Twice in the USA I had a problem getting through the first security podium-- the one where they check your ID and your boarding pass-- just before the X-ray screening.

DL has my name in their system such that my middle initial is appended to the end of my first name: Firstm. e.g, if my name were James K. Polk, my ticket reads: Polk/ Jamesk

The TSA person at the podium caused a stink because my first name on my driver's license didn't match the ticket exactly, despite the obvious fact that the last letter on the ticket was my middle initial (my middle name is on my license). There is no way in the world my first name with middle inital appended could ever be construed as a different first name entirely, even accounting for the "creative" spellings of some African-American names.

After about 5 minutes of arguing with the person, he just let me through. And this happened twice!