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Avios & Tier Points when first and last name switched on ticket

Avios & Tier Points when first and last name switched on ticket

Old Nov 4, 2019, 1:58 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: BAEC Silver, Hilton Honors Gold
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Avios & Tier Points when first and last name switched on ticket

I booked some tickets on the MH website last night and have just realised that our first and last name are switched as I didn't notice that the MH website asks for the last name first during the booking process.

I booked a business class fare with them to get the Tier Points for my wife so she can't reach BAEC sliver and now I am worried we won't get the points as I guess the system won't recognise her BAEC account?

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if they got the Tier Points ok?

Thanks for any help!
wheatbeer is offline  
Old Nov 4, 2019, 2:19 pm
  #2  
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Tenerife
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Originally Posted by wheatbeer
I booked some tickets on the MH website last night and have just realised that our first and last name are switched as I didn't notice that the MH website asks for the last name first during the booking process.

I booked a business class fare with them to get the Tier Points for my wife so she can't reach BAEC sliver and now I am worried we won't get the points as I guess the system won't recognise her BAEC account?

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if they got the Tier Points ok?

Thanks for any help!
Contact MH ASAP and they should change it for you.

Failing that it is common knowledge that in east Asia first and family names are in reverse to Europe, so if the Avois / TPs don't credit, I think you will be OK with BAs claim missing Avios process.
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Old Nov 4, 2019, 2:25 pm
  #3  
 
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Just had the same issue and points credited very quickly. My Exec Club number was in the booking and showed on the BP.

Where it did cause an issue was interlining bags with CX who had the name the correct UK order! But CX louinge staff handled it brilliantly tracking the bag at TPE and retagging it.
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Old Nov 11, 2019, 1:11 pm
  #4  
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Thank you both for the advice. I contacted MH on Twitter and they said it isn't a problem if the names are swapped around as long as they are spelt correctly. They even said the agent should be able to correct it when we check-in. So hopefully it should work out ok and if the points don't post I'll try the manual claim route with BA.

Thanks again for your help!
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Old Nov 12, 2019, 9:44 am
  #5  
 
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Originally Posted by The Geek
Contact MH ASAP and they should change it for you.

Failing that it is common knowledge that in east Asia first and family names are in reverse to Europe, so if the Avois / TPs don't credit, I think you will be OK with BAs claim missing Avios process.
Not just east Asia - Hungarians do it too (of course the Magyars do hail from the Asian Steppes originally ). I once booked a flight to BUD with Malev and had to phone them up to be reassured that Check-In/Security weren't going to bounce me off the flight because I'd entered the names on the booking 'English'-style rather than the Hungarian format!
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Old Nov 12, 2019, 3:09 pm
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by wheatbeer
Thank you both for the advice. I contacted MH on Twitter and they said it isn't a problem if the names are swapped around as long as they are spelt correctly. They even said the agent should be able to correct it when we check-in. So hopefully it should work out ok and if the points don't post I'll try the manual claim route with BA.

Thanks again for your help!
I'd suggest the first thing to do (perhaps easier to do in advance) is to ensure your wife's exec club number is on the ticket. Provided that's there, your 95% of the way to getting the points, as they are awarded by exec club number not by name. When you attach the exec club number to the ticket, they will obviously check the name matches, but it's a soft check (as I've seen my "title", forename and surname appear in arbitrary order and occasionally be repeated, particularly when not booking direct with BA).
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Old Nov 12, 2019, 3:13 pm
  #7  
 
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Originally Posted by southlondonphil
Not just east Asia - Hungarians do it too (of course the Magyars do hail from the Asian Steppes originally ).
So do Bavarians...
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Old Nov 12, 2019, 10:43 pm
  #8  
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
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Originally Posted by wheatbeer
I booked some tickets on the MH website last night and have just realised that our first and last name are switched as I didn't notice that the MH website asks for the last name first during the booking process.

I booked a business class fare with them to get the Tier Points for my wife so she can't reach BAEC sliver and now I am worried we won't get the points as I guess the system won't recognise her BAEC account?

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if they got the Tier Points ok?

Thanks for any help!
This should be no problem. though the best solution will be of course if the check-in agent can swap the names for you. The same thing happened to me a few years back, and the TPs/Avios eventually posted (albeit with some help from BAMissingAvios) - see my post, and the reply in the following post from CWS here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/24885857-post4.html
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Old Nov 13, 2019, 11:47 am
  #9  
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Welcome to the Club. The MH Page is not very clear about that as they state on Name and Surname instead of Name and Given Name or First Name.

I have to recent experiences:
A friend flew with wrong names on MH without problems. Had contacted BAEC on twtter to get the flights credited though, as the BP does not match his OW Emerald status thought.

I myself have had the same problem of mixed first and last name. Contacted them and was told it should be fine. Check In will correct it. But I decdied to play save and used the opportunity while transiting in KUL last week to get the ticket correct for a nominal fee or app. 55 EUR - just to be on the safe side, as I will start my trip with this ticket in February from TPE and the check in staff there is from CI and usually not very good in dealing with anyhting not regular.

For further information have a look at https://mhcare.malaysiaairlines.com/...language=en_US. They are also very attentive on Facebook messengers
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Old Jan 9, 2020, 10:14 am
  #10  
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Just wanted to report back on it went in case anyone else ends up in a similar situation.

My wife and I were on separate bookings as she was in J and me in Y as I already had enough Tier Points. So we checked in separately as I thought it would be interesting to see what happens if one of us tries to fly with the name changed and one doesn't.

Me - went to check-in desk and handed my passport over and didn't mention anything about the names. Initially the agent couldn't find my booking but after checking what time flight I was on and asking if I was a BA FF (not sure why?) she found it. Agent didn't say anything about the names being reversed, printed my boarding pass with the names still reversed and that was it. The boarding pass had my BA FF on it but it didn't say what status I was underneath. I didn't have any issues at immigration leaving KUL or at CGK. Even with the names reversed the Avios and Tier Points posted to my BA FF account fine 3 days after the flight.

Wife - went to the check-in desk and explained the situation with the names and that the Twitter team had said they would be able to correct. Agent said it isn't possible for her to amend the name but that it didn't matter if it was reversed it would be fine to travel. Wife explained that she wants to make sure she gets the Tier Points so would prefer to get it changed. Agent seemed a bit confused but said the ticket desk may be able to help. Ticket desk seemed a bit confused also but eventually got it. They wanted to see her BA FF card before doing it but after a lot of tapping on the computer he said it was all sorted. No request for money to change it. The boarding pass showed the names in the correct order and also her Oneworld status unlike on mine. Her Avios and Tier Points posted to her BA FF account 3 days after the flight like mine.

So all in all was a resounding success! Now she is back to Oneworld Sapphire . Was a bit surprised my Avios & TP's posted as I was expecting to have to claim for them (was only 5 TP's anyway).

Thanks again for everyone's help.
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wheatbeer is offline  
Old Jan 9, 2020, 10:53 am
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
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Originally Posted by wheatbeer
I booked some tickets on the MH website last night and have just realised that our first and last name are switched as I didn't notice that the MH website asks for the last name first during the booking process.

I booked a business class fare with them to get the Tier Points for my wife so she can't reach BAEC sliver and now I am worried we won't get the points as I guess the system won't recognise her BAEC account?

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else and if they got the Tier Points ok?

Thanks for any help!
Hi wheatbeer,

I did exactly the same thing in October 2017 on a TP run (JHB-PER, 450 for 400TPs). Sadly this route is now twice/three times more expensive.

It was fine in the end, the airline and airport authorities were fine with the names switched around. I was on a discounted Z fare so it was non-ref/non-change fare, so I bit the bullet and left it as it was. The airline check-in staff might find it difficult to locate her reservation unless she gives them the PNR/booking ref.

Thanks

howarsan
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Old Jan 10, 2020, 2:45 am
  #12  
 
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Do be aware that there was a case reported on a Singapore news website a few months back where a pair/group of travellers were refused boarding at SIN due to the first/last name issue. They had to buy replacement tickets at the airport to get out.

It was on a minor news site that I had a feed of but am unable to find it now. Not saying the same will happen to you, but just be aware that there could be issues.
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Old Jan 10, 2020, 3:30 am
  #13  
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Not MH, but I did the same with AA. It was a stupid mistake on my part which I realised when I that the BA flights that started the booking were not showing on my Exec account I called at once and they changed it for both of us.
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Old Jan 10, 2020, 5:52 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Nov 2018
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Originally Posted by FlyingScientist
So do Bavarians...
jo mei, the Miller Joseph....

as surnames derive from professions, this makes kinda sense.
i have the problem that surname is also a very common first name and my first name can be used as a surname... i even know, that a man with my first name as his surname and my surname as his first name lives in my city.
i know that feel, i know that problem and the avios claim process helped me twice.
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Old Jan 10, 2020, 6:35 am
  #15  
WLX
 
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Originally Posted by alvinlwh
Do be aware that there was a case reported on a Singapore news website a few months back where a pair/group of travellers were refused boarding at SIN due to the first/last name issue. They had to buy replacement tickets at the airport to get out.

It was on a minor news site that I had a feed of but am unable to find it now. Not saying the same will happen to you, but just be aware that there could be issues.
When I worked for an airline (Skyteam) I saw this happen to a passenger who was told at check-in for her return flight that she had no booking. She bought a one-way on the spot for 2,400 and wrote a extremely courteous email into the customer service box asking what had happened. I processed the 2,400 refund as soon as I found her PNR with the names reversed. I phoned her and suffice it to say she was audibly relieved to have the money returned.
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