Name On Booking To USA

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NoName

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Is it sufficient to just have first/English and last name on flight bookings to USA? Or do I need to include middle/Chinese names? If I need the latter, should the Chinese names go in the first or middle name section of the booking?

Passport reads: English name, chinese name, Chinese name, last name.


Thanks
 
Booking name should match exactly the name in your passport. For USA travel, you can't be too correct.

Should hopefully also match name in your ESTA.
 
Thanks for that.
Should chinese names go in the first or middle name sections do you know?
 
Sorry, not familiar at all with Chinese names. But as a rule I would say that if your passport has an English name first, then its the English name the first name on the booking, and on your ESTA (if you need one) and your arrival card (you get it on the plane).

Frankly it may not matter about the middle names, but like I said, for the USA I wouldn't give any opportunity for them to query, or, the check-in people who would probably be stricter.

Think of it as this: The US immigration guy's computer will read the name of your booking. It will match it with what's written in your passport. It deals with all sorts of names from around the world and lots of people probably mix it up and it would get sorted when you front at USA Immigration. But make it simple for them and its easier all round.
 
Is it sufficient to just have first/English and last name on flight bookings to USA? Or do I need to include middle/Chinese names? If I need the latter, should the Chinese names go in the first or middle name section of the booking?

Passport reads: English name, chinese name, Chinese name, last name.

Thanks

Just put in down exactly how it is in the passport. So am I assuming correctly you have an English first name followed by two middle names (both Chinese) then an English last name?
 
Just put in down exactly how it is in the passport. So am I assuming correctly you have an English first name followed by two middle names (both Chinese) then an English last name?


Thats correct. It's a singapore passport if anyone is familiar with them.
 
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Think of it as this: The US immigration guy's computer will read the name of your booking. It will match it with what's written in your passport.

I thought immigration was concerned with the name in your passport (which is scanned at check-in and compared to their no-fly lists). Plenty of times I have travelled with different name on passport to booking (ie not an exact match with the passport).

Within and departing the USA the TSA will check your boarding pass against the passport, although again, I haven't had any issues with missing middle names.
 
I thought immigration was concerned with the name in your passport (which is scanned at check-in and compared to their no-fly lists). Plenty of times I have travelled with different name on passport to booking (ie not an exact match with the passport).

Within and departing the USA the TSA will check your boarding pass against the passport, although again, I haven't had any issues with missing middle names.

I am sure you are correct (especially with missing middle names), buy my advice to the OP was not to tempt fate. This is especially so when there is an issue of using their 'Chinese name' or their 'English name' as first name. if 'computer says no' anywhere along the line, its not going to be a nice day.
 
My husband has a US passport and when we left last month from Australia to USA the check-in agent had to get approval and clarification as his passport reads "Jo B Blogs" however his ticket was purchased in "Jo Bob Blogs". His new US passport does not show his middle name and was a problem at every check in. In future we will book just using his initial but I think the US passport people made an error. In short - your booking MUST match your passport.
 
My husband has a US passport and when we left last month from Australia to USA the check-in agent had to get approval and clarification as his passport reads "Jo B Blogs" however his ticket was purchased in "Jo Bob Blogs".

His new US passport does not show his middle name and was a problem at every check in. In future we will book just using his initial but I think the US passport people made an error. In short - your booking MUST match your passport.

What airline was that?

Wonder if it was more the CSA seeking authority from a supervisor rather than the 'computer says no.'

Is your husband a dual national ie does he hold both Australian & US passports?
 
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What airline was that?

Wonder if it was more the CSA seeking authority from a supervisor rather than the 'computer says no.'

Is your husband a dual national ie dies he hold both Australian & US passports?


My my husband only has a U.S. passport. It happened on Hawaiin Airlines and Air Canada domestically and internationally.
 
My kids have first name second name third name and 4th name, then family name. I insert the second name into the middle name field. Have never had problems in the USA. Sometimes have not populated the middle name field and still no problem.
 
It's not a requirement to put middle names on an airline ticket - even in the US. What matters is the APIS data (not necessarily the same as the ticketed passenger name) in the PNR that is sent to border control - as long as this has the middle name then that's fine.

Do ensure that you put it in your ESTA application though.

I never put my middle name in the ticket passenger name but do put it in the APIS data. The reason behind this is because if a certain DCS or CRS/GDS does not support middle names/initials it will merge the first name and middle name together so a name may become SMITH/JOHNCITIZEN with no space.

Edit: From the AA agents portal:

http://www.aa.com/i18n/agency/General/secure_flight.jsp

SFPD (secure flight passenger data is the APIS data I refer to that is submitted to US CBP).

Q: Is the middle name or initial required for Secure Flight documentation?
A: For SFPD data the passenger’s full name as it appears on a person's valid government-issued photo identification that will use when traveling. If the government-issued ID includes a middle name or initial, it must be included in the SFPD SSR when booking a reservation.


NOTE: The middle name or middle initial is not required in the name field of the reservation for ticketing or upgrading purposes. GDS functionalities differ and may not support the middle name or middle initial. Check with your GDS Help Desk for clarification on Name Field requirements.
 
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My my husband only has a U.S. passport. It happened on Hawaiin Airlines and Air Canada domestically and internationally.

It's not a requirement to put middle names on an airline ticket - even in the US. What matters is the APIS data (not necessarily the same as the ticketed passenger name) in the PNR that is sent to border control - as long as this has the middle name then that's fine.

Do ensure that you put it in your ESTA application though.

I never put my middle name in the ticket passenger name but do put it in the APIS data. The reason behind this is because if a certain DCS or CRS/GDS does not support middle names/initials it will merge the first name and middle name together so a name may become SMITH/JOHNCITIZEN with no space.

Edit: From the AA agents portal:

Secure Flight Passenger Data (SFPD) FAQs

SFPD (secure flight passenger data is the APIS data I refer to that is submitted to US CBP).

Q: Is the middle name or initial required for Secure Flight documentation?
A: For SFPD data the passenger’s full name as it appears on a person's valid government-issued photo identification that will use when traveling. If the government-issued ID includes a middle name or initial, it must be included in the SFPD SSR when booking a reservation.

NOTE: The middle name or middle initial is not required in the name field of the reservation for ticketing or upgrading purposes. GDS functionalities differ and may not support the middle name or middle initial. Check with your GDS Help Desk for clarification on Name Field requirements.

HA use the Sabre system for checkin so I don't think it's anything to do with Sabre wanting the APIS fields (how name appears in passport) to match how the name was booked in the pnr/eticket.

I think it's more to do with the ground handlers CSA's interpretation of the rule. HA first used TOLL (in BNE anyway), then they were unhappy with them so switched to Menzies and are unhappy with them so they're running out of options for their ground handling.

It sounds more like the lack of experience on the part of the checkin agents used by contractors who have a much higher turnover of staff (compared to staff employed directly by airlines) rather than any system limitations or parameters of Sabre.
 
When I did the ETSA months ago the application only asks for the first name. There's no place for putting in middle names.
 
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