- Thread starter Lucas61
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COLOMBIA International Flight: Mandatory E-Registration = FAIL
False: Failed on Windows OS; failed on Linux OS; failed on Opera; failed on Chrome; failed at airport; failed on iPhone; failed on Android phone. It's a website issue regardless of means of access. What I don't understand and what no one here has answered is this: The specific problem is with the question on city of origin where the dropdown menu is not populated with data making selection impossible. For those who've had success, was this field populated with data??
Side point: I looked at Arajet and rejected it because if you add fees for carryon luggage, both a suitcase and a personal item, you lose all savings and pay nearly the same price as a non-budget airline. On the positive side, this gives you a direct flight to Cartagena, where we are going next. Your thoughts? It appears that the special requirement for Dominican citizens to show proof of accommodation does not apply to U.S. citizens. Another variable is this: As you know, not all immigration agents are the same. The best are courteous and stamp your passport pro forma. The worst have attitutudes and seem bent on raising obstacles and even preventing your travel. We got an axxhole. This guy at SDQ seemed bend on destruction and he did a great job because we almost missed our flight and lost the trip. This was the luck of the draw--I hope. At the airport in Medellin, it was smooth as silk. At SDQ, the attituded seemed to be: "We are the gatekeepers and will prevent Dominicans from travel if they fail to meet our subjective requirements, including demanding the CEDULA." Who is behind this? D.R. immigration? Colombian immigration? Or just immigration agents with vendettas, jealousies, etc.??
When I find the paperwork, I will let you know, but almost all travel agents will do the same thing. https://solymar-travel-srl.negocio.site/ is a good agency. Talk to Michelle.
O.P: Hello All: Since I am embedding this new post, I don't know if it will be picked up. We shall see.
My wife and I are planning a second trip to COL, this time to Cartagena/Santa Marta. We are looking at flights from SDQ and comparing
COPA, Arajet, and Wingo. Let me tell you that the comparison is a messs that will leave your head spinning:
A. From the point of view of luggage: Wingo and Arajet do not allow a personal item greater than 40 CM in L. This means I cannot take my small backpack. 40 cm L is no more than a student bookbag. Further, you must pay the highest rate for normal carry-ons, so you save no money.
B. From the point of view of direct flights versus layovers: Wingo has no flights to CTG from SDQ; Arajet has a direct flight from SDQ, about two hours but you have no choice in flights. There are four flights per week and only one per day and you arrive at night. It is my cardinal rule: In a Third World country known for danger, I will never take public transport at night; this means waiting overnight at the airport for daylight, so that negates a quick direct flight; COPA has several flights to choose from but no direct to CTG; all are layovers, 7-21 hours in Panama--one of the worst airports, ugly, uncomfortable, lacking in service.
C. From the point of view of the Colombian immigration "formulario:" We almost missed our last flight to MDE because the digital form failed and COPA was zero assistance. Even the Las Americas front desk failed to fill out the form. We were "saved" by a Wingo employee who filled out the form for both of us and we were not flying on that airline! Amazing! It turns out that Wingo is a Colombian owned airline and that if you go to the website, that the formulario is there which it is not at COPA or Arajet.
D. From the point of view of website UI: Wingo's is the best, then Arajet, then COPA.
My conclusion, thus far: Arajet gets nixed because there is no flight choice, night arrival only, and severe baggage limitations even if you pay the maximum PLUS horrible customer service reviews which means I could have problems with the "formulario" and that could kill the trip.
The negatives on COPA are problems with the formulario, zero customer service in SDQ, layover in a horrible airport.
My present vote is for Wingo because it appears that I'll have the least problems with the COL "formulario" and the website has a great UI. The negatives are that I will have to cut corners on luggage restrictions and "the biggie" is that we'll have to fly to MDE, then to CTG, flying past our initial destinatlon and paying an extra airfare--not too much money. The big stressor in this scenario is the "formulario." Try googling and you'll see hundreds of people with this problem including fraudulent websites that you can pay to "fix your problem." Wingo has the best chance of removing this stressor. If you do not have this form properly completed, you will not even receive a boarding pass--you are out of luck! I tried on Windows, Linux, iPhone, three different browsers--all fail. Oh, forgot to say, for anyone who says that this post is not D.R. related . . . of course it is: it is a discussion on pros and cons of flights originating in the Dom. Rep. Now, if I asked for the best airport hub in Germany for flights to JFK, you'd be correct.
What would be your choice?
My wife and I are planning a second trip to COL, this time to Cartagena/Santa Marta. We are looking at flights from SDQ and comparing
COPA, Arajet, and Wingo. Let me tell you that the comparison is a messs that will leave your head spinning:
A. From the point of view of luggage: Wingo and Arajet do not allow a personal item greater than 40 CM in L. This means I cannot take my small backpack. 40 cm L is no more than a student bookbag. Further, you must pay the highest rate for normal carry-ons, so you save no money.
B. From the point of view of direct flights versus layovers: Wingo has no flights to CTG from SDQ; Arajet has a direct flight from SDQ, about two hours but you have no choice in flights. There are four flights per week and only one per day and you arrive at night. It is my cardinal rule: In a Third World country known for danger, I will never take public transport at night; this means waiting overnight at the airport for daylight, so that negates a quick direct flight; COPA has several flights to choose from but no direct to CTG; all are layovers, 7-21 hours in Panama--one of the worst airports, ugly, uncomfortable, lacking in service.
C. From the point of view of the Colombian immigration "formulario:" We almost missed our last flight to MDE because the digital form failed and COPA was zero assistance. Even the Las Americas front desk failed to fill out the form. We were "saved" by a Wingo employee who filled out the form for both of us and we were not flying on that airline! Amazing! It turns out that Wingo is a Colombian owned airline and that if you go to the website, that the formulario is there which it is not at COPA or Arajet.
D. From the point of view of website UI: Wingo's is the best, then Arajet, then COPA.
My conclusion, thus far: Arajet gets nixed because there is no flight choice, night arrival only, and severe baggage limitations even if you pay the maximum PLUS horrible customer service reviews which means I could have problems with the "formulario" and that could kill the trip.
The negatives on COPA are problems with the formulario, zero customer service in SDQ, layover in a horrible airport.
My present vote is for Wingo because it appears that I'll have the least problems with the COL "formulario" and the website has a great UI. The negatives are that I will have to cut corners on luggage restrictions and "the biggie" is that we'll have to fly to MDE, then to CTG, flying past our initial destinatlon and paying an extra airfare--not too much money. The big stressor in this scenario is the "formulario." Try googling and you'll see hundreds of people with this problem including fraudulent websites that you can pay to "fix your problem." Wingo has the best chance of removing this stressor. If you do not have this form properly completed, you will not even receive a boarding pass--you are out of luck! I tried on Windows, Linux, iPhone, three different browsers--all fail. Oh, forgot to say, for anyone who says that this post is not D.R. related . . . of course it is: it is a discussion on pros and cons of flights originating in the Dom. Rep. Now, if I asked for the best airport hub in Germany for flights to JFK, you'd be correct.
What would be your choice?
How late at night are you talking about. Read this link at see if it helps you decide. https://www.cartagenaexplorer.com/cartagena-airport-guide/
I still cannot get over how expensive it is to fly around this area.. I'm checking Wingo's website, and for me and my wife to fly to Medellin it would be around $400-500. I flew between Sweden and south of Spain this summer and I paid less than $400 for me, my wife and our 2 kids... And that was a 5+ hour flight, not 3 hours... Are the airplaines more expensive here? Or the Jetfuel? 
According to flight arrival time for Arajet, 7:30 PM -- after passing immigration, etc. it's 9:00 PM. That's night for me and a "no go."
O.P. again: Damn, as soon as I think "problem solved" (with Wingo), another problem! If I buy an additional ticket for two from MDE to CTG, when it comes time to return to SDQ, there are no flights! I must return far south to MDE. This means that I have to buy a RT ticket for two: SDQ < MDE and MDE < SDQ AND another RT ticket for two: MDE < CTG and CTG < MDE. No way! That's too much. Four flights and four RT tickets for one destination.
That leaves Arajet as the best crappy choice: ONLY one RT ticket for two BUT night arrival, no choice in flights (one per dayi), and potentail problems with the "formulario." Since I'm forced to pay the maximum for regular luggage, I think that price includes flight changes where you only pay the difference in a flight -- no penalty. Maybe I could use that if we have problems with the "formulario." That damn document makes this whole thing a crap shoot . . .
The fact that it didn't matter what browser or OS I used, indicates that the problem is with the website and that website is located on a server in Colombia. The problem was only one field in a drop-down menu that would not populate with data. No data, no choosing, you cannot proceed with the form. Good luck getting tech support in Colombia . . . tried that too and that failed.
That leaves Arajet as the best crappy choice: ONLY one RT ticket for two BUT night arrival, no choice in flights (one per dayi), and potentail problems with the "formulario." Since I'm forced to pay the maximum for regular luggage, I think that price includes flight changes where you only pay the difference in a flight -- no penalty. Maybe I could use that if we have problems with the "formulario." That damn document makes this whole thing a crap shoot . . .
The fact that it didn't matter what browser or OS I used, indicates that the problem is with the website and that website is located on a server in Colombia. The problem was only one field in a drop-down menu that would not populate with data. No data, no choosing, you cannot proceed with the form. Good luck getting tech support in Colombia . . . tried that too and that failed.
Thanks for the link. This is a c/p from the site that kind of re-affirms the problem:
Also, keep in mind, that when entering Colombia, you will need to show your passport, and if you’re coming as a tourist know the address you will be staying, and have proof of return tickets or onward travel out of country (they don’t always ask for this but they can and you are meant to have it).
You also have to have completed the Check-Mig form (you actually have to complete this before departure as well). This form is notoriously finnicky, so I don’t recommend waiting until the last minute before departure to fill it out. It was recently redone and seems to be a bit better.
Also, please don’t pay to fill out this form!
There are a few unscrupulous sites that present themselves as official and charge you to complete it. It’s free to complete and you won’t save any significant time paying for it. If you want some help, I do have a step by step guide to the Check-Mig form here, so check that out.
Me: The problem is NOT how to fill out the form. The problem is what to do if the form is broken because the website is not functioning.
Another option: Wingo RT, no problems with the form; RT bus Medellin to Cartagena, 12 hours each way! Ouch! Given my age and need to use the bathroom, etc., don't know if I'm up for that . . .