E Travel App Woes

[Lee]

Arrived at NAIA at 10:30 PM last Sat. night from the US.

We had dutifully tried to load E Travel 3 days before we left. It wouldn't work for us. We thought it might be because of the massive storms and flooding in Manila a day or so before our arrival.

At the terminal though the agent stated that we HAD to use the app to get through immigration. They directed us to a couple of young ladies to help us get this done.

After 30 hours of travel with about 1 hour of sleep between us my wifes patience level was pegged at zero. The lady couldn't get the app to work either. Another agent told us that the app was supposed to stop being used after Covid. Anyway, the lady trudged through it for over 1/2 an hour and I guess it worked as I don't know. When we approached the immigration agent he wasn't interested in seeing it. I noted that NONE of the agents were interested in seeing passengers E Travel app. They were just processed through as per the norm.

What a complete waste of time and a bad ending to a long day.

We both got hit with jet lag both coming and going from the US only adding to our poor travel experience. What can you do.
 

 

[earthdome]

5 hours ago, Lee said:

Arrived at NAIA at 10:30 PM last Sat. night from the US.

We had dutifully tried to load E Travel 3 days before we left. It wouldn't work for us. We thought it might be because of the massive storms and flooding in Manila a day or so before our arrival.

At the terminal though the agent stated that we HAD to use the app to get through immigration. They directed us to a couple of young ladies to help us get this done.

After 30 hours of travel with about 1 hour of sleep between us my wifes patience level was pegged at zero. The lady couldn't get the app to work either. Another agent told us that the app was supposed to stop being used after Covid. Anyway, the lady trudged through it for over 1/2 an hour and I guess it worked as I don't know. When we approached the immigration agent he wasn't interested in seeing it. I noted that NONE of the agents were interested in seeing passengers E Travel app. They were just processed through as per the norm.

What a complete waste of time and a bad ending to a long day.

We both got hit with jet lag both coming and going from the US only adding to our poor travel experience. What can you do.
 

 

We arrived last Thursday. We were able to get the e travel to work before we left. Like you they asked if you had it then barely even looked at it.

[Old55]

When we visited earlier this year no one had the least interest in it at MNL. 

Departing MNL the internet was down at the International departure gates perhaps the entire terminal. I had pictures of everything so was good to go.

Edited July 30 by Old55

[GeoffH]

Late last year I was asked to show e travel code twice and they scanned it once, earlier this year they asked at immigration if I'd done it but didn't check or scan it.

[earthdome]

We had one way tickets and when Korean Air asked about return flight or visa we mentioned Balikbayan. They found it and we had to show my wifes  birth certificate and marriage cetrificate which they inspectrd closely. My wife has US citizenship now. At NAIA they automatically gave BB stamp no questions asked.

[Tommy T.]

Typical and common following instructions and regulations....

[graham59]

E-Travel for foreigners LEAVING PI, isn't now required of course.

 

[baronapart]

6 hours ago, graham59 said:

E-Travel for foreigners LEAVING PI, isn't now required of course.

 

Can confirm. We just returned this month.  But, my wife had to and we forgot.  Had to do it in the immigration hall.  A cluster.

Edited July 30 by baronapart

[Mike J]

I still prefer it to filling out the little form on the plane.  Most folks have no pen handy, loan one out, never comes back. 

[scott h]

18 minutes ago, Mike J said:

I still prefer it to filling out the little form on the plane. 

I don't know Mike. I have not flown since 2016, but I have monitored the responses and news about this. It seems to me that this (like a lot of the new E programs brought in by a lot of countries, they are brought in to reduce the number of employees needed as much as they are for the "convenience" of customers. 

I have read lots of comments where the ap does not work, conductivity is out and user brain farts, as well as lots where the flyer had no problems whatsoever. As well as comments where officials at the point of entry pay as little attention to the electronic version as they did to the paper slips, we handed over to the customs official.

I do know this, is that it might have taken 3 minutes to lower the dinner tray and fill out a declaration form. A ballpoint never disconnects from the internet, its "ap" always works and I do not have to think about it that much. And God help the rat bastard that tries to keep my pen .

But then..............