating in the U.S. It may just be flights between Central American countries. Those of you who fly TACA may want to check it out!

superpants99

Oh my gosh! Thank you so much for posting this! My boyfriend and I were extremely foolish when we booked our flight to Costa Rica as we didn't book a round trip - we fly into CR but fly out of Belize. Deciding we didn't want to spend three days of our trip on a bus going from CR to Belize, we checked the cost to fly and were shocked at how high the prices were. Now that the fares are lower, it's not so bad after all

shillmac

Good for you. Sounds like a very interesting trip your taking!

glover

I looked at this yesterday and it does appear that the lowered fares are between Central American countries and Mexico as well I believe. Not for flights US to CR. boo hoo.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

The message I received via TACA's E-mail mailing list says:

"Beginning this October 4, TACA is offering new permanent airfares, for as low as $169 round trip plus taxes, on flights within Central America and between Central America and Mexico."

That is a big help for fares on travel within the region, just not to and from North America.

shillmac

Perhaps since the flights that originate in the U.S. connect in San Salvador, there will be a decrease based on the continuing leg of the flight. That would be helpful. I've never flown TACA--ever since a friend told me years ago the old joke about "Take A Chance Airline", it hasn't appealed! However, most people on Fodor's have had favorable things to say. If the price were ever low enough, I'd probably "take a chance"!

TripleSecDelay

Hi Shillmac - ROFL. After all the reading we did, I had never run across that version of the TACA acronym.

I had heard of TACA's -past- spotty safety record. At the time, it was one of the airlines that didn't meet US/Int'l safety guidelines, blah, blah.

TACA is now listed to be as safe as the other airlines and complies with the safety standards - according to the (informal) research we conducted prior to our September 04 flights in/out of CR via San Salvador Int'l Humidity Airport.

(Recently returned from Yosemite Valley, and our legs were thrashed from the Panorama Trail. You know, sitting on an office chair all day can kill a person.)

Cheers!

shillmac

Hi TripleSec,
Wondered where you had been. Yosemite nice this time of year? As a child, I always called it Yozmight. Still want to do that! Have to pause every time!

shillmac

Hi TSD
Wondered where you had been! Is Yosemite nice this time of year? As a child, I always called it Yozmight. Now that I am "all grown up" (that's putting it mildly) I still have that tendency. Have to pause and think about it everytime I see the word!

shillmac

Gee, that was an odd little thing I just did! I like the second version better. . what do you think? Omigosh, I'm acting like it's Friday and it's only Thursday. Not a good sign for school tomorrow!

TripleSecDelay

No harm, no foul. After the wacky server glitch yesterday, I began writing my replies in a text document (e.g.: Word) and then I copy/paste into the little Fodor's reply box. This way, when the frustrating "cannot locate this site" message pops up, I haven't lost my reply.

TripleSecDelay

Glad this is your thread so my OT comments don't offend.
In response to your question : Yosemite is not bad this time of year. A little dry, so the falls are not falling. I had hoped to capture the fall foliage, but we were a little early for the sugar to get trapped in the leaves - which makes the colors we all see.
Being this was one of the last weeks the park is open - and the fire danger is at its highest - we arrived Wednesday night 30 minutes after the Rangers had begun a prescribed burn. At the time we figured a lot of campfires?...Then we thought it was an accidental fire?...Until we stopped and whipped out the tripod/camera as others on the side of the road. We then learned from the Rangers this was all planned.
The fires slowed after a day or so, yet continued on the ground for the 5 days we were there. The smoke lingering in the valley made for daytime haze and colorful dusk lighting on all the famous "rocks" however, now, the SUV smells like we BBQ'd inside the tailgate!
We camped in an area that allowed us to play poker on the picnic table late enough to see a bear run through the campgrounds!
So, it was bittersweet in more ways than one! We're soon making reservations for Spring 2005.

miguelgcuadra

GRUPO TACA (is the new name) the old TACA AIRLINES bought all the airlines in Central America and formed the new GRUPO TACA. It has excellent rating, brand new airplanes and excellent service. Lots of people still talking about the old TACA Airlines, which was the airline from El Salvador...big difference.

shillmac

Interesting because I have a friend who works for a computer company whose clients are major airlines. He has spent quite a bit of time lately in El Salvador working on a contract with TACA. They apparently are still based in El Salvador.

Jeff_Costa_Rica

Actually, the NEW new name is simply "TACA" once again. They've elimintated "Grupo" from the corporate name. And the airline is still headquarted in El Salvador. But I agree: it's a fine airline with no greater number of passenger horror stories to tell than those of any other airline. I've never had any qualms about flying with them.

miguelgcuadra

You are correct HQ is in El Salvador. The old TACA airlines, before merger, was a mess. Flight delays all the time, and really bad connections. Is not till now that i am aware that the GRUPO name has been dropped. TACA bought LACSA, AVIATECA, NICA and one from Honduras, and they all became the now defunct GRUPO TACA. All planes are brand new airbuses.