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Original poster

How tight are airlines on names for flight bookings?

100 replies

OwlMother · 22/02/2023 05:56

Dd (18) has booked a flight herself for the first time. She has just realised that she's used the name she goes by, rather than precisely what's on the passport- think Ellie and Eleanor.

It's obvious that it's a diminutive of her real name, but am I right in thinking that they're very precise about these things and she'll need to pay to change it? It's Ryanair and of course she's only realised after the 48 hour grace period for amendments.

OP posts:
Campervangirl · 22/02/2023 06:00

Yeah it needs to match her passport 😞 I've done it myself

Amboseli · 22/02/2023 06:03

It depends who's on the desk. My female niece once managed to get through check in and security on her dad's passport!

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endofthelinefinally · 22/02/2023 06:04

Yes. She will have to pay to change it. Airline bookings and tickets must match passport details exactly.

endofthelinefinally · 22/02/2023 06:04

Amboseli · 22/02/2023 06:03

It depends who's on the desk. My female niece once managed to get through check in and security on her dad's passport!

That is shocking.

Witsendwilly · 22/02/2023 06:07

Domestic or international?

I fly domestically most weeks and haven’t shown ID ever I don’t think, you could be anyone.

If it’s international she will need to change it.

Original poster
OwlMother · 22/02/2023 06:09

Thanks all. I had thought this was the case and was hoping that maybe in reality it was a bit more lenient. Oh well, it's a learning thing for her! She won't do that again.

OP posts:
greenacrylicpaint · 22/02/2023 06:10

it's not the airline but airport security that's the issue. well, the airline as well as they pay for the return ticket if she's not able to enter the destination country.

it's a life lesson - any important document needs to be in the name & spelling as per birth certificate ot passport.

hopefully she able to change the booking

Original poster
OwlMother · 22/02/2023 06:10

Sorry, should have added- it's an international flight.

OP posts:
Simonjt · 22/02/2023 06:11

Has she checked in yet? When you check in online with Ryanair you add the name on your passport etc, so if its just the booking made under ‘Ellie’ it’s fine. You can also usually change Ryanair bookings for 48 hours at no cost.

Original poster
OwlMother · 22/02/2023 06:15

Simonjt · 22/02/2023 06:11

Has she checked in yet? When you check in online with Ryanair you add the name on your passport etc, so if its just the booking made under ‘Ellie’ it’s fine. You can also usually change Ryanair bookings for 48 hours at no cost.

She hasn't checked in yet, does that really make a difference? Annoyingly she booked on Sunday night so has just missed the 48 hour window.

OP posts:
MangosteenSoda · 22/02/2023 06:27

It cost me £98 to change a name on a flight ticket with EasyJet last year (£49 each way). I think it would have been cheaper if I had realised sooner. I think it was free to change up to 3 characters to allow for typos, but I had forgotten my son’s surname wasn’t the same as mine so needed to change the whole thing Blush

I’d definitely try to sort it before turning up at the airport or before trying to check in.

Witsendwilly · 22/02/2023 06:30

Five minutes on their online chat will give you an answer.

Brewskipa · 22/02/2023 06:35

Agree with @Simonjt - as long as she enters her passport details correctly it will likely be fine. I went abroad in December and used me and my sons old surnames on the booking as they matched our passports, but then lost our passports so reapplied with our new surnames (both were double barrelled and we removed one of the names). So our booking names didn’t match our passports. It was fine.

Emptycrackedcup · 22/02/2023 06:41

Very tough. I accidentally booked my mums nn because no one calls her by her name. You'll need to getvit changed, it needs to match her drovers licence/passport

AnonymousArabella · 22/02/2023 06:45

It might be ok. My dh has a commonly shortened name - think William known as Will - and I’m pretty sure he usually calls himself the shortened version on tickets & we’ve never had an issue.

caramelsauce · 22/02/2023 06:47

When she checks in and enters her details from her passport it will create a boarding pass so as long as she enters the correct name then she will be fine. Have also done similar to this with a name similar to Rob/Robert had no issues as the full name was entered at check in.

Original poster
OwlMother · 22/02/2023 06:48

Witsendwilly · 22/02/2023 06:30

Five minutes on their online chat will give you an answer.

We've recently spent 10 months trying to get flight costs and compensation from them after they cancelled a flight with 6 hours notice, their phone and support chats are useless.

OP posts:
Soontobe60 · 22/02/2023 06:49

endofthelinefinally · 22/02/2023 06:04

That is shocking.

Show quote history

It’s also impossible unless it was 20 years ago!

Original poster
OwlMother · 22/02/2023 06:49

Have noticed that we can change three letters in a name for no cost. We can get her to within one letter of her passport name. And apparently one letter wrong is ok.

At least her name will then closely resemble the one on her passport.

OP posts:
Witsendwilly · 22/02/2023 06:50

OwlMother · 22/02/2023 06:48

We've recently spent 10 months trying to get flight costs and compensation from them after they cancelled a flight with 6 hours notice, their phone and support chats are useless.

Show quote history

I was bored so just asked them. Apparently it’s fine as long as the name used at checkin matches the passport.

Starryskiesinthesky · 22/02/2023 06:53

I put the wrong name Ben instead of Benjamin and they just changed it for me at the airport. I hadn’t realised it was just as we were putting our bags in they noticed. There was no charge (Jet2).

Original poster
OwlMother · 22/02/2023 06:54

Thank you for asking! Hopefully the people at check in an security think the same. We have been given such contradictory and incorrect info by the chat etc that I've lost faith.

OP posts:
incognitodorrito · 22/02/2023 06:54

Get the name changed as she risks not flying.

Starryskiesinthesky · 22/02/2023 06:54

I know someone from work tho who was cheaper changing their name by deed poll to match their name on ticket due to the cost it was going to be to change it!