My big mistake with our Japan flight booking

[HelloandThankU]

Hi. I booked flights to Japan with Japan Airlines through Booking.com for the first time. The booking was for my husband, our two teenage children, and me. At the time of booking, there was a space for first and last names but no option to include a middle name. My husband said it wasn’t necessary, so we left it out. The total cost of the tickets was £6,100. Unfortunately, these are non-refundable tickets.

After downloading the JAL mobile app, my flight details appeared, but my husband’s did not show up in his app. This concerned me, so we called Japan Airlines. We were told that the names on the tickets must exactly match the passports, including middle names, and that we could be denied boarding if they do not match.

I don’t have a middle name, but my husband and children do. I wasn’t aware that Japan Airlines was so strict about this. We contacted JAL, but they said they cannot amend the names because the tickets were purchased through a third party. We then contacted Booking.com, and they are currently in communication with JAL, but we have not received any update yet.
After researching online, I found that many people reported being unable to get name corrections with JAL when booking through a third party, although some said they still went to the airport and hoped for the best. I don’t want to take that risk in case my family are denied boarding on the return flight. We cannot afford to buy another set of tickets. I know this was a serious mistake, and I feel awful about it — I was really hoping to take my children to see my parents back home.

I’ve been on the phone a lot with JAL and Booking.com, and my child with autism heard me. I feel like I upset him, and I worry that I made him sad. Has anyone successfully added a middle name with Japan Airlines when the ticket was purchased through a third-party site?

OP, I really feel for you and this 100% the sort of thing I would do. Hope it gets resolved.

Probably a mad question but if booking.com can't get the changes made, could you apply for replacement passports without the middle names on?
Maybe that's suggested already or not possible even.

OP is it worth you getting 3 new passports, not sure if anyone's recommended this as I've not read the whole thread, and missing out the middle names? It's will cost about £300. My sons have middle names but I've not put them on their passports. You could say you lost them and you have time to renew?

I've just said the same thing, 😂that's what I would do

Hardly berating

it’s a valid, relatively inexpensive option that OP is ignoring instead of seeing as a viable back up

sometimes it’s not ideal being cup half empty

OP, you say 'Some people who flew with JAL or ANA (All Nippon Airways) have said they were denied boarding because their middle name was missing and had to buy new tickets at the last minute.'

Who are these 'some people' who have been denied boarding because their middle name was missing from their booking and had to buy new tickets at the last minute? Having worked in the travel industry, this simply doesn't happen, unless there's more to these people's stories than just a middle name missing. You are waaayyyy overthinking this. JAL is not going to leave you stranded in a small Japanese town because you left a middle name off your flight booking!

Fantastic, now forget all about it! You're good to go!

I don’t think you do actually, I left one of my middle names off my passport renewal and it was fine

if you want to put it back on, you need birth certificate or similar though

That’s not true, not just to leave a middle name off a passport

Fantastic, hopefully it all goes to plan and if not at least you have a viable alternative

at least you know the trip is definitely a go

Someone up thread said not to do this if she's already entered the passport details as she'd have a new passport number.

I hope you get things changed Op.

You would think that matching first & surnames, looking like the passport photo & the passport number being the same as on the booking would be of some relevance though!

I have one first name.

They don't use the word 'match' either - the names have to be exactly the same

Regarding getting new passports and leaving out the middle name, we can’t lie by saying that three family members’ current passports were stolen or damaged when they weren’t. And then, right after returning, telling the same lie just to get three new passports with the middle names added isn’t something we would do. So, no matter what people might think—calling me foolish for not doing it—we’ve decided against it after careful consideration. Still, I really appreciate everyone’s suggestion. I feel frustrated with myself. I was raised to be extremely honest, but sometimes I feel I need to be more flexible for the sake of my family. Still, whenever I consider doing that, I end up worrying about the consequences afterward. I know this is a part of my personality I need to work on.

@diddl It may seem obvious in hindsight, but I honestly didn’t know that a middle name could be used as a first name. I always thought a middle name was strictly treated as a middle name, and I assumed that if a middle name field exists, you’re required to fill it in.

Now I’ll just wait to hear back from Booking.com about JAL’s response. It’s a huge amount of money, but at the end of the day, we’re in a much better position than my friend who is suffering from a serious illness.

I'm another one with no middle name.

I've heard of people booking the honeymoon in the married name when the passport shows the maiden name.

You dont need the full birth cert name on the ID page of the passport.
You can ask for your middle names be added to the Observations section.

You are not changing the legal name.

Lots of people change or use versions of their names so the PP office would be well able to make the changes.

Ive been following your posts and really hope it gets sorted out. Ive had to contact booking.com before and they did sort our issue out within a couple of days. I am sure they will do it for you.

We are also off to Japan in a couple of weeks for our wedding anniversary 🥰

Anyway, good luck with everything and I hope you have a lovely trip ❤️

@SENsupportplease , your passport must show your full name.

Names: the names we use in passports - GOV.UK

@CocoQueen2024 I hope so. We requested booking.com to have the middle names added on January 27th, and we were asked to send the passport photos the following day, which we did as instructed. They said the case is currently under support review today, but then they told us that they will escalate it.

I’d deed poll a name to match the booking, and apply for a new passport. you don’t need to lie if it is a name change.

@MissMarplesKnittingNeedles Is it that easy ? I read that you usually cannot get a passport just to remove a middle name —passport authorities expect that the information on your passport matches your legal name. Middle names are considered part of your legal name in most countries, and they don’t issue a “custom” passport just to match a flight ticket.

You can’t change passport though - JAL will have your current passport numbers, which will be different if you get a new passport - so still not a match.

Just checked my British passport
2 fields

1. ”Surname”
2. ”Given name(s) / prenoms” (in which my first and middle name appears)

What???