Name match issue and TSA
 

A friend and I were traveling to Buenos Aires from LAX. His name on his passport is Frances but he always uses the name Frank. The reservation and boarding pass was issued as Frank. TSA refused to let him through security despite plenty of credit cards with Frank on them, the picture on his passport, etc. They told him he'd have to get a new boarding pass from Mexicana. Mexicana refused. They told him if he didn't travel with that name/ boarding pass he would forfeit his ticket. If he wanted a new boarding pass he would have to buy a new ticket for $1600. I can understand the reasoning behind the TSA policy but it was WAY obvious this was the same guy. He bought the $1600 ticket rather then having our vacation ruined. Any suggestions? We feel TSA was unreasonable and left him to the prey of a very greedy airline.

When this happens, there are two easy options:

1) locate another flight (domestic) operating from the same terminal or concourse, buy a refundable ticket, get a boarding pass to clear security, then refund the ticket (keep the correct boarding pass hidden in your pocket)

2) hide the passport or ID with the wrong name and then go to the checkpoint and claim the drivers license is lost (this only works on a domestic flight in case the Smurf suddenly develops sufficient logical reasoning to figure out you can't fly international if you forgot your passport) and you need to clear as if you have no ID (there is an invasive and clumsy process they follow to clear you)

Personally I'd opt for option 1. To screw with Mexicana, he should have bought a refundable ticket from them with the correct name then refunded it later

I'm editing to add that he should have known better - when traveling internationally, the name on the ticket must match the name on the passport. Middle names are generally optional, but the first and last name must match and Frank is not an obvious nickname for Frances. I trust the $1,600 lesson will help in the future.

Find a lawyer and file a lawsuit, your friend's right to travel was violated by the TSA due to the illegal ID verification at the checkpoint. Make a note he will need to file in an Appeals Court as they have jurisdiction.

Despite what TK said, it is not illegal. However, TSA policy allows other identification to be used to clear a passenger, such as credit cards. Here is what you should do: Send a registered letter to the FSD, DFSDS (or AFSDS), DDFSD or ADFSD and explain the entire situation. You had other identification with you that had the name "Frank", so they should have cleared you then, even if they selected you for additional screening. Aslo, contact the TSA headquarters, let them know the entire story too (and I do mean every detail you can think of), belive it or not they WILL contact LAX.

But you didn't supply enough info in your post to tell me exactly what happened. Was a STSO involved, was a Screening Manager involved or higher? Did a BDO get involved? That is actually relevant info, especially when you contact those I list above.

After you have done that, file a claim with TSA for the ticket you had to purchase, as they did not allow you through according to TSA SOP. If you didn't have the other identification, then that would be a problem, but I will take you for your word. There is a chance you will get your money back, if you can prove you had other ID with the name Frank on it.

Does that help?

Maybe you should try reading the law...

The only party allowed to see the travelers ID is the airline. The TSA breaks US law millions of times every day.

Frank is pretty much THE commonly accepted diminutive for the name Frances. Just ask Frances Albert Sinatra. ;)

I know that spelling is, like, SO 1973, but Francis is often abbreviated at Frank. Frances is usually a girl's name.

Frank Sinatra was born Francis Albert Sinatra. Judy Garland was born Frances Ethel Gumm.

Or I could ask my own Frances - my aunt. :)

Got me! I knew that really...I'll blame it on jet lag ;)

Frank did have other identification; probably 5 or 6 credit cards. The TSA agent rejected them because they weren't government issued and didn't have photos on them. He had his drivers license with him but that had Francis on it too. No supervisor was called. The TSA agent made it sound like it was a simple process to have Mexicana reissue the boarding pass. We had plenty of time at that point so we walked back to the Mexicana counter. That's when things got even worse.

It seems to me like both TSA and Mexicana overstepped their bounds. TSA for not being reasonable and accepting other forms of ID, and Mexicana for demanding a $1,600 ticket. What I would recommend your friend do is to follow SATTSO's advice, and additionally, write/call Mexicana, explain the situation in depth, and make sure he asks for a refund. $1,600 is ridiculous.

Sorry you both had to undergo this ordeal. A big :td: to both TSA and Mexicana in this case.

Thanks for all the info. I'm not familiar with who "FSD, DFSDS (or AFSDS), DDFSD or ADFSD" are. Would you mind advising?

Hi, SATTSO. Just wanted to welcome you to FT. Always nice when one of the TSA "good guys" joins us. ^

Oops, I had one type-o in there....

Anyways, the FSD is the Federal Security Director, and he/she runs the "Hub", a group of airports (does not run the airports, but TSA at the airports). The DFSDs or AFSDs is the Deputy or Assistant Federal Security Director - Screening, those underneath the FSD at a particular airport, and they run the day to day screening operations of that airport.

A Hub might have 5 airports. It will have 1 FSD, and each of the airports will have a DFSD or AFSD (size and other factor determines whether its a DFSDs or an AFSDs). The DAFSDs is their "deputy". Underneath the DAFSDs are the screening managers, under them are the STSOs, and so on. I'm actually over-simplyfing this, but this is pretty much what you need to know.

These people, FSD, D/AFSDs, etc., are the ones that can actually make things happen.

Either believe me or not, but all customer complaints, or compliments, are read by these people. I know, because at our airport these are then post on a board where every TSO can read them, even the really bad ones, even the ones that call out TSO's by name.

Anyways, if you had multiple ID's (credit cards, library card, gym card) with the name FRank on it - the same name as on your Boarding Pass, you should have gotten through. Contact TSA at the airport this happened at, get their mailing address, ask for the name of the FSD and so on, send the letters.

You might have luck if you ask for their help.

As a side note, not really concerning this, ID checks are legal! ;)

We use a lot of acronyms here, but there is a sticky at the top of the forum that covers them.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!



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