Mexico’s largest airline, last year Mexicana transported over 11 million passengers. The airline operated 69 planes under the Mexicana brand and 35 aircraft under MexicanaClick, which it started in 2005. MexicanaLink, a separate unit unveiled last year, had 15 planes.

In court filings, Mexicana said it was badly hit by the swine flu outbreak last year that scared away travelers for months and by the global economic slowdown.  The airline added that high jet fuel prices and labor costs contributed to its financial troubles.

It is unclear whether the shutdown will be permanent.  Company spokesmen have indicated that Mexicana’s new owners (a group of Mexican investors called Tenedora K) intend to restructure and relaunch the company; however, many industry analysts are pessimistic about their chances for success.

While a number of other carriers serve many of Mexicana’s destinations, the sudden loss of that much capacity to Mexico will probably result in rising prices, particularly for holiday travel.  In addition, some routes will now be left underserved.  The London-Mexico City route, for example, is now only served by British Airways.

The Bolivian government and protesters reached a 6-point agreement that includes provisions to improve roads and build a new international airport.

Potosi was once the silver capital of South America.  It was said to rival London or Paris in size and splendor.  But Potosi’s fortunes have waned, and there is widespread feeling there that the central government has failed to invest in the region.

In particular, many protesters believe the government has done an inadequate job of developing alternative industries to mining.  Mines continue to be the major employers in the region, but safety standards are low and there are few alternative options for employment.

A new form of income from mining has developed in recent years – mine tours.  Tourists can pay to tour the mines and view the conditions for themselves.  Whether this is education or exploitation is a interesting question.  For a very thoughtful discussion of this issue, check out the Two Backpackers blog entry:

http://www.twobackpackers.com/3586/south-america/ethics-tourism-mines-potosi-bolivia/

For now, the situation in Potosi appears to be stable.  It is unlikely that a strike of similar magnitude will re-occur any time soon.  While travelers should always check local conditions, it seems reasonable that normal travel can resume to Potosi.

During this period all flights previously scheduled for Aeroparque (AEP) will be routed to the Ezeiza International airport (EZE), located 21 miles south of the city center.

Travelers should allow extra time to travel to the airport, as well as for check-in while hundreds of thousands of local passengers increase traffic to the international terminals.

As consequence, all transfers quoted and booked to Aeroparque within that period will be changed to Ezeiza International Airport.  If you have reservations for domestic flights in Argentina within that time period, please contact your Exito agent for assistance with rebooking.

This means that all changes to Mexicana tickets must, for now, be handled directly by the carrier.  CMA plans to operate MexicanaClick and MexicanaLink (the domestic arms of Mexicana) as a new carrier.  US travel agencies should be able to issue tickets on the new carrier by August 16th.

Mexicana emphasized that ticketed passengers would be accommodated, and that flights would continue to operate with only minor revisions.

The eruption spread ash across Guatemala City, and rained rocks onto several villages close by.  There has been one confirmed fatality, and several people remain missing.

At this point, it is not known when the airport will reopen.  If you are scheduled to fly to Guatemala this weekend, please contact Exito or your airline for assistance.

Other airports in Central America are unaffected – the ash plume has not spread.

The answer is a qualified yes.  Yes, in general, Mexico remains a safe country for tourists.  Most tourist cities and sites are far from the majority of the carnage.  Yes, it is safe, as long as you take reasonable precautions.  And yes, it is very much worth visiting!

The majority of the violence remains centered along the US border.  Border towns such as Cuidad Juarez should certainly be avoided.  Now might not be a good time to drive to Mexico either, as there are reports of violence along many of the main highways of northern Mexico.

That said, it should be noted that many of Mexico’s most popular tourist sites are in the south, several thousand miles from the US border.  My family and I (including our 2 children) spent a wonderful week in the Yucatan, with no trouble at all.  At this point, tourist areas in southern Mexico can be considered as safe as ever.

Now, having said all that, no place is 100% safe.  In any country, you should always take reasonable precautions.  A few basic guidelines include:

1.  Don’t buy, or use, illegal drugs in Mexico.  The majority of the violence in Mexico is associated with the drug trade.  Stay as far away from it as you can.

2.  Avoid excessive drinking.  Not only are drunks an obvious target for thieves, drinking impairs judgment.  Poor judgment leads to all kinds of trouble.

3.  On that same note, use good judgment.  If you wouldn’t walk down a dark alley, alone, at 3am in the US, why on earth would you do it in Mexico?   Deep inside, you know what’s the smart thing and what’s the dumb thing – listen to what your instincts tell you.

4.  Avoid the area around the US border.   It’s a shame, as these are actually very interesting, diverse cities, but at this point they really are dangerous and should be avoided.

5.  Don’t be ruled by fear.  Take basic good precautions, then relax and have fun!

Just as importantly, Peru Rail has restored train services to Aguas Calientes (or Machu Picchu Town) starting March 29.  Things are not, however, 100% normal.  There are still some things to know.

• During the months of April and May 2010, Peru Rail will run its train service to/from Machu Picchu under partial and limited conditions.

• The train tracks have only been repaired between the town of Piscacucho (also known as “Km 82”; one of the entry points to the Inca Trail) and Machu Picchu (or Aguas Calientes). This means that travelers will only be able to board the train to Machu Picchu at this provisionary station (Piscacucho) and, correspondingly, disembark at this station when returning from Machu Picchu back to Cusco. Rail Peru will operate a permanent bus service, free of charge, between Piscacucho and the original train station located in Ollantaytambo.

• Due to the shorter train track portion available during this time (April/May 2010) Peru Rail is not able to operate all of their wagons, thus limiting their seating capacity in the train service to approximately 30% of its regular capacity.  If you are booked on a tour, check with your tour company – there may be time or date changes required.

• During this time, Peru Rail will strictly enforce a luggage policy of only  1 piece of luggage per passenger (bag or backpack), with a maximum weight of 05kg or 11lbs and maximum dimensions (width + height + length) of 62 inches or 157cm.

Rail Peru continues to work to restore full service to Machu Picchu, Peru’s most famous tourist destination.  We at Exito Travel will continue to monitor the situation and keep you informed.

The route, known in English as the Devil’s Nose, is perhaps the most famous train rides in Latin America.  Beginning in Riobamba, the trice-weekly train traverses rickety bridges, steep mountains, and narrow cliff-hugging rails as it journeys from the high Andes to the coastal jungle.  For years, travelers have crowded the aging rail cars to enjoy the spectacular ride.  And this being Ecuador, riding on the roof was not just permitted but encouraged.

Recently the rickety train cars of old have been replaced by a more modern vehicle that resembles a bus on rails.  The spectacular view, however, remain the same.    If you will be traveling in Ecuador after July 4, consider taking in this amazing journey.

The runways and air traffic control systems were undamaged in the quake.  Unfortunately, the passenger terminal building sustained heavy damage.

Our contacts in Chile report that the airlines are trying out all kinds of creative solutions to get stranded passengers back on track – tents set up outside with computers powered by generators, stairs to board flights, and employees working by flashlight at night.

Most carriers are offering free date changes for passengers scheduled to travel to or from Santiago before March 5.  For travel after March 6, the situation is still unclear.   Please contact your Exito agent for assistance in evaluating your options.