This is an email (below) I got in response to a rather informal question to the booking agent, Zuji. It offers some hope, as my friend's problem at least involves the same LAST name... (We also got our tickets in the mail already, but Harold has joined the Tahiti Airlines frequent flier program as Hong Sik Harold Kim, among other things I am having him ramp up to doing.)

But before you read it, I ask the world: When it comes to first names being shortened, etc, who draws the line and where? I mean, my wife is Johanna, but in Holland where she was born, this is almost always HANNIE, and they know it as much as the Aussies would call her JO.

It's just the way it is in THAT country at THAT time...Over here, she has had trouble when someone gets her name wrong.
Read on:

Date: Sat, 21 Jun 2003 08:41:10 +1000 (EST)
From: "Bob Smith" <[email protected]> |
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: customer question on ticketing through ZUJI

Dear Jeff,

Thank-you for your e-mail.

Airline tickets should be booked with the same name as shown in the passport or Identity papers. Some shortened first names are still considered okay - such as Bob for Robert or Jeff for Jeffery.

If however it is the family name or surname that is generally not able to be changed without a ticket reissuance and the fees involved.

If you have any doubt, check with the airline.

If your profile is not correct then you can change by selecting MY ZUJI, MY ACCOUNT,and then EDIT PROFILE - the name should be
changed to what is shown on your passport to avoid any confusion.

Bob Smith
The ZUJI Team
Your online travel guru