How tight are airlines on names for flight bookings?

[OwlMother]

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.

Sorry OP, the update popped up after my response.

Yeah she's not getting away with that I'm afraid. That won't pass.

How would that help when the passport was in their original name? 😵‍💫

I once managed to get on a plane with the wrong ticket. I flew to Cairo and realised that I'd given them the wrong ticket and now I didn't have one for onward travel. Luckily the concierge sorted it out and I had to get to the airport early where they had flown my original ticket out and swap them over.

I'm assuming things are a bit more secure nowadays.

Thank you SO MUCH, @OwlMother

I think we might try that route. It's good to hear your daughter and her friend made it there and back. Hope they had a lovely time!
I think we'll maybe go with Jennife - and hope they don't notice I've lost the r.
I've looked at some old boarding passes, and I see SURNAME MSJENNI on a couple. So, I expect they might be different in what they show. My passport will match all of that too. (Except with the r!

PS - Sorry, you couldn't point me towards that '1 letter out' reference, could you please, @OwlMother ? Thanks so much. I can only find a single tweet from 2016!

@Hellsbellsandspidersankles it was complicated but … she usually went buy her middle name not her real first name and she booked her flight using the wrong name. The airline were going to charge £500 odd to change it so she got a new passport. She was Irish so got an Irish passport or a UK passport in the other name. I can’t quite remember but she did have to do something by deed poll.

I wouldn't leave it. I'd ring them and pay for it to be adjusted.

I am surprised at the outcome, I am sure your daughter will not do the same again.

Hopefully will not support the bully Mr O'Leary again and choose another airline.

Recently booked my husband in as Alex, however, Alexander is on his passport. Rang Ryanair the next day and they were able to change his name from Alex to Alexander using an option replacing short name with long version of name. This was free of charge in the Irish region. I am not sure if this is the same in other countries. Glad I contacted Ryanair to ask.

this has to be bollocks.

i am Dr. But most airlines only allow Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms.

so my title on booking never matches my title on my passport. It they were that strict they’d need to cover all the reverend, lady, captain options.

I am pretty sure that titles are not an official part of your name so it is shocking that they would tell you to rebuy a ticket!

You get away with it sometimes, others they will ask you to change.

That change may be free if you have bought a high class ticket, or they may charge you if you have bought a lower class one.

I got this a couple of times as my online account is in my shortened name and my passport in the long one.

The first time I had to go to a services desk and change it, it was free. The second I did it online because I had a high ticket class and it was free to make changes.

I don't know what the best option is, to just turn up and hope you are waved through, turn up and hope it is changed for free. If you try to change in advance you are probably going to end up having to pay for changes unless you are on the higher ticket. I have not been refused flight for this, but have been in the past for a damaged passport which was a right pain in the arse.

I don't believe for a second that someone got through on her uncle's passport! It wouldn't have happened ever.

The reason for what appears like a lot of red tape is because if a carrier allows the wrong person to board, the airline can get fined, which leads to a risk of the person allowing boarding to be disciplined.

I am surprised they did not take the opportunity to charge you for that.

Glad enough to bump this thread?

Zombie alert

DH and I flew out fine when I mistakenly booked our holiday in his short name ( like Dave or Andy instead of David/Andrew)

It was flying back that was the problem! We were held up for an hour while the Jet2 desk agent tried to get it all sorted. Was a bit of a nail biting moment.

I’ve done the Sue instead of Susan type name error with Jet2 and risked it. The friend I travelled with was very chatty at check in and boarding, overly so, to distract the agent. Travelled fine no problem.

not sure I’d risk it with the Ryan Air bastards.

I know it is not the same but I took my kids into the UK with expired ID cards 10 years ago. Only realised when we got home (to Italy) and nobody stopped us either in or out. I can quite believe that security did not use to be such a strict procedure.

The bully Mr O'Leary and his magnificent airline flew me out of Spain in 2020 when I got stuck there during Covid. I had gone out for a month in March 2020 and finally returned 41/2 months later. Spain had what is acknowledged to be one of the strictest lockdowns the world saw. We had the police and army on the streets, and I couldn't for legal reasons leave the house for ten weeks. Then I was allowed to go for a walk for an hour a day during strictly defined time slots.

No one else was flying by July, they kept cancelling the tentative occasional flights they scheduled. When I got back to Manchester airport it was a deserted wasteland as I walked around trying to find where they had stored my car for four and a half months, I will never forget it and I will be forever grateful to Ryanair.

Ryanair also laid off far fewer staff during Covid, which was why they were able to ramp up operations again faster than their rivals.

When she does online check in , put correct name , that's on passport.
As long as boarding pass and passport match , she should be OK.

Her flight was nearly a year ago

I accidentally booked a flight in my maiden name which I informally reverted to after divorce but passport still in married name. I had to pay £200 at the gate over the phone. I got it back afterwards after sending marriage cert and saying it was a mistake