name on ticket vs. name on passport
 

Hi,

I have no idea where to post this q.

My brother and new sister-in-law are planning a trip down under. My brother will return on his Star RTW (He's 1P on UA) which he started when he left here. I will be using miles for my sister-in-law's ticket.

The poroblem is that her passport has her maiden name on it. Seeing that they would be on 2 PNRs they will be separated unless they have the same surname in the booking (or am I wrong?) If her ticket says Mrs Goodo, but her US passport says Ms XYZ, and she brings her marriage certificate that she married Mr Goodo, is that enough? Or will it cause problems, and it's better to book her under her maiden name and connect the 2 PNRs?

thanks
goodo

I think you might be confusing a few things a little:

1. A PNR does not have to have the same surname!! You can have 50 different surnames in one PNR and it wouldn't be any different from if it was all the same surname.

2. 2 different PNRs cannot be combined into one PNR locator. What they usually do is to make a note that the two different PNRs are travelling together. (but still, having one PNR is a lot more effective).

The only way to "combine" two PNRs is to cancel both PNRs and make a new one with 2 names.

Can't answer you re. the maiden/current name problem though...

stargold: im not saying that a PNR can't have 2 different names, but if one is on an already ticketed RTW, and one is using award miles, unless i'm mistaken, they willnot be on the same ONR.

Also, PNRs can't be combined, but they can be linked, i think.

goodo

The answer to what I think was your fundamental question is that it should not be a problem, as long as she has both her passport and her marriage certificate, to fly. We were in the same situation shortly after I got married - my wife's ticket was in her new surname, but her passport was still old. Marriage license shown, no problem.

That being said, this all took place prior to 9/11. I'd suggest calling the airline directly to determine what their ID requirements are. If this is not to be an instant honeymoon (i.e. if they're leaving more than 3 days after the wedding), there should be no problem taking the marriage certificate to the nearest passport office and getting a same-day name change on the passport. That would certainly make travelling much easier.

goodo

posting the same question in three different places on this board, doesn't help for later 'searches' of FlyerTalk colleagues having the same 'problem'.

Sorry, I just thought seeing that it wasn't particular to one particular forum, I would get a variety of responses this way. There are people who frequent a few particular forums and stay never step foot in others.

goodo

The name on the identification must match the name on the ticket. Unless she plans on getting her passport changed before they travel, I'd recommend having her travel under her maiden name.

You can request that the reservations be linked regardless of the last name. In fact, UNLESS you ask to have them linked, the airport will assume they are travelling separately despite having the same last name.

When I was married three years ago, my wife sent her passport and marriage certificate to a passport office, and they amended her name on the "Amendments and Endorsements" page (last page). Her picture page still has her maiden name. She's been flying often booked under her new name with no problems. (By the way, it only took a few days for the name change amendment to come through)

I would fear that you run into problems in some countries, if you have the old name in the passport.

No problems as of yet, even in Vietnam & other difficult places.

Did anyone ask to ailine or DOT this specific question?
What is their position??

If you haven't yet booked your sister-in-law's ticket, BY FAR the easiest thing to do is just book it under her maiden name. That way, the passport and the ticket match, and that's the only thing any airline in the world will care about.

Why risk having some foreign security officer give you a hard time, when you can just book a ticket under the old name?

All other measures, such as carrying the marriage license, SHOULD work IN THEORY, but depending on where you're going, you never know....

have the two differnt PNRs. One is a paid ticket and the other is an award right?

Then ask the respective airline agent to corss reference both reservations together and to seat assign the two in advance.

Domestic travel is fine but once you involve international travel, even with a marriage certificate on hand, some airlines do have the right to refuse you to board if they are not satisfied that you are who you say you are if the names on PNR and passport do not match.

AFAIK a marriage certificate is not an official form of identification, so may advice is still book book the ticket in the name in her pp.