Tropical sun, sandy beaches and the cool blue waters of Mexico's resorts have traditionally been a tempting lure for Long Islanders.

But with fears of a swine flu pandemic, some who were thinking about a vacation are changing their plans, Long Island travel agents said.

Customers are putting planned trips to Mexico on hold or canceling them as they opt for other destinations. Airlines are temporarily dropping fees if travelers change flights.

"No one is going to call me in the next week and say 'I want to go to Mexico,' " said Bonnie Ross of Wantagh Travel.

Across Long Island and New York, ripples from the Mexican swine flu outbreak continued to be felt.

Maria Martinez, 36, of Westbury, said she has a brother living near Mexico City and a nephew in the capital itself. The nephew's university shut its doors, along with all public schools in Mexico.

"I'm scared," Martinez said in Spanish. "I'm asking God that this passes soon."

At Kennedy Airport Monday, roughly 50 percent of the passengers on an Aeromexico flight that landed about 1 p.m. were wearing masks on the flight, said passenger Riccardo Crespi, 38, of Milan.

Others said they literally ran to get off the plane once it landed - ripping their masks off as they got to customs.

But not Kiriaki Bozas.

The 26-year-old singer-songwriter from Poughkeepsie said her Mexican boyfriend gave her a mask before she left Mexico City Monday morning, although she did not use it.

Bozas, who lives in Mexico City six months out of the year, said it was a "ghost town" as she left for the airport.

"The roads are completely free. I got to the airport in five minutes," a trip she said normally takes 40 minutes. "I have been in the house for three days."

Before leaving Mexico, passengers were required to fill out a detailed form during check-in that asked whether they were suffering from symptoms attributed to the virus, arriving passengers said. The list was turned in at the check-in counter before passengers were allowed to proceed.

"If you put to one question 'yes,' they send you to doctor in the airport," said Benjamin Rodriguez, 35, a laptop salesman traveling to New York for business.

Article Source: www.2thedeuce.com