John/Johnny name difference on ticket - will it be a problem
 

About 3 months ago, I bought tickets for several friends and I for a trip later this month. I just realized that I bought the ticket for one of them in the name of Johnny __________, while his name on his passport/DL is John _____________. Will that cause a problem, and if so, what do I do to fix it?

Domestic everything will be fine.

I have used my shortened name for years and never have had a problem. I don't even use my middle initial on my bookings since it feminizes my first name the way booking engines like to do thing.

From my experience, even internationally all will be fine. I personally have an umlaut in my name, which sometimes leads to a name on the ticket featuring unusual characters "§/&20". I never had a problem or even a raised eyebrow. I usually just say "Delta IT" and get a smile in return.

Another data point, AFKLM sometimes attaches a "MR" to the name, which might be similar to John/Johnny.

Call DL
 

Chances are you are fine but a simple call to DL customer service will give you the answer

Even though you obviously can't change the name on the ticket, you should be able to update the Secure flight info with "John," which should eliminate the 1% chance that it would cause a problem.

you will be fine. TSA won't even notice.

Thanks everyone! I already updated the secure flight info, so I will breathe a sigh of relief (for now ;) )

Why do you say that? I have had DL perform minor changes to names on tickets before (changing only the first name, from a nickname to a legal name).

Adding junk data (e.g. typos) to (In)Secure Flight fields has sometimes even worked out better than adding the correct data. For most persons, even junk data in the (In)Secure Flight fields doesn't cause any substantive problem.

The more a passenger makes an issue about the name and contacts the airline about such, the more likely there is to be a problem.

Thousands of passengers even travel internationally in such daily circumstances without any substantive problem.

I was in line in ATL when a guy's first name on the boarding pass and ID didn't match. Something about Carlos vs. Charlie. And no it wasn't Charlie Sheen.

Anyway, the TSO told him to go ticket counter to get it corrected. Not sure how it worked out, but definitely an inconvenience.

If it's an all-DL itinerary, then DL can easily change the name on the ticket. They may be reluctant to do so, but it's easily doable ;). Problems arise when space is booked on other airlines....

Oh, cool. Didn't know they could alert the TSA that you might be on a mileage run and to not care if you came back the same day - twice. ;)

If you were flying DL out of LAX I would say that would not be a problem, since they dont really read the name on the BP or ID.

The reason I say that is due to me having a female name, and I get question everywhere I go, or everytime I receive a call, but not at the airport ( LAX )

when I do enter the USA thru TBIT I do get question.

I had a similar experience with a colleague. He had to go back to the counter to get boarding pass updated so that it would match his ID. Given timing, he missed his original flight but was rebooked to a later flight in the day. Definitely an inconvenience.