It seems the storm in a teacup that erupted over Daryl Cagle’s cartoon recently, verily overflowing into the saucer (we wouldn’t stand for that in Blighty I tell you!), isn’t going away just yet. In fact I bet he can’t believe his luck. One minute he’s getting his doodles published on MSNBC, the next he’s being interviewed on CNN.
Another blog I’ve come across, Esquina Tijuana, points out that such cartoons have been published before in Mexico itself, without any great outcry of nationalistic indignation. Which adds plenty of weight to the argument made in the comments of my previous post on this topic by Rich of the Mex Files (who has a nice shiny new banner on his blog, by the by 🙂 ) that it’s not so much what was drawn, by who drew it. An argument I find hard to disagree with.
And yet, Mr Cagle’s cartoon of a Mexican icon being shot out of the sky as it flew on it’s merry way isn’t far from the truth. Just swap eagle for aeroplane. Mexicana has gone bust and stopped flying, and it looks more and more like staying that way thanks to their greedy union members who are refusing to budge on cuts, and would be on strike if there were flights to be on strike from. Tsk. They not only flew direct from Mexico City to London, but were actually cheaper than the airlines who insist on taking passengers on a long detour through the US.
Now I might have to fly with British Airways, who I generally avoid (100% record so far) at all costs, due to their greedy union members who are prone to walking out on strike at a moment’s notice. If I can find a flight with another airline for as little as a fifty dollars more than BA’s cheapest ticket, I’ll take it. Even if it means I get that long, tiring diversion through the US.
This should be a word of warning for BA. When British people will pay more to not travel with you, even if it means a longer journey, then something is wrong with your company. And there’s plenty more room in the bankruptcy courts, so you may yet get to keep Mexicana company.
The Mexile 
Actually, the few times I’ve flown BA, they’ve been pretty good. Way better than the lame US airlines.
Saludos,
Kim G
Boston, MA
Where we are completely sick of airlines altogether. Pity we keep wanting to be in other places.
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I guess if they fly and you get on the plane they might be ok! They are permanently in the news in the UK, and have been for years, for a limited number of reasons. Strikes, lost luggage, delays….
Have you ever flown Virgin America? They seem to know how to do it right.
http://bit.ly/cheB1u
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Unfortunately I’m a Virgin virgin. But others tell me it’s fabulous.
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Die BA, DIE. I’ve made the mistake of flying with BA twice. The first time they changed my flight and charged the company that booked it without any reason. When I asked them to explain they told me it was for “Security reasons”.
The second time they must have had it in for me, because they denied me boarding in London until I went to the US embassy and got a letter stating that I could enter the US. (odd thing as I was holding a green card at the time) No explanation given. They denied me access to my luggage, so I spent 72 hours in the same dirty travel clothes I had left Dubai in. Then they charged me a huge fee to change my flight, even though it was them that had changed it. . .
It’ll be a happy day in my life when the British Air Nazi’s go under.
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Nazi’s is a bit strong. They’re far more Commie than Nazi! 🙂
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