Middle name ‘should’ be on booking?
Apr 18, 2018, 7:45 am
#16
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,578
I fear that the diminutive but opinionated 2 year old D. B. W. H. X. Bisonrav is going to REALLY curse his (probably) late father at some point in his life related to filling out landing cards.
It's the problem with having to fit in English and Chinese middle names.
It's the problem with having to fit in English and Chinese middle names.
Last edited by bisonrav; Apr 18, 2018 at 7:50 am
Apr 18, 2018, 8:46 am
#18
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,581
Hello fellow 904 area code FTer..
While US airlines and WOW do seem to unnecessarily like the middle name on the reservation/boarding pass it really, really isn't required except in APIS information.
All BA actually requires, other than for APIS, is LASTNAME/FIRSTNAME - anything else gets in the way.
The agent was misguided.
While US airlines and WOW do seem to unnecessarily like the middle name on the reservation/boarding pass it really, really isn't required except in APIS information.
All BA actually requires, other than for APIS, is LASTNAME/FIRSTNAME - anything else gets in the way.
The agent was misguided.
Apr 18, 2018, 9:32 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: London
Programs: Many. Too many. I came here to cut them down. I failed.
Posts: 2,999
As you all say the middle name is not necessary, but I wonder if the tides are changing. The following is from Cathay late 2017. The only reason why it would NOT be possible to include the customers middle is because of space limitations.
It also creates problems with online check in (clients would use Sam Smith rather than SamBee Smith which would be necessary if middle names were added to PNR's. And my middle name was Bee.)
It also creates problems with online check in (clients would use Sam Smith rather than SamBee Smith which would be necessary if middle names were added to PNR's. And my middle name was Bee.)
Passenger Name Policy Update for Clarification
Increasingly, Regulatory authorities around the world are introducing tighter and more stringent entry requirements, including the use of middle names. To ensure the smoothest possible journey for our joint customers, the Cathay Pacific Group recommends that all bookings should be made in the exact full name as it appears in the customer’s passport.
If it is not possible to include the customer’s middle name, at a minimum, it is important to ensure a match between the Reservation/e-ticket, the passport and the name used for any Visa, Electronic Travel Authority, ESTA or other regulatory entry requirements. Provided all of these match, we will be able to ensure a smooth, trouble free travel experience for our customers.
This is all in accordance with the guidelines in IATA Passenger Air Tariffs Section 7.28 Name element. (April 2017 for the latest issue).
Increasingly, Regulatory authorities around the world are introducing tighter and more stringent entry requirements, including the use of middle names. To ensure the smoothest possible journey for our joint customers, the Cathay Pacific Group recommends that all bookings should be made in the exact full name as it appears in the customer’s passport.
If it is not possible to include the customer’s middle name, at a minimum, it is important to ensure a match between the Reservation/e-ticket, the passport and the name used for any Visa, Electronic Travel Authority, ESTA or other regulatory entry requirements. Provided all of these match, we will be able to ensure a smooth, trouble free travel experience for our customers.
This is all in accordance with the guidelines in IATA Passenger Air Tariffs Section 7.28 Name element. (April 2017 for the latest issue).
Apr 18, 2018, 2:25 pm
#20
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 447
For whatever reason my middle name on bookings through BA has always been "HERR" (i.e. the German for "Mister"), and I still haven't found a way to fix this. I'm >200 flights down on pretty much every oneworld airline, and never had any issues with this.
Apr 18, 2018, 3:08 pm
#21
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,581
Unfortunately BA.com won't let me access the page that would update my own personal information, but if you can, you should have other titular options available - whether those are in German or English may depend on your settings.
Apr 18, 2018, 3:24 pm
#23
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,581
Apr 19, 2018, 2:02 am
#25
Join Date: May 2006
Location: GVA
Programs: BA Gold, LH FTL, KL/AF Ivory
Posts: 1,878
I was once stopped on entry into Australia by immigration because my ETA didn't include my middle name. The ETA had presumably been generated from my ticket where I never use my middle name, but my middle name is on my passport.
It wasn't a big deal but a supervisor was called and I followed her to a specific desk, she was quite joking about it, talking about the "crime of the century", a couple of taps on a keyboard and it was cleared up. However, I would be surprised if I was the only person having to go through this.
I'm not sure that standard airline tickets could accommodate the length of most names if they had to include all names.
It wasn't a big deal but a supervisor was called and I followed her to a specific desk, she was quite joking about it, talking about the "crime of the century", a couple of taps on a keyboard and it was cleared up. However, I would be surprised if I was the only person having to go through this.
I'm not sure that standard airline tickets could accommodate the length of most names if they had to include all names.
Apr 19, 2018, 2:08 am
#26
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,731
£60 sounds suspiciously like the fee that is informally charged, as a Change Fee, at BA airports (not Contact Centres) for changes which are deemed to be the customer's fault. I've seen this sum charged to people if they just miss their flight and the check-in agent is being lenient or indeed for silly mistakes such as booking EDI-LCY when the passenger thought they booked EDI-LGW or LHR.
Apr 19, 2018, 2:56 am
#27
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club, easyJet and Ryanair
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: UK/Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold (GGL/CCR)
Posts: 15,914
I have had my middle name hand written on my boarding pass by the BA agents at SIN numerous times and been told my booking should always match my passport. Vietnam Airlines did the same on internal flights. I've learnt to just shrug my shoulders and let them do what they want now!