mexico

Kodak Uses Creative Shipping To Solve Printer Problem In Mexico
Joe got Kodak to agree to send him a replacement printer when his kept showing "replace the cartridge" error messages, even after installing several completely new cartridges. There was just one problem. Joe lives in Mexico. Kodak, based in the US, doesn't ship internationally. How to get around this cartridge conundrum? Deb in Kodak's executive customer service had an ingenious idea... More »

For Some Reason, Mexican Reader Finds This Halloween Costume Offensive
Javier, a Consumerist reader who lives in Mexico, crossed the border to do some shopping at Walmart. He noticed this costume in the Halloween section. He finds it offensive. "I was wondering if we might also find a costume like this," he writes, enclosing an old photo of a white performer in blackface. More »

More People Buying Mexican Coca Cola
Perhaps it's the glass bottles. Or it could be the lack of high fructose corn syrup. Maybe it just tastes better. Whatever the reason, a growing number of folks on the north side of the Rio Grande are drinking Coca Cola bottled in Mexico. More »

If You're Going To Smuggle 18 Monkeys Onto A Plane, Don't Try Hiding Them Under Your Clothes
Okay, so it's not exactly the opening scene of Midnight Express, but imagine the sight: You're in line at the airport, waiting to go through the security checkpoint, when you notice a man being pulled out of line in front of you. Authorities pat down the bulge beneath the man's shirt and begin pulling out monkeys... 18 of them. Now that's a vacation memory. More »

Save Money On Dental Care: Go To Mexico
It costs a lot of money to go to the dentist. And with many Americans lacking dental coverage, getting your teeth taken care of is often cost-prohibitive. But a handful of entrepreneurial dentists in Mexico have stepped up to the plate, offering discount dentistry to a growing U.S. customer base. More »

15 People Kidnapped For Filming A Beer Commercial Without Permission
So, Mexico is apparently pretty @#$%ing intense. A total of 28 people were kidnapped by machete-wielding locals who objected to Grupo Modelo, the maker of Corona beer, filming a commercial on their land. 13 of the people kidnapped were actually Mexican reporters who had nothing to do with the beer company. More »

Delta Offers More Money For Pooch Lost In Transit, Apologizes
Paco is still missing, but after we contacted them, Delta reached out to Josiah and said sorry, along with offering to reimburse him for all the costs he put into the dog and two additional $200 vouchers for future travel on their airline. Josiah says that's unnecessary, as he still probably won't be flying Delta ever again after this experience. More »

Entire Dog Lost, Delta Offers $200 Credit
Where's Paco? Josiah doesn't know, his girlfriend doesn't know, someone at Delta might know. After all, Delta was supposed to load Josiah's new dog on the same plane that Josiah got on. Paco didn't land with them. Frantic, Josiah called around desperately before being told that Paco was safe and sound, being taken care of by Delta employees, who would put him on the next flight out. Paco wasn't on that one either. More harried calls and Delta told Josiah Paco had "escaped" and the best they could do is refund his $200.00 pet transportation fee, but only as a "credit" for future Delta travel. That doesn't do Josiah any good, as he's vowed to never fly Delta again. Here's his story, and more adorable/sad puppy pictures: More »

Foxconn Workers In Mexico Revolt, Set Factory On Fire
Gizmodo reports, based on a story in the subscription-only El Norte, that workers in a Foxconn factory in Juarez, Mexico became enraged and set the building on fire. Supervisors had misled the workers into working unpaid overtime. A delightful follow-up to the Reuters report about a Foxconn security guard threatening a foreign reporter. [Gizmodo] (Thanks, GitEmSteveDave!)

Want Free Health Care? Visit Mexico City

—>Although the A/H1NI flu virus (referred to as the swine flu) outbreak didn't kill everyone like alarmist media commentary led us to believe it would, it did deal a devastating blow to the Mexican tourism industry. The sprawling metropolis's hotels are lonely places these days, sitting at 27 percent capacity compared to 50 percent a year ago.  More »

Carnival Cruises Is So Over That Swine Flu Thing

—>Pack up your maracas, Carnival is returning to Mexico! The cruise line wasn't happy with putzing off the California coast, and the CDC says that swine flu isn't deadly enough to keep us out of Mexico forever. By the end of the month, souvenir-seeking Americans will again be able to down margaritas and scoop up trinkets in Cabo, Cozumel, and Puerto Vallarta.  More »

Continental: No Refunds For Swine Flu Cancellations

—>The swine flu outbreak is making thing tough for people who had booked Mexican vacations. Reader Kurt is one such person. He got a full refund from the hotel, but is dismayed that Continental won't extend him the same courtesy.  More »

Memo To Cruise Lines: Seattle Is Not Cozumel

—>A few different cruise lines took initiative and changed the itineraries of ships heading to Mexico in the near future. However, they won't let customers who are uninterested in sailing to the tropical paradise of San Francisco rebook or get full refunds.  More »

Canceling A Vacation Due To Swine Flu? Expect The Runaround

—>So, you've decided to cancel your "nonessential" trip to Mexico to avoid the swine flu outbreak. Great. Just don't expect the cancellation process to go smoothly.  More »

Airlines Allowing Passengers To Rebook Due To Swine Flu Outbreak

—>Several U.S. airlines are allowing passengers to rebook due to the swine flu outbreak in Mexico. American Airlines, Continental Airlines Inc and US Airways all said that they were allowing customers to change travel plans if they were concerned about the illness.   More »

16-Hour Flight From Hell - "You Can Either Stay Onboard, Or Get Arrested"

—>A six-hour flight from Mexico to Seattle turned into a 16-hour ordeal after intense fog caused the flight to be rerouted to Portland.   More »

Absolut Pulls Controversial Advertisement

—> Swedish vodka maker, Absolut has pulled a controversial advertisement that showed a map of the United States and Mexico as they were before the Mexican American War. The advertisement read "In An Absolut World."  More »

Is This Absolut Ad Cheeky Or Distasteful?

—>Absolut is running an ad in Mexico that some in this country are finding offensive because it favorably depicts our borders as they existed before the 1848 Mexican-American war. We're going to bite and talk about the ad even though it means that the advertisers win and America dies just a bit more.  More »

The $6,516.67 Sprint Bill

—>JD writes:

My device was stolen in Mexico. I reported it. The Sprint rep. suspended the WRONG line. My bill comes a few weeks ago: $6,000+. My Sprint bill was $6,000 this month and two calls to Fraud Prevention/2 tickets/and my bill is almost due (with no response or adjustment, was was promised within 2 business days, twice). I don't know what to do at this point...

It appears your claim has gotten lost somewhere within the deep dark bowels of Sprint's billing system. The best thing we can suggest at this point is to call the Sprint Executive Customer Service line at 703-433-4401 and get your claim expedited. Oh, and happy Valentine's Day.  More »

Americans Saving Money By Getting Dental Work In Mexico
Americans already save money by purchasing prescription drugs from Canada and getting plastic surgery in South America. More »