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?

I would contact one of the travel specialists in the broadsheet newspapers eg the Sunday Times ASAP. If they are interested in your case, they can take action and will get results.

Might be worth seeing if Simon Calder can help

https://simoncalder.co.uk/contact/

It’s absolutely correct that dual nationalities should have the same name on all passports. Governments surely see it as evidence you are the same person?

Im not surprised at Booking.com. It’s a computer operated app!

I’ll be sending a message to the travel experts this morning, as you suggested. Many thanks.

That sounds like a good idea. I would also avoid referring to this as your mistake. Just state factually what prompts the Booking.com website provided & what it didn't say and let the travel experts assess who was at fault themselves.

Your email to Booking was very clear, but rather than just asking for their sympathy and good will towards your son I would start reminding them of their obligations and how they are not currently meeting these:

• you informed them on x date that personal data they hold about your family and have passed to a 3rd party is incorrect & it has not yet been rectified despite the GDPR requirement to maintain accurate records (the communication between Booking & JAL must have indicated there was no middle name in order for the ticket to have been issued as it was)
• you paid x amount in good faith to travel to Japan and they did not make it clear in their website that a middle name was required in order for the ticket to be valid
• their website did not even ask for all forenames that are shown on the passport. It just asked for first name(s) which was ambiguous

Hope they step up more quickly than they usually do, but you still have plenty of time.

@Ramblethroughthebrambles Thanks so much for the really helpful, detailed advice!

I've got some good news from JAL! I just called them, and they finally confirmed they've received Booking.com's request. So yes, they're actually processing our case—at least I don't have to worry anymore whether Booking.com is even dealing with it. The JAL operator today was polite and much more helpful.

Great news. Hopefully JALsell enough tickets via Booking for them to be motivated to comply.

Well it actually says first name(s). That would tell me to put in my first 2 name !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is your keyboard stuck? How is your superior form filling ability relevant to the OPs problem, hopefully now resolved

That’s a good update!

I’ve messaged the travel experts and chatted with Booking.com again to push JAL harder, but they closed the chat halfway. I’m wondering if I’m following up too much—maybe they’re starting to get annoyed with me. At least I’ve received new information that I might not hear back for a while, since my case isn’t urgent, even though last Tuesday they said I would hear very soon and advised my husband to call back this Tuesday (today).

If JAL have confirmed they’ve received the request and are processing it, you’d be best leaving it for a while.

Having worked in customer service, chasing too often can have a detrimental effect depending on how their systems work. For example, one system we used worked through tickets in order of receipt. However if some emailed to chase a ticket, it then went to the bottom of the queue because it effectively set a new date of today and the system worked from oldest tickets first.

I’d leave it a couple of weeks at least. I understand why you want a response asap, but they’ve already told you they work in order of departure date, anyone flying before you will need to be dealt with first.

OP, any news?

@Xkk There’s been no update from Booking.com, and neither travel experts nor the Booking.com CEO have responded.

Could you please let me know how you found out that Japan Airlines flights do not require middle names?

There is an update. I received a call from the Netherlands this morning from the CEO of Booking.com. He confirmed that he will ask his team to contact JAL to find out why they have not yet updated our case. We should receive an update from Booking.com within 24 hours (probably next Monday). This does not necessarily mean that JAL will correct my family members’ names; however, at least we should have a clear answer soon.

Sorry it was actually from Senior Guest Specialist not from CEO.

Oh my goodness OP, all of this for just the middle names is simply beyond me. Fingers crossed JAL will manage to get hold of the golden fingers to type them into the system for you guys!!!

I can’t think of any time when I have added middle names to a flight booking (unless specifically asked to do so, and i can’t think that I have) and it wouldn’t cross my mind this would ever be an issue, and I’ve never had anything queried.

I’m sure the first name and last name need to match (obviously) but that’s all? I do suspect the OP wouldn’t have any problems travelling as things stand, it may have muddied the waters by flagging this with booking.com and JAL, taking this into ticket amendment territory unnecessarily

This is the final, excellent update we were hoping for.

We received another call this morning from the Senior Guest Specialist in the Netherlands, along with a text message confirming that their internal team had informed him that their partner, Gotogate, had contacted the airline regarding the correction of the three passenger names on the tickets.Shortly afterward, I received a message from Gotogate confirming that they had updated the passenger names in the booking as requested and issued new PNR and ticket numbers. We can now see the updated names, including the added middle names, in the JAL app.
The Senior Guest Specialist personally called me just now to confirm the update over the phone. They didn't charge us even a penny for their work.

I am truly grateful that so many people worked hard to help us, especially during a time when I was feeling discouraged. From today onward, I’m going to give it my all and complete my book. Thank you so much.

Brilliant update. What a relief OP

Yay!

Sleep well tonight OP and enjoy your trip.

So glad for you op. Hopefully now booking.com will add another field for middle names when booking. Rest well tonight🍷

@HelloandThankU I’m so glad to hear that you’ve had good news finally. This must have been so stressful for you.

I hope you have a wonderful time.

Great news! So pleased for you.

Gotogate weren’t so good with my name problems. Their form filling page has something not clear.