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New TSA name policy - required to call DL SMS each time!

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New TSA name policy - required to call DL SMS each time!

 
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 6:51 am
  #31  
 
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Nothing Delta itself can fix

It's not a matter of some "techie" at Delta fixing the system to accomodate larger names or more letters. All airline and travel reservertions systems share a common foundation. A name field can only hold so much. Doesn't matter if it's Delta, AA, United, Southwest, SABRE, APOLLO or APOLLO (travel agent systems). It's always been a problem. Call the TSA. The airlines can't do anything about it.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 6:58 am
  #32  
 
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Originally Posted by TXTBIRD13
It's not a matter of some "techie" at Delta fixing the system to accomodate larger names or more letters. All airline and travel reservertions systems share a common foundation. A name field can only hold so much. Doesn't matter if it's Delta, AA, United, Southwest, SABRE, APOLLO or APOLLO (travel agent systems). It's always been a problem. Call the TSA. The airlines can't do anything about it.
Yes call the TSA!

See how much they care. They don't answer to you, the don't answer to the airlines and they don't answer to the government.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 6:59 am
  #33  
 
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Originally Posted by TXTBIRD13
It's not a matter of some "techie" at Delta fixing the system to accomodate larger names or more letters. All airline and travel reservertions systems share a common foundation. A name field can only hold so much. Doesn't matter if it's Delta, AA, United, Southwest, SABRE, APOLLO or APOLLO (travel agent systems). It's always been a problem. Call the TSA. The airlines can't do anything about it.
I noted it in the Delta software/website problems thread at the top the other day, but I couldn't enter my wife's info because it had two "25" entries and no "24" entries in the DOB day field. (this was with entering the info in conjunction with purchasing tickets).

Is there a way to go back in (not while purchasing tickets) to enter the data? I couldn't find a "way in" through the web-site search, but I'm sure it has to be there somewhere.

You'd think it would be in your Skymiles Profile, but if it is there, I didn't stumble across it.

Last edited by Seminole_Kev; Aug 17, 2009 at 7:07 am
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 7:05 am
  #34  
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The OP needs to bame his mother for giving him an awkward name.

Back in the day, computer code size was a real concern and parties agonized over whether x characters was enough or if x+1 was really needed. That problem continues with a variety of legacy systems and is known to frequent flyers in different ways: think of the FO designation rather than Silver Medallion, or of United's 1K designation.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 7:10 am
  #35  
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Originally Posted by tarajim
The little flashlight is a blacklight. This is commonly used in inspecting paper products for defects. In using this, TSA can detect ID's that have been altered. I understand that this has been effective in finding numerous fake ID's.

TJ
Don't tell that (the fact that the light might actually be effective) to many people on this thread! TSA can do no good.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 7:39 am
  #36  
 
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Originally Posted by safigan
As a techie, I will say that changing the database to allow for more characters is in fact a big deal because one never knows in millions of lines of legacy code what might break as a result.
Exactly. Simply recall how "easy" it was when the century changed from 19xx to 20xx.

We rest our case.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 7:52 am
  #37  
 
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Originally Posted by EasternTraveler
It would be better if people that try to use hypen, would drop the egos and pick a last name.
Nice.

I don't know about hypens [sic], but many people have had hyphenated names since birth, so you'll have to talk to their parents if you're looking for 'egos'.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 7:52 am
  #38  
 
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Originally Posted by 3Cforme
The OP needs to bame his mother for giving him an awkward name.

Back in the day, computer code size was a real concern and parties agonized over whether x characters was enough or if x+1 was really needed. That problem continues with a variety of legacy systems and is known to frequent flyers in different ways: think of the FO designation rather than Silver Medallion, or of United's 1K designation.
An awkward name? 9 letters? 9 letters could be "Stephanie". Very common name. There are many 9 letter names.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 8:00 am
  #39  
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Originally Posted by fti
Don't tell that (the fact that the light might actually be effective) to many people on this thread! TSA can do no good.
Very true. It may be somewhat effective at detecting things that have nothing to do with security.

Okay, back on topic: Some blame the TSA for this ridiculous regulation. Some blame Delta for not following up when they knew this was happening. But as Coleman the butler's girlfriend said, "Can't we have both?"

Mike
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 8:17 am
  #40  
 
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It is hard to believe that with all of the diverse membership here on FT, that someone does not have the ear of people who could do something about the TSA.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 8:44 am
  #41  
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Originally Posted by EasternTraveler
It is hard to believe that with all of the diverse membership here on FT, that someone does not have the ear of people who could do something about the TSA.
In reading comments here and in the past on the Travel Security forum, who in their right mind would even want to help? Constant bashing and whining, no slack given. If I had any way to do something (I don't), I would not want to admit it to such people.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 9:00 am
  #42  
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Originally Posted by EasternTraveler
It is hard to believe that with all of the diverse membership here on FT, that someone does not have the ear of people who could do something about the TSA.
Given the substantial cadre of CYA politicians, bureaucrats and those in the public, quasi-public and private sector that make money from the paranoia-related systems remaining and/or expanding, it's one huge struggle for anyone to even effectively squeeze the TSA to the point of a huge public slap-down no matter whose ears are available.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 9:08 am
  #43  
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Originally Posted by GUWonder
Given the substantial cadre of CYA politicians, bureaucrats and those in the public, quasi-public and private sector that make money from the paranoia-related systems remaining and/or expanding, it's one huge struggle for anyone to even effectively squeeze the TSA to the point of a huge public slap-down no matter whose ears are available.
Agreed. Who wants to be the politician who voted against a TSA mandate only to see us get attacked again, even if what the politician voted on has nothing to do with the attack?

Mike
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 10:14 am
  #44  
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Originally Posted by EasternTraveler
An awkward name? 9 letters? 9 letters could be "Stephanie". Very common name. There are many 9 letter names.

yeah - my name is Christina. Quite common really. Middle name Michelle. The combination of the two is what is getting me in trouble - too many characters for the name field in the DL system.

Thanks to safigan for answering my Q - guess it IS a big deal to change the number of characters and to set aside time each month when I book all my travel to follow-up and call SMS to link my name / Skymiles to my name / itinerary.
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Old Aug 17, 2009, 2:34 pm
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by MemphisQueen
yeah - my name is Christina. Quite common really. Middle name Michelle. The combination of the two is what is getting me in trouble - too many characters for the name field in the DL system.

Thanks to safigan for answering my Q - guess it IS a big deal to change the number of characters and to set aside time each month when I book all my travel to follow-up and call SMS to link my name / Skymiles to my name / itinerary.
MemphisQueen,

Even though my First+Middle names only add up to 13 characters, I only have my First Name+Middle Initial on my SkyMiles profile. Until the TSA starts bugging me about it, I'm not going to switch to my full First+Middle names. However, if the TSA *DOES* start bothering me, then I'll have to do it.
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