Recently when I was looking for flights between Guadalajara and Albuquerque, I noticed that after 3 June 2019, I couldn't find the non-stop flights that were offered. Going from GDL to ABQ, now you have switch planes in DEN and have a 6 hour layover there, and fly to ABQ on Frontier. And if you want to go to GDL from ABQ, I noticed there weren't any flights found. Does this tell us that Volaris just cancelled its ABQ-GDL flights? If that's the case, then I would just have to fly to Ciudad Juárez (CJS) from either Guadalajara or León/Bajío airport (I live in Guanajuato City) and cross into the U.S. via El Paso, TX, and bus it to Albuquerque the next day. I really wanted to take advantage of skipping Juarez and El Paso entirely when going to the U.S.

However, Volaris is beginning its Chihuahua-Albuquerque flights later this month, I think around the 17th.

Volaris320 wrote:

Recently when I was looking for flights between Guadalajara and Albuquerque, I noticed that after 3 June 2019, I couldn't find the non-stop flights that were offered. Going from GDL to ABQ, now you have switch planes in DEN and have a 6 hour layover there, and fly to ABQ on Frontier. And if you want to go to GDL from ABQ, I noticed there weren't any flights found. Does this tell us that Volaris just cancelled its ABQ-GDL flights? If that's the case, then I would just have to fly to Ciudad Juárez (CJS) from either Guadalajara or León/Bajío airport (I live in Guanajuato City) and cross into the U.S. via El Paso, TX, and bus it to Albuquerque the next day. I really wanted to take advantage of skipping Juarez and El Paso entirely when going to the U.S.

However, Volaris is beginning its Chihuahua-Albuquerque flights later this month, I think around the 17th.

Yes, Volaris pulled GDL-ABQ from their schedule several weeks back. It has been averaging just a few dozen passengers per trip so they are trying Chihuahua instead -- hopefully that performs better for them.

knope2001 wrote:

Volaris320 wrote:

Recently when I was looking for flights between Guadalajara and Albuquerque, I noticed that after 3 June 2019, I couldn't find the non-stop flights that were offered. Going from GDL to ABQ, now you have switch planes in DEN and have a 6 hour layover there, and fly to ABQ on Frontier. And if you want to go to GDL from ABQ, I noticed there weren't any flights found. Does this tell us that Volaris just cancelled its ABQ-GDL flights? If that's the case, then I would just have to fly to Ciudad Juárez (CJS) from either Guadalajara or León/Bajío airport (I live in Guanajuato City) and cross into the U.S. via El Paso, TX, and bus it to Albuquerque the next day. I really wanted to take advantage of skipping Juarez and El Paso entirely when going to the U.S.

However, Volaris is beginning its Chihuahua-Albuquerque flights later this month, I think around the 17th.

Yes, Volaris pulled GDL-ABQ from their schedule several weeks back. It has been averaging just a few dozen passengers per trip so they are trying Chihuahua instead -- hopefully that performs better for them.

I hope the CHI-ABQ route works better, and just a decade ago, AeroMexico Connect flew that route. That said, I wonder if Volaris were to launch ABQ-MEX, ABQ-MTY, ABQ-PVR, and ABQ-CUN, if those routes would work out better than ABQ-GDL. I would suspect at least Mexico City would work out better than Guadalajara because the former is a more international city and Mexico's economic powerhouse. Mexico City has a lot of international flights, not just to destinations in the U.S.

I would definitely think that Albuquerque-Puerto Vallarta and Albuquerque-Cancun would work out for sure, especially because a lot of UNM students go to Cancun during spring break. And if there were to be an Albuquerque-Cancun flights, I would say Southwest would most likely fly the route.

MEX is slot restricted and Volaris has not had much success in beach routes from the US. VFR routes are their bread and butter. ABQ-CUU strikes me as a very short route for them to pull much traffic away from car and bus travel but we will see how it performs.

How about flying GDL to Chihuahua, and then take the flight Chihuahua to Albuquerque? Couldn’t that work?

I just looked on the Volaris website and there’s a flight leaving Gdl at 7.21am arriving at 8.13am
The Albuquerque flight leaves at 10.40am so you’d have time to make the switch.

This must be easier than flying to Juarez, taking a bus/taxi to cross the border, go to the bus station and traveling into Albuquerque.

I know it’s not ideal, but not too bad a solution, is it?

Volaris also flies from RNO to GDL. They announced their afternoon departure to GDL yesterday while I waited for my flight to DEN. That caught me by surprise!

I'm noticing Volaris is no longer offering ABQ-CUU flights. However, I was on the CUU-ABQ flight last Tuesday, which operated an A320neo. If Volaris cancels the ABQ-CUU route, might as well fly into CJS, cross the border, and then take a bus from El Paso to Albuquerque.

Anyways, here are some routes within Mexico I think would be feasible for Volaris to operate:

- Ciudad Juárez — Torreón
- Chihuahua — León/Bajío
- Torreón — León/Bajío or Torreón — Mexico City
- Ciudad Juárez — Querétaro
- Guadalajara — Piedras Negras

Volaris320 wrote:

I'm noticing Volaris is no longer offering ABQ-CUU flights. However, I was on the CUU-ABQ flight last Tuesday, which operated an A320neo. If Volaris cancels the ABQ-CUU route, might as well fly into CJS, cross the border, and then take a bus from El Paso to Albuquerque.

Well, that was fast. I know it's meaningless, but how full was the plane?

Volaris320 wrote:

Recently when I was looking for flights between Guadalajara and Albuquerque, I noticed that after 3 June 2019, I couldn't find the non-stop flights that were offered. Going from GDL to ABQ, now you have switch planes in DEN and have a 6 hour layover there, and fly to ABQ on Frontier. And if you want to go to GDL from ABQ, I noticed there weren't any flights found. Does this tell us that Volaris just cancelled its ABQ-GDL flights? If that's the case, then I would just have to fly to Ciudad Juárez (CJS) from either Guadalajara or León/Bajío airport (I live in Guanajuato City) and cross into the U.S. via El Paso, TX, and bus it to Albuquerque the next day. I really wanted to take advantage of skipping Juarez and El Paso entirely when going to the U.S.

However, Volaris is beginning its Chihuahua-Albuquerque flights later this month, I think around the 17th.

Why not go GDL-DFW/IAH-ABQ? Yes it is 50% ish more miles in the air, but it has to be faster than the El Paso - Juarez jaunt.

It would be nice to have Volaris to ELP from CUU. And ELP ABQ. Thinking about a number of years ago multiple flights between the two cities on WN, CO, DL, WA, F9 ( old & new).... today, only buses.

PA12 wrote:

It would be nice to have Volaris to ELP from CUU. And ELP ABQ. Thinking about a number of years ago multiple flights between the two cities on WN, CO, DL, WA, F9 ( old & new).... today, only buses.

I remember when Southwest flew ABQ-ELP. In early 2001 when my family and I went to San Antonio, we flew on Southwest there from Albuquerque. Both ways, we stayed on the same plane but made a stopover in El Paso (stopping without changing planes is typical when flying WN, and I don't know any other airline that does that -- none of the low-cost Mexican airlines do that). Southwest also used to fly Albuquerque-Amarillo and Albuquerque-Lubbock. Now it's only bus, or if you fly you have to connect in Dallas Love Field or Austin (if WN flies ABQ-AUS nonstop). If you want to fly ABQ-ELP, you have to change planes in PHX.

I don't do GDL/BJX-IAH/DFW-ABQ because it's more expensive, and Houston and Dallas are also out of the way. I like to take more direct routes.

And there was Servicios Aéreos Leo Lopez and later Aeromexico Connect, ELP CUU. And ELP MEX on CO. Better than crossing the border to CJS. Long gone. And no more ABQ, LBB, TUS, etc. no MCO, DTW, NYC, SFO, no nothing¡ Now that’s real progress ELP airport staff... better take a bus...Keep it up!!! Way to go!!!

Article on the cancellation of CUU-ABQ, with ABQ considering legal action against Volaris.
http://www.abqjournal.com/1335609/ay-ch ... elled.html

It seems counterintuitive. If 80% of New Mexico residents are from Chihuahua you would think that the 438 miles route would be a lock.

I remember that southern Mexico had some beautiful bus stations while the airport terminal was more of a featureless blockhouse with a tiny dining area.

PacoMartin wrote:

It seems counterintuitive. If 80% of New Mexico residents are from Chihuahua you would think that the 438 miles route would be a lock.

80% of New Mexico residents originally from Mexico. That’s a big difference. The foreign born population of New Mexico is about 200,000. 70% are from Mexico so around 140,000. That puts the Chihuahua born around 112,000.

Of that 112,000, I would think driving is more convenient than flying for some, especially for those living in southern New Mexico or headed to destinations in Chihuahua state north of CUU. So how big is that VFR market really?

PacoMartin wrote:

It seems counterintuitive. If 80% of New Mexico residents are from Chihuahua you would think that the 438 miles route would be a lock.

I remember that southern Mexico had some beautiful bus stations while the airport terminal was more of a featureless blockhouse with a tiny dining area.

That number makes no sense. What did you mean?