Advice needed / name on airline ticket
 

Hi, I have bit of a problem. I booked a flight on Ryan Air.com. I booked with the name Laura, which is the same as on my driver's license. But I later realized that the name on my Passport is Laurie.

The Ryan Air website makes it very clear that your name must match your passport.
I have tried to Fax Ryan Air for a suggestion on what to do. They have not answered me and it has been 2 weeks. There is no other way to contact them from the USA.

I don't want to get left behind or hold up the airplane because my name does not match the name on my passport.

Should I book the flight again, using the name on my passport? [This would be less expensive and less hassle than trying to change my name through the airline.] Or would this be too confusing at check in time? Basically, I would hold 2 tickets with slightly different names.

Thank you for your advice. Laurie

If questioned - - which I think is very unlikely to happen - - you should simply state calmly, politely and unapologetically that the name on your ticket and on your passport do, indeed match. To any reasonable person, Laura and Laurie are, for every purpose I can think of, identical.

Now, if the two names in question were "Magic" and "Earvin", I suppose that MIGHT be a pertinent question.

Best wishes,

Rex

Maybe not, however. I have a friend who recently had a ticket with Bob and his full passport name is Robert. He had to pay the penalty to have his ticket changed to match his passport before he could check in, which I thought was ridiculous.

If you go by any other name than your birth name, it should say so on your passport as aka, "also known as."

My passport is in my birth name but the name I go by professionally is entirely different and you have to turn to the back cover of my passport to see this indication. As long as this notation on your passport exists, you'll have no problem with airline tickets or examiners.

Thanks for your help. My passport has no notation on it. Just my name. Next time I get a new passport issued I will make sure that it is the same name which is on my birth certificate, which is Laura.

My passport was issued pre 9/11 and there wasn't any problem then.

Should I bring my driver's license and birth certificate with me to prove that my name is Laura?

Thanks again for your advice. Laurie

In my experience, passport name = ticket name or no flight.
Muck

Yes to bring in back-up documentation. My old passport had my maiden name and while I had it changed, I did traveled with my marriage license, believe it or not. Was I ever questioned and had to show the marriage license and ID? You bet.

You could always get a new passport. No?

Yes, all those items will help but I'd still try to reach an airline supervisor, get something in writing, and bring it with you. Be prepared for anything.

Don't pay one more dollar to fix this dilemma.

I'm just recenly married and so my passport is in my old name, tickets are always in my new name. I just carry a copy of my marriage license and haven't had a problem.

definately bring back up info- birth certificate and dl. I really don't think you'll have a problem. Laura and Laurie are obviously the same name.

Also if Ryan Air has a counter at the airport and you live close by you might want to go and talk to them in person.

Katiebug, It would cost me about $100 to get a new passport and I'm not sure I would have time. We leave in 6 weeks.

I could just book again on the RyanAir website and use the name Laurie. It would cost a total of about $25. I would not mind spending the extra money to do this but I am afraid it may further confuse things.

Thanks again for your help. Laurie

As far as I can tell, there is NO way to contact RyanAir from the USA. They give a Fax number and say that they will respond in 7 working days. They can be contacted from countries in Europe but that doesnt help me because it will be too late then.

I faxed them and have not heard anything back. It has been over 2 weeks.

Jeez, I sure wish I had looked at the name on my passport better at the time when I booked the ticket.

Laurie,

There is a helpline which can be 'phoned from within the UK. Would you like me to call them for you & find out what they advise? If so, post back here to lett me know & then I'll re-post with my e-mail address.

Jim

Wow, Jim! Thank you! I would really appreciate that.
You could email me their answer at:
[email protected]

If there are any charges for the phone call, just tell me how much in your email and I will send you a check if you give me your address.

Thank you so much! Laurie

I'm really surprised by this. I thought your passport had to match your birth certificate or that you had to have legal documentation (such as marriage license, divorce decree, or other legal order) to have it listed in any other name. How in the world did they issue it in the wrong name?

My passport was issued before 9/11. Maybe they weren't as careful then as they are now.

I am not sure how it happened. But, I will make sure it is corrected the next time I am issued a passport.

Laurie,

If you're still logged on to Fodors I've e-mailed you for details.

Jim

Pre 9/11 I'dve said there would not me a problem. Often tickets have just the initial followed by the surname - I've travellled on a return foil with first initial N instead of M, no question was raised regarding this. However, I feel RyanAir, is one of these lowcost airlines that do not believe that "the book killeth where the spirit giveth life" (book and spirit of the law) . I'd try to obtain a phone number in the UK for them, call them and see what they advise. Although I feel they will want you to re-book with no refund. Have you travelled in this situation before? If you wanted to risk it, I think you'd have a good chance of no hassle, but I'd go to great lengths to ensure that this is the case.

Having just observed Jim's most kind offer to call them on your behalf:

The data protection act prohibits discussing another passenger's details with anyone except that individual. Furthermore, just call it yourself, Jim has very thoughtful intentions, but RyanAir will speak to you, they simply operate no US number as they are a European only carrier. This helpline will be able to assist you with your query.

Someone posted on rec.travel.air (the USENET newsgroup) about a problem that arose when his wife had tickets booked in her married name, and her passport in her maiden name. Ryanair charged her for a full-fare flight to make the change.

My guess is that there's an excellent chance there would be no problem at all, but a possible chance of having to pay the walkup fare.