tatys00

I totally forgot I have my maiden name on my passport and I booked my trip NY to London - London to Barcelona and Barcelona -london -NY with my married last name. I didn't realiced my mistake until today at the Jfk airport. I was able to use my driving license but I have a flight on Saturday on Ryanair and next Tuesday with Norwegian to come back home.
Has anyone been able to use the US driving license as an ID in Europe?

Please, I need advise.

MSPeconomist

Do you have a copy of your marriage license with you, or can you get an official copy quickly?

mfkne

US driving licenses are not valid forms of ID in Europe.

stut

Also, Ryanair will only accept a passport if you're a non-EU/EEA citizen. You have to report to a passport check desk as well, so it will be checked, and they're not shy about charging you or denying you boarding.

Rather painfully, Ryanair will charge you £110 to change a name on the booking in advance - Norwegian charge £36. It's even more at the airport.

However...

Ryanair will change the name (for a reduced fee - I think £10) between maiden and married name if you have the correct documentation, via online chat:

http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/...i-change-this/

Norwegian will also refund a name change fee if it's for marriage:

http://norwegian.custhelp.com/app/an...86/kw/marriage

So there is light at the end of the tunnel. As these are online services, I suspect a scan of the marriage certificate would be enough - so if you don't have it with you (I guess it's not something you normally carry around), if you can get someone to scan and email it, that could work.

Don't forget with Ryanair - make sure your cabin baggage and checked baggage are strictly within both size and weight limits. No leeway is given. Prepay any cabin baggage. You must check in online, and you must present yourself at a passport check desk at the airport before security. I recommend prebooking a front row seat if you can - you get free priority boarding with it, and it makes the whole experience infinitely more pleasant.

tatys00

Thanks for all the info, my cousin is going to Email me my marriage certificate and I'll contact them once I have it for the name change. I will report back.

ToGo

i see there is no way to get on the play without an Passport check thats bad.

David-A

Sorry, the pedant in me needs to clarify: They are a perfectly valid form of identification - if someone chooses to accept them for that purpose.

And they are a perfectly valid driving licence, if the country you are in accepts them.

What they are not, is an authorised travel document issued by a country.

David-A

Assume you mean plane, but still - why are you surprised by that?

ToGo

In many European Country the dont check your ID when you go on the Plane.
In Austria and Germany there are "selfboarding" Gates where you put "your" Boarding pass on and walk troth.

stut

Correct, but aren't these for intra-Schengen flights?

The UK is not in the Schengen zone, so it is the airline's responsibility to ensure that its passengers are allowed to enter the country they're travelling to - and are subject to significant fines if they don't.

Ryanair has stricter requirements still, as it wants to prevent tickets being bought up by agents and resold under a different name (which was quite a problem in the early days of LCCs).

ToGo

Yes and No.
FRA - NRT have that selfboarding Gate to but first you go to the Central Passbord Control Section like every normal Airport have.
Only in ES i hear about that the have order to check every ID before anyone enter the Plane on the Gate.
I dont know what happened when i check in online to UK ex VIE.
Yes and the DONT check your Flight ticket!
If you feel boring (like me) you can go in Vienna truth the Passport Controll make some Aircraft Pictures and walk downstairs back to Schengen...

tatys00

Thank you Stut for your advise. I was able to change my name with Ryanair over the phone for £10 for my flight London-Barcelona. They asked me to bring the copy of my marriage certificate to the airport and I did but, when I presented it they said there was no need for it.
Norwegian I paid the fee to change the last name on my trip coming back from Barcelona, I will apply for a refund and I hope I get it.
On my flight from London-NY I didn't change the name and they allowed me to travel with the copy of my marriage certificate.
We had a great time and I will be more careful in the future, I am also going to apply for a new Passport.
Thanks to all for your replies.