Not long ago, trips from prosperous Monterrey to visit family or shop in McAllen, Texas were so common that there was a verb for it: "vamos a McAllear."
But constant bloody narco battles have transformed the 2½-hour drive on an empty highway...into a lottery of death.
Now rich Mexicans fly the short distance instead.
For the first 6 months...private plane passengers from Mexico to McAllen...is up by 93% v 2009.