Colombia Club

[pladam 0]

Had our interview last Wednesday and were told we were approved, however, according to Domesa, the embassy has still not given them the visa. This seems abnormal. What have been others' experiences recently with the timeframe between the embassy and Domesa?

[Jessica777 0]

Had our interview last Wednesday and were told we were approved, however, according to Domesa, the embassy has still not given them the visa. This seems abnormal. What have been others' experiences recently with the timeframe between the embassy and Domesa?

Hi,

I we had interview on 8/3 and picked up Visa three busniess days later at Domesa in Bogota

Edited August 19, 2008 by Carl&Stefanie

[pladam 0]

Hi,

I we had interview on 8/3 and picked up Visa three busniess days later at Domesa in Bogota

That's what we're trying to do. They wrote "Sede Bogota" on the receipt. I'll have to call the embassy tomorrow between 2-4, but I'm pretty sure something is wrong at this point.

I've got to get back to work and she's scared to fly alone, and to top it off Avianca is blatently violating their contract with me and I'll have to file suit when I return. On the upside, they're admitting it so it should be open and shut for me. Things were going so well and now it's turning into an ordeal.

[USbride 0]

Hi,

I we had interview on 8/3 and picked up Visa three busniess days later at Domesa in Bogota

I've got to get back to work and she's scared to fly alone, and to top it off Avianca is blatently violating their contract with me and I'll have to file suit when I return. On the upside, they're admitting it so it should be open and shut for me. Things were going so well and now it's turning into an ordeal.

This is kinda off topic, but I have had problems with Avianca lately also. I used to go to Colombia with a return ticket and then change the return date in advance with no problems. This last time, however, when I tried to change the return date two weeks before the flight, they decided to charge me all these crazy fees. I ended up having to change the date twice, and they charged me an extra fee because they said my stay exceeded two months! What the hell is that? Isn't that why we paid all that money to get the visitor's pass extended? It's none of the airlines concern. Oh and the time before, when I was in the hospital and had to change the flight, they tried to charge me anyways because the doctor's note said I had to be out of work for two weeks, and they said if i flew before that two weeks was up then I would be charged!?! That's just BS! We ended up comming back the next day and talking to a different person and not paying a fee, but I am still disgruntled. By the way, if you ask to talk to a supervisor/manager you will be told flat out "no", we tried.

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Just the thought of Avianca makes me twitch, but what other choice do we really have?

[HAL 9000 96]

You have American, Continental, Spirit... but all charge outrageous ticket change fees. A sign of the times.

[Mononoke28 134]

Had our interview last Wednesday and were told we were approved, however, according to Domesa, the embassy has still not given them the visa. This seems abnormal. What have been others' experiences recently with the timeframe between the embassy and Domesa?

It should take about 2-3 business days for them to deliver the visa in Bogotá. If you were approved on Wednesday, then the 3rd business day should be today since Monday was a holiday in Colombia.

Diana

[Mononoke28 134]

This is kinda off topic, but I have had problems with Avianca lately also. I used to go to Colombia with a return ticket and then change the return date in advance with no problems. This last time, however, when I tried to change the return date two weeks before the flight, they decided to charge me all these crazy fees. I ended up having to change the date twice, and they charged me an extra fee because they said my stay exceeded two months! What the hell is that? Isn't that why we paid all that money to get the visitor's pass extended? It's none of the airlines concern. Oh and the time before, when I was in the hospital and had to change the flight, they tried to charge me anyways because the doctor's note said I had to be out of work for two weeks, and they said if i flew before that two weeks was up then I would be charged!?! That's just BS! We ended up comming back the next day and talking to a different person and not paying a fee, but I am still disgruntled. By the way, if you ask to talk to a supervisor/manager you will be told flat out "no", we tried.

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Just the thought of Avianca makes me twitch, but what other choice do we really have?

I hate Avianca and try to avoid them like the plague, but some times you have no choice. They always overbook and I've seen many people fight with them every time I'm leaving from Colombia while I'm standing over at the AA counter.

A friend of mine just flew with them and said I lied to him about the bad service and overbooking and that they even bumped him to first class. After finding his story a bit odd the truth came out, they put him in first class because of course... they had overbooked all seats in coach. Typical.

Diana

[USbride 0]

You have American, Continental, Spirit... but all charge outrageous ticket change fees. A sign of the times.

Yeah, maybe that is why Avianca changed their fees. It used to be 70 USD, but they changed it to 113 USD back in June. It gets expensive when I have to pay for both me and my daughter. American and Continental's ticket prices are way higher than Avianca in the first place, so to change it would be money out the wazoo I didn't know Spirit flew to Colombia. Do they fly out of Miami? Are their prices cheaper? I want to fly out there again in November for his birthday, and then I'm planning on going out there for his interview whenever that will be, so I need to find a cheaper way to go. I wish it was feasable to just drive down there. I like driving much more.

[Mononoke28 134]

Oh yeah, Spirit is a lot cheaper, or at least that's what they advertise. I'm not sure if they take off from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami but it's from one of those two. They do get you with all their extra fees though but compared to other airlines, they're less expensive for sure.

Diana

[parkpapa 0]

If you're flying out of Miami, you should always check on the LAN.com for their prices, too. They are often cheaper than US carriers and my wife tells me the service is better.

Charles

[HAL 9000 96]

This is kinda off topic, but I have had problems with Avianca lately also. I used to go to Colombia with a return ticket and then change the return date in advance with no problems. This last time, however, when I tried to change the return date two weeks before the flight, they decided to charge me all these crazy fees. I ended up having to change the date twice, and they charged me an extra fee because they said my stay exceeded two months! What the hell is that? Isn't that why we paid all that money to get the visitor's pass extended? It's none of the airlines concern. Oh and the time before, when I was in the hospital and had to change the flight, they tried to charge me anyways because the doctor's note said I had to be out of work for two weeks, and they said if i flew before that two weeks was up then I would be charged!?! That's just BS! We ended up comming back the next day and talking to a different person and not paying a fee, but I am still disgruntled. By the way, if you ask to talk to a supervisor/manager you will be told flat out "no", we tried.

Anyway, thanks for letting me vent. Just the thought of Avianca makes me twitch, but what other choice do we really have?

I hate Avianca and try to avoid them like the plague, but some times you have no choice. They always overbook and I've seen many people fight with them every time I'm leaving from Colombia while I'm standing over at the AA counter.

A friend of mine just flew with them and said I lied to him about the bad service and overbooking and that they even bumped him to first class. After finding his story a bit odd the truth came out, they put him in first class because of course... they had overbooked all seats in coach. Typical.

Diana

My upgrades on AA have usually had more to do with being in the right place at the right time and smiling at the right Gate Agent under stressful situations with other pax...

[HAL 9000 96]

You have American, Continental, Spirit... but all charge outrageous ticket change fees. A sign of the times.

Yeah, maybe that is why Avianca changed their fees. It used to be 70 USD, but they changed it to 113 USD back in June. It gets expensive when I have to pay for both me and my daughter. American and Continental's ticket prices are way higher than Avianca in the first place, so to change it would be money out the wazoo I didn't know Spirit flew to Colombia. Do they fly out of Miami? Are their prices cheaper? I want to fly out there again in November for his birthday, and then I'm planning on going out there for his interview whenever that will be, so I need to find a cheaper way to go. I wish it was feasable to just drive down there. I like driving much more.

Well in July we flew Spirit from Chicago Ohare (6AM) to Ft. Lauderdale and on to Cartagena. I do not like that airport... they make you feel like a terrorist with 5 consecutive bag searches literrally 1-2 minutes from each other.

I do not think Spirit flies out of Miami.

They recently started service to Bogotá, though... so the monopoly Avianca has should fall away a bit (I hope) so that the other airlines adjust their fares a bit to our benefit... except the obvious Christmas fare hikes.

As for driving well... you *could* drive to Panamá and then rough it through the Darien into FARC-territory but I don't recommend it!!!!

[HAL 9000 96]

Oh yeah, Spirit is a lot cheaper, or at least that's what they advertise. I'm not sure if they take off from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami but it's from one of those two. They do get you with all their extra fees though but compared to other airlines, they're less expensive for sure.

Diana

In July it was $1050 per person on American to go Ohare to Bogotá, then it would have been like $25 per person to Bucaramanga by bus. We paid $1100 for two of us from Ohare to Cartagena. The bus trip to Bucaramanga was about $45 per person from Cartagena. Much cheaper.

My uncle booked a September flight to Bogotá from Ft. Lauderdale on one of those crazy $49 sales... at those fares I don't mind packing my backpack a bit heavier and perhaps a $15 online fee each way for one piece of check-in luggage if its two of us traveling.

Again... I do not recommend going to Cartagena. They are very draconic and like to charge extra airport fees that El Dorado does not charge.

[USbride 0]

I've never been bumped from Avianca comming back to the states, but I have been bumped while flying within Colombia. They told us the reason we were bumped is because we did not do the 24hr prio online check-in!?! #######! I really dislike Avianca.

I didn't know LAN flew to Miami either. Gees I'll diffently look into that. I had a real good experience flying to Peru from Colombia on LAN. They gave my daughter crayons and a coloring book when the flight first took off, and the flight attendant even served my daughter her food before everyone else! How great is that. That's a way to win a mother's respect.

[kelvin_omar25 0]

HELPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does anyone know which are the necessary vaccinations for the US embassy in Colombia? Are all the ones that appear in this website necessary? http://bogota.usembassy.gov/root/pdfs/iv_appt_0404082.pdf

Does anyone know where my wife can get these? Does it have to be an immigration doctor, who puts them?

My wife lives in Bucaramanga. She went to Saludcoop today and they told her that the prices are diferent from one vaccination to another. And I understand that... but she told me that there are some of these that cost up to 300,000 pesos....

I really don't know... Our application still has not been approved, but I just want to go ahead and do as much as we can... if we don't have to wait to do it...

I appreciate any advise you can give...

Thank you very much for everything in advance.