Alaska allows flight changes to more Mexico resorts due to hurricane

Posted by Kristin Jackson

blogs.seattletimes.com

Damage on a Los Cabos beach from Hurricane Odile as seen on Monday.  (Oscar Ramirez photo / EPA)

Alaska Airlines, one of the major carriers to the Mexican resort of Los Cabos from Seattle and California cities,  has extended the no-penalty period for canceling or changing flights through Sept. 19 because of the hurricane that has devastated the area. It’s also dropped the change/cancellation fess for other western Mexico resort cities that will be affected by the massive Hurricane Odile.

On Monday afternoon, Alaska  extended the no-penalty flight-change policy to other western Mexican cities that face heavy rain.  Alaska spokeswoman Halley Knigge said they include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Manzanillo and Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo. The Los Cabos airport remained closed Monday, and Alaska has canceled all flights to/from Los Cabos on Tuesday.  Get details at Alaska’s website.

Damage to Los Cabos, a major Mexican tourist resort at the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula, includes widespread power outages, blown-out windows and roofs, and flooding after torrential rains. Alaska canceled all of its 10 flights Monday (and six flights on Sunday in advance of the hurricane which struck Sunday night). Eight flights also were canceled for Tuesday; it’s unclear when the airport will reopen.

The hurricane churned northward Monday up the Baja California peninsula on Monday, but its effects also are stretching out onto the west coast of Mexico (and resorts there)  and it’s expected to bring torrential rain later this week to Arizona.

Visitors due to travel soon to hard-hit Los Cabos should check directly with airlines and hotels about cancellations and refunds. As of Monday, hotels  and the regional government still were assessing damage, and hotel cancellation policies were not yet set. But visitors due to travel in the coming weeks to Los Cabos should double-check on hotel damage, repairs and possible closure of amenities such as hotel pools or restaurants.

A state of natural disaster has been declared in Baja California Sur (the southern part of the peninsula), according to La Tribune de Los Cabos, a local newspaper, and people were being urged to stay inside Monday because of the danger of downed power lines and hurricane debris that littered streets.

Raimundo Diaz Cruz (left) and his wife Graciela Castillo salvage wood beans and bricks Monday to rebuild their house after it was destroyed by Hurricane Odile in Los Cabos. (Victor R. Caivano /AP photo)

Tourists in Los Cabos spent a long, fearful night Sunday in hotel ballrooms and hallways, or in the bathrooms of their hotel rooms, to be safely away from windows which could and did shatter during the hurricane. Damage was still being assessed in local fishing villages and other communities.

Thousands of tourists, many of them American, were in Los Cabos when the hurricane struck. Alaska said it will “seek to accommodate” its passengers who want to get home as soon as possible.

You Wondered What A Double Barrel Hurricane Looks Like ??

Aug 07, 2014

 

Two storms were spawned in the Cradle of Storms -- which lies due south of Southern Mexico in the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The first named Iselle, and a few days later another named Julio. As always they started as a gathering of clouds, the question then became would they develop into a tropical storm, or maybe even coalesce into a hurricane?

Both not only became hurricanes but tracked not on the usual path to the north or northwest, but virtually straight west. The chances a storm develops into a hurricane and goes that way? Put it this way, Hawaii hasn't had a hurricane in 22 years. The changes TWO consecutive storms not only develop into hurricanes, but track exactly that direction? OK, now we're talking lottery odds.

Mexico dodged a real bullet, as the terrible twins headed away toward Hawaii. Iselle could be making landfall anytime, and while being at one time a Category 4 fortunately it got wrapped by dry air which takes away the fuel (moist hot air and water). With a little luck it could be downgraded into a tropical storm before hitting land.

The other twin Julio isn't running into as much dry air, but thank God it never got above a Category I level in the first place. Even a little weakening would drop it to tropical storm level too. However we're still talking about a lot of wind and a ton of rainfall over a short time. Then Iselle will weaken everything, so Julio could be the nail in the coffin for structures that have been partially damaged.

Like Hawaii, Mazatlan is a very rare destination track for hurricanes. This as opposed to Cabo which gets hit quite often on the typical Northwest track. Visiting Mexico in the summer is unique experience for a variety of reasons, and I recommend everyone try it at least once. When you're there you'll learn to keep one eye on Cradle of Storms.

If you ever wondered what a pair of twin storms looks like -- here are some links that will make you glad you aren't in Hawaii right now. You'll clearly see the twin swirls, then look all the way to the right and you'll notice our latest candidate forming more or less straight offshore from Acapulco. However it's very weak and may not even reach tropical storm level to get a name:

weather.unisys.com/satellite/sat_ir_west.gif

ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/goeswestpacus.html

ghcc.msfc.nasa.gov/GOES/goeswestpacusir.html

How To Travel Safely During Hurricane Season

cntraveler.com

NINO MARCUTTI / ALAMY

This checklist of storm-season advice—some of which Condé Nast Traveler recently shared with AccuWeather—will help you avoid storms entirely and stay safe and up-to-date when foul weather threatens, no matter where your summer travels may take you.

Before you go…
The same rule of thumb that works at home works on the road: Be prepared. Have storm supplies handy, make sure family members know your emergency plan, and share your plans with a friend or relative not traveling with you. Also keep a copy of all your important documents—itineraries, passport ID page, driver’s license, credit cards—in a safe place in case the originals are lost.

The website has good preparation tips, as does travel.state.gov.

As you’re planning…
There’s a reason hotel rates in the Caribbean are cheaper during hurricane season. That said, most of the time the weather is fine. Occasionally, resorts will offer “hurricane guarantees,” which offer refunds or replacement vacations if a storm ruins your trip; confirm these details over email with the property, so you have records of the specifics, before booking.

Cruises are an alternative: Ships can simply plot a course around the storm and avoid it completely, though sometimes that means missing a planned port of call. Also keep in mind that a few islands—Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao—are well south of the usual path of storms but still offer many of the same attractions as other Caribbean destinations.

If you’re going on a road trip…
The FRX2 American Red Cross radio ($45) is a must-have, with weather band as well as AM and FM stations. It’s about the size of a bottle of water and has a built-in flashlight, a hand crank if the power goes out, and can even charge your cell phone.

You’ll also want to pack some drinking water, shelf-stable food, and a surplus of any daily/regular medications you may need, as well as a flashlight, first-aid kit, and flares or warning triangles to be used in the event of a breakdown.

If you’re taking your own car, replace your wiper blades to improve visibility in the event of thunderstorms. Also make sure your spare tire tools are in working order and that your spare tire pressure is correct.

If you’re heading to the Caribbean…
Hotels do an amazing job of taking care of guests in severe weather and often have local insight that can keep travelers safe: In other words, your best bet is often to follow hotel staff instructions about severe weather. At the Andaz 5th Avenue in New York, for example, the hotel has a backup generator, a supply of water, and flashlights readily available for guests, all of which were used during Superstorm Sandy, which hit the city in 2012.

If you’re considering trip insurance…
Not all plans cover hurricanes or other severe weather, so if that coverage is important to you, read the fine print to make sure it’s included in the specific insurance plan you purchase. Reading the specifics of the plan you buy is the only way to be sure of what’s covered and what’s not. (You can compare multiple plans from multiple providers at InsureMyTrip.)

Trip interruption insurance is helpful because severe weather elsewhere can often cause missed connections or other problems getting to your destination, even if you’re not headed into the path of the storm. (Again make sure that your specific plan works when weather is a factor.)

Be sure to buy a policy soon after you make your initial trip deposit and well in advance of departure: Often policies only cover “unforeseen” circumstances, which means you can’t buy a plan after a hurricane starts chugging toward your destination.

If a hurricane is approaching…
Hotel staff are again a great resource—and their job is to keep guests safe and comfortable. Internationally, the U.S. State Department has made great efforts recently to improve its communication with citizens, including about severe weather. Follow the department on social media for updates, visit travel.state.gov, and consider the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which makes it easier for embassy staff to communicate with you in the event of an emergency.

Wherever you go, download these weather apps…
One of our favorite weather app is the free offering from Yahoo, which shows details as well as beautiful photos that illustrate current conditions.

For severe weather, though, the live updates from the National Weather Service onTwitter and Facebook are a great way to stay on top of conditions.

AccuWeather offers free ZIP code-specific severe weather alerts by email that travelers can sign up for before their trip. The StormWatch+ app ($1) for both iPhone and Android also gives “push” notifications of severe weather nearby.