Middle name on a booking, possibly did a stupid

[douglasac10]

I made a rewards redemption on Friday night via Qantas, JFK to Melbourne. I thought I typed in my middle name, but it wasn't on the eTicket, so I either didn't, it got eaten when I made some other error on the page it wanted me to correct (oops) or Qantas don't show it anymore on the eTickets.

Called the call centre (insert complaint about wait times even at 10pm here) and was told "it's not needed". I asked if they could put it in anyway and they said something about getting support to do it, but I wasn't exactly filled with confidence.

I had also started a chat with them on Facebook before calling them. I got a response the following day so just confirmed with them and they said "it's not needed - but you need to provide it with the APIS data in Manage My Booking".

There doesn't seem to be, though, a spot on the APIS page to enter my name, it's there and uneditable. I can enter my passport number, so will this be enough or is there some other thing I should be doing? Or am I working into a panic over nothing?

Worst case, if I have to cancel the booking and rebook, I can deal with the fee as punishment for not paying complete attention.

 

[esseeeayeenn]

I have flown on many tickets without my middle name entered and I have not had any problems.
Having said that, while my travels have been relatively extensive I have never flown to the US so perhaps someone else has direct experience there.
I don't think you will have any luck asking Qantas to do what would effectively be a name change.
I had a similar situation recently in Chile where I was making a booking in Spanish and I confused "first last name" with "first name" and ended up with my names the wrong way around. Fortunately in that case there was also a payment problem (LATAM's Chilean website doesn't accept AU Visa cards) so I just abandoned the booking. However it did reinforce the fact that even the most trivial change to a name cannot be done on an international ticket.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Travel to the US without middle name is perfectly fine. I just did it a couple months ago (UA issued ticket). But also previously on QF issued tickets.

While you enter APIS, further infomration is also collected at check-in when they swipe your passport. That will have your full details, including middle name when it is transmitted to the US.

 

[juddles]

Just to reinforce what esseeeayeenn and Mel_T have said - you will have no issues.

I have two middle names on my passport, and my surname is three words. But I never bother with my middle names on tickets, and my surname is always lumped together as one word on any QF issued ones. Despite some 40-odd countries in the last ten years (including many USA visits) I have never ever had any trouble.

This is (understandably) a frequent concern of travellers, but I would be very interested to hear of anyone who has ever had an actual issue??

 

[douglasac10]

But I never bother with my middle names on tickets, and my surname is always lumped together as one word on any QF issued ones.

I did notice that United did something similar with my name on the ticket I had with them last year - it showed as Firstmiddle Last, apparently that's what they do.

Thanks for all your advice I don't fly too much (one of the downsides of when I used to live in a town where Rex was the only airline) so am always worried I'm doing something wrong when I do. Now I can worry about booking the rest of the trip!

 

[DC3]

There are similar threads on this. My experience is that middle name is a non issue.

 

[etops1]

This is (understandably) a frequent concern of travellers, but I would be very interested to hear of anyone who has ever had an actual issue??

There is a long running scam from an Italian airline, Blue Panorama, who requires a middle name at booking or else pay 50EUR at the check-in desk.

Another added fee: Airline required passenger to pay extra to add a middle name

www.startribune.com

 

[DC3]

There is a long running scam from an Italian airline, Blue Panorama, who requires a middle name at booking or else pay 50EUR at the check-in desk ...

Interesting. What a scam. But I pray that I’ll never have to fly on any Italian airline.

 

[douglasac10]

As an update to this, got an email today that QF12 was now scheduled to arrive at 9:05pm instead of 9pm, and noted that my booking now had my middle name in it.

Apparently the support people did end up sorting it out - not sure when it happened, but there we go.

 

[TheInsider]

As an update to this, got an email today that QF12 was now scheduled to arrive at 9:05pm instead of 9pm, and noted that my booking now had my middle name in it.

Apparently the support people did end up sorting it out - not sure when it happened, but there we go.

Good to see it got done, but honestly a waste of time for all parties involved.

 

[calmelb]

Only place which seems to force a middle name was SIN for me. Scribbled my two middle names on the Bp in pen. No problems otherwise. Most immigration cards don’t have room for my full name anyway and they don’t mind. As others pointed out with the digital age all your passport details are sent to the governments involved and so your ticket name is purely for booking reasons now

 

[ja1]

I've had this issue with a lastname problem. Person in question has a lastname that is "foo bar" - note the space. I had booked their ticket as <firstname> <bar>. Passport specifically noted lastname is "foo bar". Mismatch between ticketed name and passport as a result (or rather, a partial match.. )

Airline specifically advised / required me to cancel original booking for that pax (which was one of 4 on a single booking, which was DSC booked!) and rebook on a new ticket. Was a real PIA at the time as it appears the FF didn't match the new booking (actual name) and had to get the FF name changed before it could be added to the booking and reissue new card and so on.

So if it were me, I personally wouldn't worry about it but when the person in question was travelling with children it wasn't worth the stress.