Hi Laurie,

Bring your driver's license.

m kingdom,
How can I get this helpline number to call from the US? I would like to call them myself, if I could only find a number to reach them at.

Laurie-

I found this 800 # in a website :

(800) 727-0457

Laurie - let us know the outcome!

The 9/11 date has nothing to do with the correct name on the passport. The name on the passport should match the birth certificate and something you should have checked at the time it was issued. That said, you have to be certain it is corrected and I wouldn't wait till the passport expires.

Someone has been good enough to provide an 800# which you should call. Then follow-up by fax and ask Ryan to confirm the change. Take the fax you send and their reply to the airport along with other documentation (license, birth certificate) so there is no issue with an agent upon check-in.

If and when you correct this current situation, and upon completion of this trip I would suggest you contact the passport office and have the change made before you take any future trips.

As to tickets with only a first initial and last name - they haven't written tickets like that in many many years (too many to even remember).

My name is Lori too (obviously spelled differently) so I'd have to disagree with those who said "Laurie" and "Laura" are the same exact name. They are two different names! LOL

As for running into trouble in the aiport, of course bring your drivers license as your backup form of ID other than the passport. I couldn't imagine travelling WITHOUT a DL!

Good luck

I hope the driver's license will work, but the fact is Laurie is flying in the EU, and I'm not sure they would be the slightest bit interested in an American driver's license - only her passport.

Thanks to everyone for your help with this issue. I tried the 1 800 number but I just got a recording about flight arrival times.

I will try again on Monday.
Many thanks to Jim, who is making a phone call on my behalf from the UK.

I am going to wait and see what I can find out in the next few days and I will go from there.

I may end up just booking another ticket on the same flight and let the other seat go empty.

Thanks again for all your advice.
Laurie

Good luck, Laurie -- I wouldn't just let this lie and hope it all works out. You wrote that there's no way to reach them other than fax from the US, but did you notice the following note on their "contact us" website: "All reservation numbers can only be dialled from within their own country, _except_ for 0818 30 30 30 and +353 1 249 7851"
Is it possible one of these numbers might be dial-able from the US? Or is that what you already tried?

Firstly: Ask Jim, who has been most kind in sourcing the number, for it. Dial 0044 followed by the rest and you'll get through to them. It doesn't matter where you are, the rules are the same for any nationality of traveller. Pay for the long distance call, don't get others to do your work for you.

Secondly, I travelled on a ticket with initial and surname only three years ago, so not so long ago. The increase in security is all topshow, if god forbid a terrorist wanted to hijack and/or destroy an aircraft, having initals, names, and even to an extent the heightened security procdure would do little to stop such a determined force.

Two points:
- Ryanair specify on their site that the only driving licences accepted as ID are UK/Irish ones and only on flights entirely within the British Isles. You either have to chance it, or get a new passport.
- Rynair give a normal phone contact number(+353 1 249 7851). This is easily dialled, but is an IRISH number: you do not interpose a 44 after your international access code

You made a very unfortunate mistake which I'm sure many could relate to. Of course, we're constantly bombarded on this board by quasi ads for EasyJet and RyanAir with all their proponents telling us how wonderful they are... and their rules about identification aren't any less, or more, strict than those imposed by other airlines.
Frankly, if they do check your ticket name against your passport and find this discrepency they should impose a penalty on you...otherwise why is everyone being so careful to get this right when they book tickets only to have it not enforced. Get real and get out your money!

I was flying today (WestJet in Canada) and put this situation to a check in agent. The answer I got was it would be no problem for similar names on domestic flights but for their charters to other countries the ticket and the ID must be identical.

I had a similar problem- the travel agent issued my ticket with my nickname of Sally, and my passport has my real name Sarah. I didn't notice it until I was at the airport counter, and the agent refused to believe that Sally and Sarah are the same name. She said I had to show her some document with both names on it. I looked through my purse and found a prescription bottle with my name on it as Sarah(Sally). The agent accepted that as proof , and I was able to go on my trip. Then I called my travel agent who very apologetically sent me a new ticket for the trip home. On my return I tried using the ticket with Sally on it and that agent had no problem with it. She didn't even question it. I guess it just depends on the agent.

If you have 6 weeks before your travel, you have PLENTY of time to get an ammended passport. A passport amendment is FREE unless you need it processed in 2-3 business days in which the cost is roughly $65.

You can find out more info at: http://travel.state.gov/name_change.html

I highly recommend getting this issue taken care of sooner than later - and I also think it's best to solve the real problem (the "wrong name") rather than have to worry about this problem again in the future. Good luck!

If the Ryan Air website makes it very clear that the name on your passport and the name on your ticket must match, you should do your best to ensure same between now and your travels.

They may enforce that, or they may not. And, it wouldn't hurt to have lots of documentation along.

I would offer, not that in matters in the least, that I got married shortly after my passport was issued and changed my last name.

For the last 8 years or so, I've been traveling with a license with my married name and a passport which was duly "ammended" on the last page. I'd guess that only once in a while anyone has ever flipped over to the last page to check the name change.

But, you never know....

My guess is that you may be held up, but be able to explain it...

But, you never know...

I guess the bottom line from all the posts is that if it wouldn't inconvenience you to be denied boarding because of this, then forget about it. On the other hand, if missing the flight will screw up your whole vacation, then you better fix it now. From one of your posts, I understand that the ticket is only $25. If I couldn't get hold of Ryan Air in the next day or two, I would probably just purchase another ticket before the price increases. You could wait longer if you're sure the price will not increase.

Although I agree with Sandi and beanweb24 that you should probably get this fixed sooner rather than later, I'm not sure it's an easy fix. The Passport Services website (http://travel.state.gov/passport_services.html) discusses name changes when "Your name has been legally changed since your passport was issued" and states that you must provide "a certified copy of your marriage certificate or your name change court decree" for the no fee amendment. This isn't the case for you. I can't find anything that says what to do if there is an error on your passport -- the closest thing is on the "How to apply in person" page which gives "Your name is changed since your passport was issued and you do not have a legal document formally changing your name" as one of the times when you must apply in person. You can find out where to apply in person on the web site -- these locations include "many post offices, clerks of court, public libraries and other state, county, township, and municipal government offices". I would think they should be able to supply the information on what you will need to get this corrected.

Thank you for all your advice.
And thank you so much to Jim for following through with his generous offer to contact RyanAir on my behalf.

Ryan Air said that I would not be allowed to board. They had no problem with making another booking. So, I made another booking tonight with the name the matches my passport.

Thanks for the info about changes to passports, beanweb. I will look into that as soon as we return. I think I am all set for now.

Thanks again for your help.
Laurie