In Another Shock & Bewilderment

We were at Terminal 3 of Changi International Airport just before 11.15am on 29 April, well before the departure time to Incheon International Airport, Korea scheduled at 2.40pm. Before we arrived at the airport, we were certain that we had all the necessary documents ready to check in and to board the flight.

After presenting our passports and flight confirmation to the counter staff, we were told that my wife did not have the K-ETA approval, a document mandatory to enter South Korea. Instantly, we were in shock and bewilderment! How could this happen when our niece had earlier secured these documents and had even WhatsApp the K-ETA to us.

Caught in this unexpected situation, we were told by the staff to immediately apply online for the K-ETA and hopefully, approval could be granted before the departure gate closed.

For a moment, the idea of an aborted trip did creep into our minds. But, we did not give up and immediately contacted Junshi, our DIL who fortunately was at home then. She immediately proceeded to check online and noted that an K-ETA had in fact been granted to a person matching my wife's name. However, her date of birth was incorrectly entered causing a mismatch with her date of birth stated in her passport as we checked in. 

Junshi proceeded to apply for a new K-ETA for my wife. A short while later, she called to ask us for our accommodation address in Korea. We had no idea of where we would be staying and immediately contacted our niece. Miraculously, she answered the phone and told us she had just landed at Changi Airport from KLIA. With the contact established, we secured the hotel address and passed it on to my DIL. Application was finally submitted at 12 noon, just 2 hours and 40 minutes before departure time. A check with the counter staff indicated that approval if granted may take 45 minutes to an hour. If it's granted within an hour, our chance of flying would still be possible!

It was a tense one hour of waiting. Finally, at 12.50pm, we received a message from Junshi confirming the K-ETA has been approved. With that piece of good news, we managed to check in and entered into the departure hall.

In the departure hall, we finally met our niece who had endured an equally stressful time. She felt really bad for the error made in applying for the K-ETA earlier.

In the end, everything turned out well and the ensuing flight and trip have been both wonderful and unforgettable. 

A few things we reckoned were crucial in turning the unfortunate event around.

My idea of always going to the airport early has not always been accepted with approving nods. For once, my going to the airport early this time in fact saved the day. This extra time that we had was the key factor in turning this situation around. Had we arrived the airport just two hours before departure time, that window of time for applying the K-ETA may not have been sufficient.

Initially, my niece was to have arrived from KLIA to Changi Airport in a later flight. That day, she arrived KLIA early and managed to change to an earlier flight. Her flight landed at Changi Airport at 11.30am instead of 1.05pm of her original flight. We would not be able to contact her to secure the hotel address if she had flown in the later flight.

Thirdly, it was perfect timing when we called Junshi for help at 11.44am that morning. She told us later that had we called just 15 minutes later, she would have left the house and it would be difficult for her to help in the online application.

There seemed to be so many coincidences to turn thing around. But we see it as divine intervention! :)

As a side note, living with my wife is never short of unexpected events and emergency. This is just another one of some of past unexpected events. Read Here and Here.