Apr 19, 2016, 4:36 am
Last edit by: Prospero
Trivial name differences - first and last names without middle name, blending of middle or Latin style names, etc. should not cause trouble flying, as long as the identification used displays the primary characteristics of the name on the boarding pass / ticket on AA, and on most airlines.
However, Cathay Pacific and some airlines are genuine sticklers and may not make changes at their end. Members have reported challenging times getting fixes for otherwise trivial name issues.
Changing a name on an issued ticket - reissuing the same ticket to another person - will not happen.
Changing a date of birth due to an accidental account entry must be rectified by contact with AA.; you may (or not) be asked to fax supporting documentation. Some other account changes that don’t “stick” (sometimes passport information, etc.) will also have to be called in. Contact for gender changes or issues as well. See here for AAdvantage Account contact form (AAdvantage Customer Service is only open work days 7-7 Central time.) See post #1 for contact phone numbers and aa.com contact form page illustration.
See:
U.S. Department of State: Change or Correct a Passport link
Posts prior to 2016 have been archived, and can be read here.
Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost. Wiki contents may be printed by using the
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However, Cathay Pacific and some airlines are genuine sticklers and may not make changes at their end. Members have reported challenging times getting fixes for otherwise trivial name issues.
Changing a name on an issued ticket - reissuing the same ticket to another person - will not happen.
Changing a date of birth due to an accidental account entry must be rectified by contact with AA.; you may (or not) be asked to fax supporting documentation. Some other account changes that don’t “stick” (sometimes passport information, etc.) will also have to be called in. Contact for gender changes or issues as well. See here for AAdvantage Account contact form (AAdvantage Customer Service is only open work days 7-7 Central time.) See post #1 for contact phone numbers and aa.com contact form page illustration.
See:
U.S. Department of State: Change or Correct a Passport link
Posts prior to 2016 have been archived, and can be read here.
Signed in members with 90 days / 90 posts can edit this Wikipost. Wiki contents may be printed by using the
(lower right wiki corner)
Name, Gender Difference, Date of Birth, Change, Errors, etc. Account, Ticket, Award
Feb 11, 2018, 8:56 am
#151
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: AA CK; Marriott Plat
Posts: 84
Just to be exact, the ticket hasn't been issued yet, it's "on request". The reason it wasn't ticketed is that the AA agent put in the old name on the reservation along with a note to request changing at ticketing. Liaison / JAL said no to that.
Talked to another agent today. Said need to try again tomorrow when the liaison is in to see what can be done. This agent was saying the worst case is to ticket with the maiden name and then show up at the airport with docs like marriage certificate and old (invalid) passport, and that it should be fine as it's not a name change but "addition" (from maiden name to double-barreled name). Will need to confirm this with JAL as well if we end up having to go this route.
Had no issues changing some CX awards which had already been ticketed with old name.
Talked to another agent today. Said need to try again tomorrow when the liaison is in to see what can be done. This agent was saying the worst case is to ticket with the maiden name and then show up at the airport with docs like marriage certificate and old (invalid) passport, and that it should be fine as it's not a name change but "addition" (from maiden name to double-barreled name). Will need to confirm this with JAL as well if we end up having to go this route.
Had no issues changing some CX awards which had already been ticketed with old name.
Feb 11, 2018, 10:13 am
#152
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 58
Hi nocod,
Would be interested in hearing more...I have the same situation but with Alaska (yes, I know not relevant to this board), but they just told me JAL doesn't allow name changes, just "corrections". Not sure if that'd help you, as the difference in my opinion is slim (same person travelling, not sure why it wouldn't always just be a correction).
I will try reaching out to JAL, see if they offer any other/better options. Alaska is trying to book her on a different airline and different day. Ugh.
Would be interested in hearing more...I have the same situation but with Alaska (yes, I know not relevant to this board), but they just told me JAL doesn't allow name changes, just "corrections". Not sure if that'd help you, as the difference in my opinion is slim (same person travelling, not sure why it wouldn't always just be a correction).
I will try reaching out to JAL, see if they offer any other/better options. Alaska is trying to book her on a different airline and different day. Ugh.
Feb 11, 2018, 12:13 pm
#153
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Anyone have experiences with name changes on an AAdvantage partner award on JAL?
Have an annoying situation. My wife called to book a JAL award for my her and me. She had just changed her name from her maiden name to a double barreled surname, but this had not yet been changed in her AAdvantage profile. Therefore she told the agent what her name will be to make sure the reservation is done correctly. The agent said will just finish the reservation first to nab the last two available award seats, and will ping the JAL liaison to update the name afterwards.
Weeks roll by and reservation doesn't ticket. She called in to check on it and was told JAL declines to do the name change so they can't ticket. If they cancel the reservation on hold, very unlikely the award seats are available.
Any ideas? Will HUCA and try to reason once more, because it seems totally AA's fault here as the right name was given.
Have an annoying situation. My wife called to book a JAL award for my her and me. She had just changed her name from her maiden name to a double barreled surname, but this had not yet been changed in her AAdvantage profile. Therefore she told the agent what her name will be to make sure the reservation is done correctly. The agent said will just finish the reservation first to nab the last two available award seats, and will ping the JAL liaison to update the name afterwards.
Weeks roll by and reservation doesn't ticket. She called in to check on it and was told JAL declines to do the name change so they can't ticket. If they cancel the reservation on hold, very unlikely the award seats are available.
Any ideas? Will HUCA and try to reason once more, because it seems totally AA's fault here as the right name was given.
There is no requirement to book an award using the name on your AAdvantage account, as you can name anyone on tickets you use your miles for.
Have you tried contacting JAL directly?
I do not think there will be an issue boarding if she has evidence of the name change.
Feb 11, 2018, 5:14 pm
#154
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 58
Not sure if this is useful, but did some digging and came up with this policy for JAL (http://www.jalagency.com/RSVTKG/JAL%...Dec%202014.pdf). It is a current link on jalagency.com, so it seems that it is active and not an old policy. Clearly says a name change due to marriage is allowable (and I believe this doc is meant for travel agents, which should be just about the same as partner airlines).
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong.
Feb 11, 2018, 8:34 pm
#155
Join Date: Oct 2014
Programs: AA CK; Marriott Plat
Posts: 84
While it might not have ticketed right away, surely it was possible to view the reservation online to check the name it was booked under.
There is no requirement to book an award using the name on your AAdvantage account, as you can name anyone on tickets you use your miles for.
Have you tried contacting JAL directly?
I do not think there will be an issue boarding if she has evidence of the name change.
There is no requirement to book an award using the name on your AAdvantage account, as you can name anyone on tickets you use your miles for.
Have you tried contacting JAL directly?
I do not think there will be an issue boarding if she has evidence of the name change.
Will try JAL after ticketing and report back.
Mar 12, 2018, 5:33 pm
#157
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: AA Plat, Hilton Diamond *Wood Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 368
Name Change on Revenue Ticket
I have had a revenue (non-award) flight booked for myself and my wife for about 10 months. She wan't my wife when I made the reservation and, as we hadn't picked a date, I used her maiden name. It's a domestic flight to STT, but we are leaving the country by boat from there and her passport and DL are already updated to Mrs. WCF. Last step is to update Global Entry for pre-check, etc.
I called AA today to update her last name on the reservation. Multiple sources report that this is possible as it's not an award flight and there may or may not be a small fee depending on who you talk to.
After a long pause and a "I don't think we can do that" the agent put me on hold and came back and decided that they could in fact do it. However, he advised that he would have to split her out to her own PNR and rebook her with the new last name. I asked if he would link our reservations back together after this was complete and he advised that he wouldn't be able to do this. I explained that I didn't want her to get split up from me if there was a flight change (we have already had 1). I also want to be able to make seat changes if needed and stay together, Given that I have status I know it's likely that we will get split up if there is a flight change / delay en-route.
I'm certain that she can come up with something in her maiden name and we can leave the reservation as is to STT, but I suspect pre-check for this trip will not show up given the name mis-match. (we do need to update Global Entry before we go as we have another International Trip right after and that is booked in her married name).
My question is, do I call AA again an hope for someone who is willing to split and link? Or, is he correct and this isn't possible? (I know that this is an entirely different story if this had been an award flight.... it isn't)
I called AA today to update her last name on the reservation. Multiple sources report that this is possible as it's not an award flight and there may or may not be a small fee depending on who you talk to.
After a long pause and a "I don't think we can do that" the agent put me on hold and came back and decided that they could in fact do it. However, he advised that he would have to split her out to her own PNR and rebook her with the new last name. I asked if he would link our reservations back together after this was complete and he advised that he wouldn't be able to do this. I explained that I didn't want her to get split up from me if there was a flight change (we have already had 1). I also want to be able to make seat changes if needed and stay together, Given that I have status I know it's likely that we will get split up if there is a flight change / delay en-route.
I'm certain that she can come up with something in her maiden name and we can leave the reservation as is to STT, but I suspect pre-check for this trip will not show up given the name mis-match. (we do need to update Global Entry before we go as we have another International Trip right after and that is booked in her married name).
My question is, do I call AA again an hope for someone who is willing to split and link? Or, is he correct and this isn't possible? (I know that this is an entirely different story if this had been an award flight.... it isn't)
Mar 12, 2018, 5:45 pm
#158
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
I have had a revenue (non-award) flight booked for myself and my wife for about 10 months. She wan't my wife when I made the reservation and, as we hadn't picked a date, I used her maiden name. It's a domestic flight to STT, but we are leaving the country by boat from there and her passport and DL are already updated to Mrs. WCF. Last step is to update Global Entry for pre-check, etc.
I called AA today to update her last name on the reservation. Multiple sources report that this is possible as it's not an award flight and there may or may not be a small fee depending on who you talk to.
After a long pause and a "I don't think we can do that" the agent put me on hold and came back and decided that they could in fact do it. However, he advised that he would have to split her out to her own PNR and rebook her with the new last name. I asked if he would link our reservations back together after this was complete and he advised that he wouldn't be able to do this. I explained that I didn't want her to get split up from me if there was a flight change (we have already had 1). I also want to be able to make seat changes if needed and stay together, Given that I have status I know it's likely that we will get split up if there is a flight change / delay en-route.
I'm certain that she can come up with something in her maiden name and we can leave the reservation as is to STT, but I suspect pre-check for this trip will not show up given the name mis-match. (we do need to update Global Entry before we go as we have another International Trip right after and that is booked in her married name).
My question is, do I call AA again an hope for someone who is willing to split and link? Or, is he correct and this isn't possible? (I know that this is an entirely different story if this had been an award flight.... it isn't)
I called AA today to update her last name on the reservation. Multiple sources report that this is possible as it's not an award flight and there may or may not be a small fee depending on who you talk to.
After a long pause and a "I don't think we can do that" the agent put me on hold and came back and decided that they could in fact do it. However, he advised that he would have to split her out to her own PNR and rebook her with the new last name. I asked if he would link our reservations back together after this was complete and he advised that he wouldn't be able to do this. I explained that I didn't want her to get split up from me if there was a flight change (we have already had 1). I also want to be able to make seat changes if needed and stay together, Given that I have status I know it's likely that we will get split up if there is a flight change / delay en-route.
I'm certain that she can come up with something in her maiden name and we can leave the reservation as is to STT, but I suspect pre-check for this trip will not show up given the name mis-match. (we do need to update Global Entry before we go as we have another International Trip right after and that is booked in her married name).
My question is, do I call AA again an hope for someone who is willing to split and link? Or, is he correct and this isn't possible? (I know that this is an entirely different story if this had been an award flight.... it isn't)
Mar 12, 2018, 5:50 pm
#160
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: AA Plat, Hilton Diamond *Wood Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 368
Mar 12, 2018, 6:01 pm
#161
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
For the benefit of others, this is after all a common issue. Do not change travel documents until you are back from your trip. She would then have traveled on a passport and GE in the name in which she was booked.
You are lucky because AA does this. There are carriers which simply will not change anything in the name field for any reason.
There is also no such thing as "linking". Or to the extent that an agent says it is done, it has no impact.
OTOH, if the PNR's are split and there is a reroute, simply don't accept anything which involves splitting the two of you up. When you call or walk up to an agent to get rebooked, go as a couple and to the extent that it's possible not to split you up, you won't be split up.
You are lucky because AA does this. There are carriers which simply will not change anything in the name field for any reason.
There is also no such thing as "linking". Or to the extent that an agent says it is done, it has no impact.
OTOH, if the PNR's are split and there is a reroute, simply don't accept anything which involves splitting the two of you up. When you call or walk up to an agent to get rebooked, go as a couple and to the extent that it's possible not to split you up, you won't be split up.
Mar 18, 2018, 3:11 pm
#162
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Charlottesville, Va. USA
Posts: 1,752
name on ticket ?
I have booked an award ticket on cx/aa with aa miles. The trip is hkg/ord/dca. When I got the confirmation email from aa they left the last two initials of my middle name off. When I check the actual reservation on both the cx site and the aa site it is correct. I am concerned that when I go to check in at hkg there might be an issue. Do I have a problem?