Flux

I am posting this here since the first segment is on LH.

I booked an award flight for my girlfriend using US Dividend Miles, and they managed (again!) to spell her name wrong. Basically there are two letters in her first name that shouldn't be there!

A US Airways agent said that there is absolutely no way to change the name on a multiple carrier reservation without having to cancel the booking and and re-book the flights, and then there will (temporarily?) be no availability any more. Further, he claimed that the name could be changed at the airport, and that she would in any case not be denied boarding because of the misspelled name.

I know that one letter misspelled in one's name is no problem, but what about two? If different companies have different policies, I post the whole itinerary here:

GRU-MUC (LH F)
MUC-IST (TK C)
IST-BKK (TK F)
BKK-CDG (TG F)
CDG-MUC (LH C)
MUC-GRU (LH F)

Should I be concerned about this?

Advice appreciated!

johndeere19

I'd recommend moving this to the Star Alliance Award Bookings thread in US Airways forum, but from what I've read there, it sounds like you should just hang up and call back explaining it was their mistake and repeat until successful (maybe even request to speak to a supervisor).

jochen_vdk

I have had some similar cases with Lufthansa, and in all cases they have cancelled the booking and booked a new ticket. It was indeed not possible to change the name. It has also happened that there was no more availability, but somehow they pushed it through and managed to make a new reservation for me.

I have also flown with wrongly spelled names, but never where a passport was needed. Also, immigration could be a problem. Especially at IST (if she does not just transit there) they are studying the BP very well so your girlfriend may have a problem.

Last thing, I do not understand that they would be able to change the name at the airport but not on the phone. Seems like you talked to the wrong person. I would therefore also suggest you to call back and ask for a supervisor, rather than your girlfriend risking to be stuck somewhere.

vbroucek

There are certain regulations that (if followed) could prevent your GF flying if the name on BP/reservation does not match the name in passport. I would not risk that and do whatever possible/impossible to get the name changed!!!

oliver2002

The countries you flying to are not so tough on name mistmatches. IATA says you can have about 4-7 letters wrong in your name, so you are fine.

The passport data is stored/transmitted in a different section and the name on the reservation is not really relevant for that section.

Bottom line is she should be fine.

kpadmaraman

Hi,
I have booked my flight from Regina, Canada to Chennai, India thro' Lufthansa.
(Regina - Toronto by Air Canada, Toronto - India by Lufthansa)
My first and last names are interchanged. But there is no spelling mistake.
Will i be allowed to board? I am not worried about miles. Pl. reply.

Milezjunkie

Why don't you just call the airline??

Centurion

I would not call. Just show up and attempt to fly the ticket. You are asking for a whole lot of worry for no reason. People like, swat16, who say to call have no concept of what can happen when you call. I call it "marking up the record". Just show up and fly. Absolute worst case have a credit card ready to buy a full fare ticket if you run into an idiot at the counter and you will be able to get a refund later via customer relations.

mamslambam

I had that happen on an AirFrance flight years ago. I didn't realize it until I got to the airport and was able to board.

mrpickles

I would call and just have them note it on the PNR.

Efrem

Welcome to FT!

Last July I took a ten-segment trip that involved departures from the U.S., Japan, Singapore, and India (from Chennai, where you'll be, and Mumbai). My name was messed up worse than yours: aside from the two being reversed, my middle initial was tacked onto the beginning of my family name (which was entered as my given name). In other words, if I were Thomas A. Edison, my name was entered as Aedison Thomas.

I encountered no security or boarding problems at. The only two issues were:

1. Check-in agents couldn't look up my reservation in the normal way. When I gave them the record locator or suggested entering my given name as the family name, they found it right away.

2. I didn't get automatic frequent flyer mileage credit because the name/number check failed. I had to follow up for retroactive credit. At the end of the day I got all I should have. Fortunately, I didn't need those miles right away because there was a delay of a few weeks getting it all straightened out.

I would not worry.

Ancien Maestro

Welcome to FT! If it becomes a problem, its' the airlines mistake for booking you with your name reversed.

obscure2k

Please continue to follow this thread in the Lufthansa Forum.
Thanks..
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

oliver2002

LH usually has no issues with such situations. The relevant data for authorities is anyway acquired and stored in a different dataset for transmission. So your passport may say something and the boarding pass another. It perfectly fine.

Soph

Could I please "borrow" this thread and seek some similar advice?

I'm booked to go with my mum from Europe to US in May.
We have the same surname, however in her passport, my mum has two surnames. It's just the first one on the ticket...
Do you guys think we will have a problem at the airport?
Our common surname is not a usual one.

We're flying Lufthansa. I've searched their website for info on name changes but seems like it only applies to group bookings!?

Please advide me on what to do?