UA ticket, account, ID name mismatch/spelling, order, concatenation issues [Merged] - FlyerTalk Forums (2024)

Directly from SHARES:

NAME CHANGE GUIDELINES: **NOTE: IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO CHANGE A NAME ON A TICKET THAT INVOLVES A SIMPLE ERROR ON THE NAME, SUCH AS NICKNAME, MISSPELLING, OBVIOUS TYPO, NAME REVERSAL CHANGES WITH DOCUMENTATION OF MARRIAGE/DIVORCE. FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, UA MUST ENSURE ACCURATE APIS DATA IS COLLECTED AND IT MATCHES THE PASSPORT. FOR EXAMPLE, THE NAME ON THE TICKET CAN BE JON SMITH WHILE THE PASSPORT REFLECTS JONATHAN SMITH. APIS DATA MUST REFLECT JONATHAN SMITH - EXACTLY AS SHOWN IN THE PASSPORT, BUT NAME CHANGE TO THE TICKET IS UNNECESSARY.

Just ensure APIS is correct and you should be golden.

tods27

Join Date: Jan 2003

Location: DEN

Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium

Posts: 3,957

There is an entire thread around these types of issues: UA ticket, account, ID name mismatch/spelling, order, concatenation issues [Merged]

Most of these are spelling errors or middle name issues. The problem the OP had is bigger, where the last name was simply an initial.

Last edited by tods27; Today at 7:29 am

NJSwamplands

Join Date: Apr 2018

Posts: 534

Thanks for the link. Will read that in a bit.
But going back to my post, either way it was just an name ordering problem that the UA saw and corrected.

Kacee

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)

Posts: 56,863

OP would have complained just as loudly if that had been the outcome. Sometimes the airline just can't win.

Though obviously inadvertent and unfortunate, this was OP's fault. As travelers, we need to exercise some care, particularly when it comes to ensuring documentation is in order for international travel. Additionally, TG was unreasonably strict in not recognizing the error and allowing the pax to continue her journey. But I don't really see a remedy here from either airline, as neither breached any duty.

tods27

Join Date: Jan 2003

Location: DEN

Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium

Posts: 3,957

They didn't fully correct it, as the OP's partner was rejected from flying on their TG flight.

AsiaTravel2019

Join Date: Dec 2018

Programs: UA 1K, DL PM, AA Nobody, Marriott Ambassador Elite

Posts: 567

Sometimes my middle name is shortened or runs into my last name. I feel like TG was looking for an excuse to deny boarding (perhaps knowing it was an award booking and the flight was oversold.)

I would have stood my ground and escalated more before buying the EK ticket. Then again, I understand, this was his spouse abandoned in the Frankfurt airport.

NJSwamplands

Join Date: Apr 2018

Posts: 534

UA verified the travelers identity and TG was the robot.

jsloan

Join Date: Oct 2001

Location: Austin, TX

Posts: 21,754

LOL. I love this forum so much, where every single airline employee is a cunning, antisocial plotter aiming to take advantage of their customers and save their employer money through fiendishly clever, ruthless schemes that only the board can recognize.

We’re not talking about a “shortened middle name” or anything like that. Based upon OP’s note, the passenger appeared with a ticket for “JANE A” and ID for “JANE DOE.” That was never going to work.

JimInOhio

Join Date: Jun 2014

Programs: UA MM

Posts: 4,231

If that was “never going to work” then why did UA let the passenger fly all the way to Frankfurt just to find that out?

gmt4

Join Date: Mar 2018

Programs: UA 1K, AA EXP. Hilton Diamond

Posts: 1,141

They didn't. It wasn't some sort of press-to-test scenario to get the passenger away from their check in counter and into another country. TG, who is notoriously strict, made the call on not letting them proceed.

All the predictable blame shifting to UA aside, the fault is clearly on the customer. End of story. Basic data entry such as a passenger name is solely on them- sad but true. There are ample opportunities on the site to ensure entries are correct to include dates, times, flights, pax data, etc before one hits that purchase button. Even after you do purchase, a review of what you just bought is advisable. Mistakes can happen, but its really not complicated to buy a ticket and get things right the first time especially with a name. Focus on the root cause, not redirect onto UA.

WineCountryUA

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: SFO

Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat

Posts: 67,263

I am og the opinion most airlines will accept this name scramble, why TG did not needs to be addressed. While the error appears to have been the OP's error that could be handled with some effort at the airport.

The only other choice was to cancel at the origin, not sure that would have been received any better.

The ticket could not be changed (without an reissue) and that would have lead to a similar outcome.

Instead of placing blame, what could have been done (that is allowed) day of travel that would lead to a better outcome.???
What are the FT solutions??

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Today at 11:13 am

tods27

Join Date: Jan 2003

Location: DEN

Programs: UA 1P-1MM, Marriott LT Titanium

Posts: 3,957

This is the best discussion for here. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what could have actually been done on the day of travel, given that Airlines universally dislike changing names to the extent that Mrs. OP would have needed. If this had been a UA only itinerary, they might have gotten away with the name mismatch, but I would expect that the return may have still been a problem. Of course, I'm pretty sure that Airlines have the capability of changing the name on a ticket, they just don't want to ever do it for their business purposes.

Kacee

Join Date: Apr 2013

Location: PHX

Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)

Posts: 56,863

Does TG even have its own staff at FRA, or do they use LH? Regardless, it is true that TG can be very strict about this sort of thing. I similarly wouldn't expect much slack from LH staff. Sort of like German passport control refusing entry if your passport isn't signed.

JimInOhio

Join Date: Jun 2014

Programs: UA MM

Posts: 4,231

bocastephen

Join Date: Sep 2002

Location: LAX/TPE

Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC

Posts: 42,486

No, not every single one, but enough - either deliberately or through incompetence or just lack of training. These issues are not like UFOs where every one has a logical explanation. In this case, assuming the ticket was bought well before the departure date, United had a responsibility to notify the customer, and yes, if the ticket was bought online by the OP, they also had a duty of care to ensure the information entered was accurate and correct.

So it appears the UA agent cleared the traveler to fly on the UA flights without actually updating anything with a ticket reissue that should have pushed the new details to TG.

WineCountryUA

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: SFO

Programs: UA LT Plat 2MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat

Posts: 67,263

If the traveler had a MP account , since that did not happen, traveller did not have a MP account??

Not done until the airport?

Remember the OP stated, it was an award ticket and

As stated earlier, UA does not change the ticket (that likely would have created a ticket re-issue and would have blown up the (award) ticket for partners

These scrambled name issues are handle every day by airlines , immigration authorities, .... but TG did not seem interested

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Today at 1:01 pmReason: merged consecutive posts by same member