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Original poster

My big mistake with our Japan flight booking

533 replies

HelloandThankU · 02/02/2026 20:37

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 posts:
Thread gallery
14
ThatGladTiger · 04/02/2026 20:54

I’m confused as to why you’re not looking into the new passport route? A deed poll is £15 ish (if you even need it) and new passport for an adult is £94.

EdgyAmberQuail · 04/02/2026 21:02

I never book with my middle name and have never had an issue. I'd take the risk!

diddl · 04/02/2026 21:11

ThatGladTiger · 04/02/2026 20:54

I’m confused as to why you’re not looking into the new passport route? A deed poll is £15 ish (if you even need it) and new passport for an adult is £94.

Why would Op do that if the booking can be changed?

Iirc she is still waiting to hear from booking..com

ThatGladTiger · 04/02/2026 21:13

diddl · 04/02/2026 21:11

Why would Op do that if the booking can be changed?

Iirc she is still waiting to hear from booking..com

Show quote history

Ahh good point!

diddl · 04/02/2026 21:16

ThatGladTiger · 04/02/2026 21:13

Ahh good point!

Show quote history

That's to say I think that that is the current state of play.

Sorry if I sounded snappy.

Zerosleep · 04/02/2026 21:17

I haven’t read the whole thread and I’m sure somebody else has already suggested it, but I would just replace the passport instead and don’t include middle names on them. Could this be an option? It’s certainly a cheaper one.

Original poster
HelloandThankU · 04/02/2026 21:48

I’m sure some people might criticize this, but I want to explain why getting a new passport isn’t an option. If my children renew their passports without including their middle names while their current passports are still valid, and then later apply for new passports with their full names when we return, I’m concerned this could trigger a flag and delay processing.

My children plan to attend university next year, and it could create complications if their passports don’t match their birth certificates. (Student loans might not be affected, but I want to be absolutely certain.) I had a difficult experience obtaining my own student loan—I had to start my course without it for a short time and even had to involve my local MP to resolve the issue.

One of my children may choose to study at a Japanese university as an international student, as their Japanese nationality will likely be revoked if they choose to keep British nationality. Japanese citizens are not allowed to hold dual nationality after age 20 (it used to be 22). Therefore, the child who may study in Japan will need a British passport with their full legal name matching their birth certificate.

I realize I may sound overly worried, but so many unpredictable and difficult things have happened in my life that I just want my children to have a smooth start and be as happy as possible without avoidable issues.

OP posts:
Xkk · 04/02/2026 22:07

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 02/02/2026 22:00

For some reason my post of hidden but it basically says, what about getting a new passport without the middle names. It’ll be a lot cheaper then the £6000

Show quote history

But then that won't have a totally different serial number and issue and expiration date?

MILLYmo0se · 04/02/2026 22:08

HelloandThankU · 02/02/2026 20:37

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?

So is it an issue with the booking.com form then? If it gives you no option to enter the name as per the passport then they should not be taking bookings for an airline that requires the names in that format

LucyLoo1972 · 04/02/2026 22:09

HelloandThankU · 03/02/2026 00:07

Thank you all so much for your kind comments and support.

Based on other people’s experiences shared online, only a few have received a positive response from JAL regarding name corrections, so I’m trying not to get my hopes up. For now, I’ll wait patiently for an update from Booking.com.

I’m currently in recovery after three decades of struggling with depression, and this trip means a great deal to me. I wanted to visit my parents and show them how much I’ve grown and changed. My memoir is also due to be published soon, and I was hoping they could be the first people to read it in person.

My older child, who is autistic, worked incredibly hard at college and passed his exams last year, and my younger child also worked hard for their GCSEs last year and earned a sixth-form scholarship. Because of that, I promised I would work hard to make a family trip to Japan happen in 2026 — so this situation has been really disappointing. However, I’m very grateful that my British husband has been completely supportive and not negative toward me at all, and I’ve also received so much helpful advice from people here. It has made me appreciate the United Kingdom even more — thank you.

im so sorry you have suffered from depression for so long. I Aldo have severe mental health issues. well doen for publishing your memoir

Xkk · 04/02/2026 22:11

ThatGladTiger · 04/02/2026 20:54

I’m confused as to why you’re not looking into the new passport route? A deed poll is £15 ish (if you even need it) and new passport for an adult is £94.

It doesen't make sense. So you make new passport to match the name on the tickets but then you will have a completely different passport with 3 fields not matching the ticket. Unless the passport details haven't been put in yet? Am I missing something?

CuriousEgg · 04/02/2026 22:31

it sounds like this is not your fault and you are too quick to accept responsibility for this. Would you like me to call booking.com and give them a massive blocking for you?
They should be aware of the restrictions related to their partner companies and the cultural norms in the countries they trade in. i will happily threaten to take them to small claims court or the relevant ombudsman on your behalf. Have more confidence in your abilities. Your are not stupid. Their booking platform is.

MabelFurball · 04/02/2026 22:33

Hello OP - I would be interested to read your memoir if it is published.
Would you be able to add a link?

Exploringtheworld · 04/02/2026 22:45

HelloandThankU · 04/02/2026 21:48

I’m sure some people might criticize this, but I want to explain why getting a new passport isn’t an option. If my children renew their passports without including their middle names while their current passports are still valid, and then later apply for new passports with their full names when we return, I’m concerned this could trigger a flag and delay processing.

My children plan to attend university next year, and it could create complications if their passports don’t match their birth certificates. (Student loans might not be affected, but I want to be absolutely certain.) I had a difficult experience obtaining my own student loan—I had to start my course without it for a short time and even had to involve my local MP to resolve the issue.

One of my children may choose to study at a Japanese university as an international student, as their Japanese nationality will likely be revoked if they choose to keep British nationality. Japanese citizens are not allowed to hold dual nationality after age 20 (it used to be 22). Therefore, the child who may study in Japan will need a British passport with their full legal name matching their birth certificate.

I realize I may sound overly worried, but so many unpredictable and difficult things have happened in my life that I just want my children to have a smooth start and be as happy as possible without avoidable issues.

I hope you get everything sorted, it sounds very stressful. Just to let you know that I renewed my passport in the summer when it still had 5 years left as it was filling up and I needed more pages. There was
no need to say it’s lost or stolen. Also, when I was a young adult I hated my middle name so didn’t include it in a passport renewal. Then the next time I got a passport I had decided I liked it again so I re-included it. I just needed to provide my birth certificate. It was very straightforward.

We flew JAL without our middle names on our tickets and it was okay but I appreciate your concern that you’re flying from a small town. We flew into Tokyo and out of Osaka. Vietnam airlines was much stricter.

I hope that helps.

Original poster
HelloandThankU · 04/02/2026 22:46

@CuriousEgg Thank you for your kind gesture. However, this situation is ultimately something I have caused. If I had simply searched online before booking, I would have seen that this is an industry standard, as many people have pointed out that it is clearly stated under “First names” in the plural. So for now, I think it’s best to give Booking.com time to process my request, and I don’t feel it would be fair to pressure them during this period. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll try the solutions people have suggested on Mumsnet. In the meantime, I’ll carry on as normal while looking for further ways to resolve this issue — it’s stressful, but it’s not the end of the world.

OP posts:
CuriousEgg · 04/02/2026 22:55

HelloandThankU · 04/02/2026 22:46

@CuriousEgg Thank you for your kind gesture. However, this situation is ultimately something I have caused. If I had simply searched online before booking, I would have seen that this is an industry standard, as many people have pointed out that it is clearly stated under “First names” in the plural. So for now, I think it’s best to give Booking.com time to process my request, and I don’t feel it would be fair to pressure them during this period. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll try the solutions people have suggested on Mumsnet. In the meantime, I’ll carry on as normal while looking for further ways to resolve this issue — it’s stressful, but it’s not the end of the world.

Edited

Agree. Best to give them a chance to resolve but if they don’t…. You know where to find me.

hcee19 · 04/02/2026 23:15

I feel so sorry for you. I really hope it gets sorted and you are able to visit your family. Good luck..

Hollyhobbi · 04/02/2026 23:23

HelloandThankU · 02/02/2026 21:37

All we could see were the fields for first name and last name. What I should have done was enter my middle name in the first name field. I know I am so stupid.

In the first post you said you don’t have a middle name?

Original poster
HelloandThankU · 04/02/2026 23:37

@MabelFurball My husband, who developed dyslexia after meningitis, has been pushing his limits by writing a novel. Watching him confront his learning challenges inspired me to pen my own memoir and finally move past my history. We head to a café together and write on our laptops during lunch break from work.

OP posts:
Original poster
HelloandThankU · 04/02/2026 23:48

@Hollyhobbi Please refer to my earlier post where someone else pointed out the same thing. Thanks.

My big mistake with our Japan flight booking
OP posts:
Grammarnut · 04/02/2026 23:50

This seems to be a glitch with booking.com. Why don't they fix it?

BlueRose120 · 05/02/2026 00:52

OhDear111 · 02/02/2026 21:31

So why didn’t you book direct? A bit odd to use booking.com. All bookings should match passport. I thought that was standard.

Edited

Exactly this. My friend booked BA flights via a third party and then wanted to upgrade to premium economy on the way home & couldn't do it on the BA website as she didnt not book her ticket with them direct and then couldn't upgrade on the third party website either.

mikulkin · 05/02/2026 01:33

HelloandThankU · 04/02/2026 21:48

I’m sure some people might criticize this, but I want to explain why getting a new passport isn’t an option. If my children renew their passports without including their middle names while their current passports are still valid, and then later apply for new passports with their full names when we return, I’m concerned this could trigger a flag and delay processing.

My children plan to attend university next year, and it could create complications if their passports don’t match their birth certificates. (Student loans might not be affected, but I want to be absolutely certain.) I had a difficult experience obtaining my own student loan—I had to start my course without it for a short time and even had to involve my local MP to resolve the issue.

One of my children may choose to study at a Japanese university as an international student, as their Japanese nationality will likely be revoked if they choose to keep British nationality. Japanese citizens are not allowed to hold dual nationality after age 20 (it used to be 22). Therefore, the child who may study in Japan will need a British passport with their full legal name matching their birth certificate.

I realize I may sound overly worried, but so many unpredictable and difficult things have happened in my life that I just want my children to have a smooth start and be as happy as possible without avoidable issues.

Am I missing something - why do you need birth certificate for university ? My DS went to uni, I don’t think we were ever asked to show birth certificate? I am pretty sure we weren’t, as his birth certificate is in another language and we never even translated it.

YDBear · 05/02/2026 01:52

When they say “first name(s)” they mean what used to be known as “given names”. It would be better if they still wrote it that way—“given names” and “family name” to prevent confusion.

FlyingCatGirl · 05/02/2026 02:10

StrawberryJamAndRaspberryPie · 02/02/2026 22:28

It says ‘first names’ though… plural.

Show quote history

But a lot of us would expect that to be for double barrelled first names like Sarah-Louise or Anne-Marie etc. it should specifically mention middle names as it's not fair to confuse people.