Update on Wife's Travel to USA through China

[LSnBigBear 61]

I want to give an update on my soon to be wife's (now I can say this as she is next to me ) travel this past March 1st. She was on PAL to China then American Airlines to Ft Myers. Ticket purchased on Cheapoair for $817

1) Checked in at Philippine Airline 3am (she was anxious lol) for her 6:30am flight. Paid only 550p exit fee which surprised me.

2) They gave her all three boarding passes which surprised me. Luggage checked through to Ft Myers but was told to re-claim and re check in at China and of course POE at Ohare in Chicago.

3) She arrived China 9:30am. Got her luggage and went back through security to AA ticket counter. Was told she had to wait until 2pm as they were not ready to re check in until then as her flight was 6pm. NO Transfer Visa required. She said China Airport was lonely as no other Filipinas to talk with and China Airport employees speak little English.

4) Checked in all the way through to Ft Myers.

5) Flight good no issues. Arrived right on time at 5:30pm Friday evening at Ohare. This is where the wait and delays started.

6) I had given her a 2 hour layover as MOST POE's are timely. NOT Ohare though so note this as she was in line for 2 hours. Actual interview 2 minutes. Wait two hours for two minutes... Grrrrr. Just asked her purpose of trip, packet and that was all.

7) Missed her connecting flight at 7:30pm due to 2 hr wait for 2 mins. AA was good and rebooked her on United which was leaving 8:20 so she had to run. Got to the gate and it was closed.. Thank God delayed 1:15min or she would not have made the last flight to Ft Myers. She arrived 1:41am Saturday. I am so happy but nervous wreck as she never phoned me about her delays. I waited with her Valentines Candy and camera in hand for her and she never showed. I was a wreck, I finally after searching for 30mins got composed and called AA. They confirmed she was over Atlanta on United and explained what happened. So I happily waited for two more hours for her arrival. As for service I do recommend American Airlines as they were wonderful to her.

As for Chicago Ohare Airport.. Avoid avoid avoid. Which my cheap &ss knew but did it anyway as my family lives less than 2 hrs away and could go get her if she had problems versus Detroit or other POE's. I give my little wife to be all the credit in the world.. I am so proud of her as she stayed calm and got her 8000 miles alone. What a woman. I am so happy to have her ....

Words of advice for fiancee's/husbands going through this like I did.

*** When you send your fiancee your packet for interview, send a cellphone in the packet with your US number pre-loaded so she can contact you after POE. I sent plenty of cash for travel just in case. She also had instructions to call me via pay phone if she was delayed. I told her I could track her flights. She thought I knew she was not on the AA flight and on United (miscomunication on her thinking I was tracking her and not the flight). Spell everything out to your love....... I don't want anyone feeling what I felt waiting and not knowing...

I hope this all helps.. Good luck.

Edited March 4, 2013 by LSnBigBear

[apple21 953]

Thanks for sharing.

1) Checked in at Philippine Airline 3am (she was anxious lol) for her 6:30am flight. Paid only 550p exit fee which surprised me.

- Travel tax must have been included in the air fare already.

*** When you send your fiancee your packet for interview, send a cellphone in the packet with your US number pre-loaded so she can contact you after POE. I sent plenty of cash for travel just in case. She also had instructions to call me via pay phone if she was delayed. I told her I could track her flights. She thought I knew she was not on the AA flight and on United (miscomunication on her thinking I was tracking her and not the flight). Spell everything out to your love....... I don't want anyone feeling what I felt waiting and not knowing...

- Is it possible to send a pre-loaded US sim card only? I have an unlocked smartphone already.

[jmack 1]

thanks for sharing the information ...that will help a lot not to poe in chicago ....maybe honolulu or dallas or detroit

[Hank_ 9,174]

I would give Honolulu two thumbs up as POE. I was with my wife for the flight home and they were very good, we had tons of time left before our next flight left for the main land.

[Memphis 26]

Thanks for sharing... Very informative..

[Thermite 3]

I had similar thing happen to me in Dallas Texas the lady that actually processed the brown envelopes did not show up after about 2 hrs of waiting then we waited 2 more hours for her to process ours and Ours was last because of the TB recheck noted in her file. We had an 5 hour lay over we missed it and Korean Air did their best to secure our luggage but they had to go so they just hid it in a corner and it was dead in those luggage claims when we went to get it and AA re booked us for free but we had to wait another 4 hrs he said we been through enough and told her Welcome to America POE didn't even do that.

I was glad I went just for unsuspected delay at POE

[LSnBigBear 61]

Thanks for sharing.

- Travel tax must have been included in the air fare already.

- Is it possible to send a pre-loaded US sim card only? I have an unlocked smartphone already.

Yes I am sure a pre-loaded card will work as I had an ATT unblocked phone that worked both in USA and Philippines. Just have your fiancee ship it to you with his docs.

[Darnell 8,479]

what city in China, for the China Airport ?

[X Factor 1,113]

If you send a cell phone it could be stolen. When I talked to my wife before she came I purchased a phone card and emailed her the information from the card including the code so that she could call me.

I did send her other items before and it was stolen. So the phone card was great for her.

[LSnBigBear 61]

Happy we could help out. Our pain will hopefully help others to get through this smooth.

[X Factor 1,113]

BTW ConGraTuLaTions on her arrival.

[madtownguy 164]

Yeah I worry about the trip here too. But then I think about how screwed up the Jeepney transportation is and the fact that they can get around on those makes air travel seem like a piece of cake. I planned on sending the phone but now I'm not as sure after seeing Smiley posts... I'm playing a figure it out what it happens style right now. I'm figuring meeting at LAX, but that isn't set in stone. A bachelor party in Tijuana the night before might be a good justification of flying to LAX...

[LSnBigBear 61]

what city in China, for the China Airport ?

Pudong China

[erynaught 43]

Why not travel with your fiance/wife to ensure she makes it through smoothly and has you there for support should there be a delay or other issue? Especially if she has never traveled via airplane or internationally before?

I avoid ORD and CDG like the plague; relatively easy to do with good alternatives nearby.

[Darnell 8,479]

Pudong China

ah. Shanghai. Cool !!!