What I learned in Cabo San Lucas this week...

[gkainz]

1. If you let your Premier status lapse, Untied Airlines rewards you by relegating you to the back of the bus.
2. If #1 above occurs, rows 24 and 25 of the Scarebus 320 really, really suck.
3. RE: #1 and 2 above, when the occupant of row 23 reclines his seat, one grows tired of counting their hairs.
4. Breathing on the head of the occupant of row 23 will not cause him to put his seat back up.
5. Rattling the newspaper over the head of the occupant of row 23 will not cause him to put his seat back up.
6. Approach and Tower respond in English when called in English and Spanish when called in Spanish... I thought the policy was all-English? Sure makes it hard to figure out another airplane may be trying to violate Newton's law and occupy your space.
7. Cabo San Lucas (CSL) and San Jose del Cabo are no longer sleepy little fishing villages.
8. There's no place to get your fill of fish tacos for $2.00 USD in CSL any more.
9. My Spanish is worse than ever - fortunately a large majority of people in CSL now speak Engish.
10. Costco has found CSL...
11. When your wife has been so kind as to slather copius amounts of sunblock on your back, do not forget to apply same to your chest.
12. When #11 is violated, severe pink belly will result.

 

[Everskyward]

6. Approach and Tower respond in English when called in English and Spanish when called in Spanish... I thought the policy was all-English?

This surprised me too when I started flying in Mexico. I think the policy is that they have to be able to speak English (of a sort), not that they have to use it all the time. The ATIS at airports in Mexico is given in Spanish first, then English.

It's the same in Quebec. ATC speaks English to the English-speaking pilots and French to the French-speaking pilots. I've been to uncontrolled airports in Quebec when the pilots are giving position reports in French.

7. Cabo San Lucas (CSL) and San Jose del Cabo are no longer sleepy little fishing villages.

San Jose del Cabo (MMSD) can be a very busy airport. I have been there when the GA ramp is completely full.

 

[Dave Siciliano]

Greg, same on the way to Cozumel from Florida with Hanana Center.

Best,

Dave
Baron 322KS

 

[4CornerFlyer]

ATC facilities will communicate in their country's native language. Enroute facilities and international ariports will respond in English if you call in English, but you won't be able to understand what they're saying to everyone else unless you speak the language.

Not every small airport will have English speakers, only thosedesignated international.

Jon

 

[Michael]

Not every small airport will have English speakers, only thosedesignated international.

Jon

So what do you do if you dont speak their language? If you are on 10 miles out and call the tower and cant understand them.....??? I too thought english was the universal language for aviation.