1 Letter Typo on Ticket Booked Via Etihad Guest - Complications?
 

Hi,

In a bit of a pickle. I have an AA ticket booked VIA Etihad Guest for my wife and I from OGG to DFW on April 17th.

It is my fault for noticing too late that my wife's name is misspelled (they put Lelle instead of Elle) and I reached out to both American and Etihad:

American told me to contact Etihad and they would be unable to help. Etihad attempted to request a name change but it was denied, and the only option they said would be to cancel the ticket and re-purchase it, however, there is no more award space left on that day and I have everything else booked already.

Am I just out of luck here and have to give in to buying a one-way ticket from OGG to DFW for my wife specifically due to this 1 character error that I did not catch?

Thank you so much!

Hang Up, Call Again would be my suggestion.

I would imagine this sort of thing happens often enough that they have a remedy for it.

Was AA's request to call Etihad because they hold the ticket stock for this?
But then Etihad tried to fix it (by presumably contacting AA to make the change for the ticket on an AA bird) and AA said no?

Rebook. When AA says 'We'll speak to the EY liaison" nothing ever happens. You might find the inventory reappears after a few hours of cancelling.

Thanks. I'll do this if the call fails tomorrow~ although I am a bit saddened as If the award inventory does not re-appear I will have to book an overpriced ticket vs my original 50k Etihad Guest miles for two people business class. *sigh*

I had AA fail to ticket EY in time and we lost the seats. AA said they would speak to the EY liaison, but it never happened. Had to reorganise the entire trip.

I think it was a few days after the original seats became available again so I changed.

I have the tickets, and seats. Just my wife's name on the ticket is off by 1 letter.

Did some searching on the forums and saw other people risking it for domestic travel seemed to get by TSA fine, but, no guarantees.

AA First told me that since I booked with Etihad I have to work with them, but on the day of travel the check-in team could help me with this.

"We must allow them to have it corrected from their system, or on the day of travel, our airport teammates will assist at the check-in counter."

However after I called Etihad, they told me and on twitter told me:

"Hello there, we are unable to complete a name correction on a partner airline redemption ticket. Therefore, you would need to cancel the ticket and issue a new one."

I'm hesitant on cancelling because if the award inventory does not go back then I will have to pay a buttload more in order to get back compared to my original purchase (50k etihad guest miles for 2x business)

So then I told AA again that Etihad was unable to correct the name and was told

"Howdy! We've checked your booking and you'll need to have that changed with your booking source prior to travel. We wouldn't be able to correct that on the counter during the check-in process. Let us know how it all worked out."

It looks like my only options are to try to call Etihad yet again and hope I get someone that can change the name, cancel and hope award space opens back up and snag it, or risk it at the day of travel and hope TSA does not notice.

If they won't name change you will have to cancel her ticket.

Hawaii AA gate agents are all or virtually all contract locals. Usually they are hanging loose, but occasionally the pickiest people ever. But I suppose the TSA is a bigger concern.

If you can't get rebooked because the award space is gone, I really can't see the small and logical typo you describe being a problem. But that is a prediction not a promise.

A couple of ideas...

Is it possible for AA to "take over" the ticket like they can with a ticket issued by a travel agent (they charge $50 for this, waived for EXP). If so, can they just take it over and reissue it?

If not, you can always just book a backup flight (possibly the same flight -- the names are different so there is no chance that AA cancels one as a duplicate). Then just OLCI for the award ticket (the fewer eyes on it the better), get to the airport a little early, and see if you can get through TSA with the award ticket BP. Probably you can. If you get through cancel the backup. If not, cancel the award and OLCI the backup. No change fees these days so you will get full credit for the cancelled ticket.

If you want to be really sneaky (not sure how legal this is so do it at your own risk) OLCI both, get through TSA with the backup ticket (in the right name), cancel it, and board with the BP for the award ticket.

AA only takes over travel agency ticket plated by AA (ticket number beings with 001). Taking over tickets plated by another airline is not allowed except during IRROPs.

You might as well go with option 3 unless checked bags are involved but don't check-in for the award ticket until you are airside.

$55 for a name change.

https://namechange.ehawaii.gov/publi...2EA194AD8.app4

$110, assuming the OP's wife doesn't want to be 'Lelle' forevermore :D

Lol, we are not residents of Hawaii! XD. Anyhoo thanks for all the advice here! Most likely going to book a backup ticket and also arrive at the airport early and risk it seeing if the award misspelling will pass through

I have flown more than once (recently) with a misspelled ticket. It is no big deal at all. Dont raise the issue, just keep moving. Do you think the TSA really looks that carefully at your ID vs what is on the ticket? No, of course not. Especially with all the normal variations in a name - Steve, Stephen, Stephan for just one example. You wont have an issue. AA wont care at all - just play it cool and you'll be fine.

what awful advice.

this is a minor error spelling error not a wholesale incorrect name change to another person.

there is no need to cancel the ticket and rely on the reward reappearing, this could lead to the OP spending a small fortune unnecessarily on a cash ticket.