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WEATHER?
I am hoping to come next week to BA. How bearable is the humidity and heat? I see high 80's and high humidity on the reports. Is it sweaty? Short and Tee's in the day time?
Thanks
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In looking for good rates to EZE, I came across one of the travel specials from United. It's good from Chicago, and is good for departures from the 8-11th of March, and return up to 6-10 days later. Less than $500 including taxes. May be available from other gateways.
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United is having a $489 Lax to EZE in the special deals section.
DWC
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Thread: Travel Information:
While booking a trip to Bariloche, I asked if the ¨extranos(? sp)paid more than the argentinians.
Guess what. We foreigners get a good ripoff from the domestic airlines to the effect of 15-20% more for the same seat as an Argentine, EXCEPT on Southern Winds which does not discriminate as of yet.
You do the math and ask the same question on discriminatory fares. This will tell you if your favorite travel agent is really out to help you.
I suggest we band together and boycott the domestic ripoffs like AreoLinas Argentina and the others who treat us like a money machine.
I now use Midnight Pumpkin at 867 Viamontes, Piso 1, room #104
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The agent is an english speaking woman named Veronika. She is quite helpful and even suggested a good 3 star hotel. Using Southern Winds saved me over 200 Pesos.
Please post any feedback.
Bien Viaje.
Jackpot
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Jackpot,
I had the same thought too as I had just forked out $230 USD for a round trip flight between BA and El Calafate on Aerolinas Argentinas. Since this is my first time visiting the country, what do I know about local practices? Would any porteno or local expert happen to know if that price is a big time rip off?
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Aerolineas Argentinas is owned by a Spanish company. Go figure. When Aerolineas was owned by Argentinos, no difference in price for extanjeros....but now, si. Screw em.
Southern Winds lowest fares require 10 day advance purchase. Late purcharers pay more, Argentinos and extranjeros alike.
Several of the newer airlines also offer good fares for extranjeros.
Interestingly, you can almost always get a lower fare from Buenos Aires to Chile or Brazil than to many places within the country. So I am inclined to save my dollars and go to another country rather than travel within Argentina via air.
Almost all good travel agents will tell you where and how to get the best fares as an extranjero.
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Double pricing is used in may parts of the World. It is somewhat unfair, but those are the rules. We locals know that.
Domestic air transportation always behaved as an oligopoly. That's why is cheaper to fly to Santiago (more competition) than to Mendoza.
In English, "foreign" means "strange" and "foreign national", depending on context. In Spanish, you use "extraño" for "strange" (or "unknown") and "extranjero" for "foreign national".
Hope this helps,
Andres
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Andres,
Double pricing is not "somewhat unfair", it just plain sucks. And, true, it happens in many parts of the world. And, at my opinion, it's presence in a country is good evidence that that country is NOT part of the 1st world.
In Argentina it seems to be a national sport, like futbol and tax evasion. I experienced it of course with airline tickets, hotels and chicas.
At one occasion, I made a hotel reservation in Puerto madryn through my travel agent. I was quoted U$S 70 (I think) for a double. a day later, I got a call that some error had occurred and the price would be U$S 105, and everything else booked (it was early January). I accepted, but some time later I had an Argentinean friend call the hotel for a quote for the following weekend. Guess? 200 pesos.
This is so transparent to people who do their share of travelling, and who know locals in any country. And it is awfully bad for a country's reputation.
So, I kindly suggest you as a local not to defend that habit as "the rules", but speak up against it and try to get rid of these rules. People all over the world are quick with prejudice, and "some businesses in Argentina exploit foreigners" easily becomes to "the Argentinians try ro rip you off".
Don't get me wrong: I like Argentina very much and I have met a lot of very nice people there, from those I am doing business with to ladies I spent unforgettable nights with. I would hardly have invested a 6 digit U$S sum in the country would that not be the case.
Another country where douple pricing was a plague 5 years ago was the Czech Republic. On May 1, they will join the EU, and today double pricing hardly exists any more. They, somehow, managed to move into the right direction.
El Alemán
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El Alemen,
You forgot the most important area of commerce where double pricing sometimes exists in Argentina--The girls. We extranjeros sometimes pay one price, Argentinos another.
Andres can defend the practice or not. It is his right. We can make our own statement by pointedly rejecting this form of discrimination and giving our dollars to those who appreciate us.
I choose to give my business to hotels, airlines and chicas who treat foreigners and nationals alike.
Screw Aerolineas. Fly Southern Winds, where your business is wanted and appreciated.
Screw Design Suites. Stay in Art Suites or another hotel that appreciates your business and treats foreigners right.
Screw chicas who double the price when they see a yanqui walk through the door (no, wait, that would be don't screw chicas who double the price. Instead screw those who don't double the price).
Speaking of screwing, I am stuck in the States right now and I am grumpy cause I aint gettin any if you know what I mean.
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I know that double pricing sucks. I heard of Western European tourists having to pay a premium in Greek hotels. Of course, these tourists get the best rooms and a better service (a "compensation" that may not be present here).
I guess that Argentinians will learn that double pricing isn't fair by the hard way, either through external factors (businesses in neighboring countries stopping this practice) or internal (too much competition leading to narrowing or droping the gap).
Andres
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MeGusta,
You are absolutely right.
Double pricing can only exist in quasimonopolistic market segments, and will dry out as soon as enough competition exists who treats foreigners and locals alike. And, if the foreign customers are aware of the fact and behave accordingly. Very often, this is not the case, and providers do their best to keep the existence of double pricing secret. So, makink things public helps.
Of course, Andres has every right to defend these practise. I, however, have the same right to feel pissed and say so.
I just edited my first post to correct my unforgivable omission...
El Alemán
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Knowledge is power. If you know somebody intends to charge you a different price because of your nationality, then you don't need to get taken. Give your business to somebody else.
With few exceptions (intra-Argentine plane flights being one), you don't need to pay a different price.
As for women, I think the differences in price have less to do with nationality and more to do with socio-economic status. If you come across as somebody with a lot of money, a girl will want to charge you more, regardless if you are Argentine or Gringo. Your ability to negotiate, in Spanish or not, also has a lot to do with the price you will pay. Ditto your looks and whether your breath smells like something died in your mouth.
-Uncle Otto
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Hello Fellow Mongers,
United is running a special on flights to BA from Miami for an unheard of $389.00 or from Chicago or LA for $439.00. Check their special e-fares section on thier website. Flights must be booked by this Friday.
It's a great deal.
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I flew on Aerolinas Argentinas between the Aeroparque airport in BA and Calafate. Damn, the stewardesses on Aerolinas were gorgeous! I would love to do any one of them. Also, as far as airline food goes, Aerolinas serves way better food than the crappy stuff you get on American or United even on long international flights. Not only that but you get wine from Mendoza at no extra charge.
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Save 5% off any United flight
https://www.itn.net/cgi/get/itn/air/unitedairlines?index:NEWREC*itn/ord=NEWREC,itn/air/unitedairlines