Hello


I need advice on how to tackle a modification to Christian names on tickets booked through an agency for a codeshare flight. I basically put the shortened names of my in-laws when booking their tickets to Kuala Lumpar in December. Suzy instead of Susan and Gianni instead of Giovanni. I booked through an agency and informed them in 48 hours. The flights BA to Hong Kong and then Cathay Pacific to Kuala Lumpar (though first Cathay flight is operated by Malaysian Airlines). I believe BA are the controlling airline.


I have ben informed the flight names can not be modified as these are codeshare. Also the only people I can talk to are the agency as they are who I have contract with. Currently we are looking at a large loss for the two tickets and extra cost as the prices are going up for the new ones. As this is an innocent mistake and should be easily remedied I am at a loss of what to do. Any advice would be much appreciated as this impacts two older people and it is their sons wedding they are going to. I understand you should read the T&C's but this seems criminal.

Hello and welcome to FT. This might not be so bad after all, since sometimes names are shortened as not all carriers have enough room to accommodate them. As for T&C being criminal, well, that's a whole different topic. For future reference, when booking tickets, it is clearly worded that names must match the name on the ID card of the traveler, there is a reason for that. A Joe will not board a plane using a ticket for Sue. Simple and straight forward. With all the news about airport security and such, I'm surprised that people still make this honest mistake. I would certainly suggest that the traveling couple give themselves extra time while going to the airport, as they may have some explaining to do. The cost of fixing this error is most likely a new ticket.

Blaming someone else for your error is not a good strategy.

Nonetheless, it is unlikely that a first name mismatch when the difference is in the diminutive is not likely to prevent travel.

Rather than fighting about this and potentially causing notes about the issue to be entered in their PNR, do not take action.

Have the parents go to the airport early and have them prepared to simply say that they are who they are and that a relative, e.g. you, booked the tickets and must have slipped up.

First of all, don't blame others for this mistake! Why on earth did you enter their nick names when making the reservations? - you didn't know that your inlaws had different christian names?

It is true that names cannot be rectified now - this has nothing to do with codeshare flights or not.

Anyway, this is unlikely to cause any problems at check-in (unless you keep chasing this). Gianni instead of Giovanni is def. not going to cause any issues (only 1 letter is missing). Suzy instead of Susan will most likely pass as well (2 letters are wrong and 1 letter missing). My best advice is to leave it as it is - and hope for the best at check-in. Your in-laws are not to mention this at all at check-in and most likely the agent will never notice the mistakes.

Thanks for the advice, may i clarify i am not blaming anyone i know it is my mistake just shocked at how inflexible the system is. I know it is a stupid error and not more can be said about that. I would have expected a fee to make the amendments. I will pay for the new tickets not the parents. I don't think they will risk the airport as it is critical they get on the plane. Following many calls and some inside info form BA i understand the agent holds the keys. Just need advice on what can be done or is it just suck it up. I don't think the T&C's are very clear and no mention of codeshare etc.

My last name has 12 letters. My reservation had an extra "z" in the spelling. I had no problem checking in but security would not let me pass. I had to go to the ticket counter and get it corrected. And it was a domestic US flight! YMMV. I suggest you have a plan B in case it IS a problem.

get to the airport very early and hope for the best. There isn't much you can do here now. They can fix this at the airport and if the names are close enough or have first/last name switched ... it is usually not a problem. Good luck.

I repeat: this has nothing to do with codeshare flight. You were mis-informed.

If you want to have this solved in advance (as in tickets issued with correct names) you need to purchase new tickets. Period. No one is going to rectify the names in the tickets. However, to purchase new tickets would be crazy/way over-doing it. As you have already been informed by all posters your in-laws should travel on the tickets as they are - and hope for the best at check-in. You state that your in-laws need to on the flight - most likely they will be on the flight as name issues happen every day and get solved (if they ever turn out to be issues at the airport)

This is not really helpful to the OP. The flights in question do not include the US and no security officer outside the US is going to care about a mis-spelling of the name on the boarding pass (BP). Most likely the name in the BP will not even be verified against the passport at security check. Often you just scan the BP to reach the security check and no further ID checks will be made (outside the US). If the persons in question are able to get boarding passes issued at check-in, they will be fine.

My name is unusual, is easily misspelled, and has been messed up worse than that. I have had no trouble checking in or boarding with those errors in the U.S., India, Japan, Singapore, and surely many other places I can't think of at this instant. They should go to the airport and check in as though nothing is amiss. If anyone mentions it a simple "My name is Susan but everyone calls me Suzy" will surely fix things. (While I can't control what security officers and airline agents in various countries do, I would bet a good deal of money on that.)

The principal reason you can�t change names on tickets is that it would create a secondary market for them.