Middle name shown on passport but not flight tickets

[TraveltoParty]

My partner and I are due to fly out to Barcelona in June with Cathay Pacific and flying back to Melbourne from Berlin with Emirates in July.

Exciting times have turned quite stressful as I have just realised the flights I redeemed using QFF do not have my middle name on the tickets but is shown on my passport.

I am trying to get in touch with a Qantas rep but am constantly put on an indefinite hold. I am hoping to catch one when I call either really late or really early.

Will not having my middle name be an issue during check in?

Cathay and Emirates both have a name correction policy but since the tickets have been booked through Qantas I am not sure how willing they are to assist me with this issue.

Would appreciate feedback and experiences others have had regarding this situation.

Thanks in advance!

 

[TheInsider]

Qantas can't change names on other airlines tickets.
First name/surname is generally fine for any airline and route.

Edit: I shouldn't say tickets, but qantas sold flights on other airlines.

 

[TraveltoParty]

Qantas can't change names on other airlines tickets.
First name/surname is generally fine.

Thanks mate, this situations got me sweating

 

[RichardMEL]

Have you filled in the APIS in the booking? I can't remember (been too long!) if Middle name is one of those fields, but usually middle is far less important as long as the passport details match the APIS and first/last name/number or key identifiers anyway.

 

[TraveltoParty]

Have you filled in the APIS in the booking? I can't remember (been too long!) if Middle name is one of those fields, but usually middle is far less important as long as the passport details match the APIS and first/last name/number or key identifiers anyway.

Hi Richard, thanks for responding. I just checked and there's no field in APIS for middle name, only fields for passport information.

The passenger name is hardcoded and cannot be modified.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

If you call Qantas or Cathay they will probably tell you that you need your middle name… leading to a costly exercise to change your ticket.

In reality… first name and surname will almost certainly do the job. Any official requirements are gathered at checkin when they swipe your passport… the swipe will include your full name including any middle names. That information is then sent directly to whichever country you are going to.

The only time I’ve heard middle names being an issue was for a low cost airline flying out of America… their flight was allegedly oversold and so they decided to check middle names on tickets vs passports. Anyone without the exact match was denied boarding. Easy way for them to fix the overbooking without having to pay compensation!

I have travelled on both CX and EK, tickets issued by Qantas FF, and none of those bookings had my full name. There have been no issues (touch wood)

 

[TraveltoParty]

If you call Qantas or Cathay they will probably tell you that you need your middle name… leading to a costly exercise to change your ticket.

In reality… first name and surname will almost certainly do the job. Any official requirements are gathered at checkin when they swipe your passport… the swipe will include your full name including any middle names. That information is then sent directly to whichever country you are going to.

The only time I’ve heard middle names being an issue was for a low cost airline flying out of America… their flight was allegedly oversold and so they decided to check middle names on tickets vs passports. Anyone without the exact match was denied boarding. Easy way for them to fix the overbooking without having to pay compensation!

I have travelled on both CX and EK, tickets issued by Qantas FF, and none of those bookings had my full name. There have been no issues (touch wood)

Thanks for responding, appreciate it!

That provides me with some relief.

As you mentioned, pursuing a name change/correction will be costly and Qantas will most likely recommend me to cancel and rebook.

 

[SydneySwan]

I doubt this will be an issue. I have flown multiple times without my middle names being on the ticket. One of my sons has twice flown on tickets where his first name and middle name were joined together as one name without a problem. This was his mistake but no-one in authority seemed concerned (it was in 2019).

 

[Matt_01]

In most cases the middle name has no impact impact on issuing tickets and I would not be concerned. As for CX IIRC that if booking via a call centre the agent the agent will ask for any middle names (it is most likely on the script). If you booked online there should not be any issues. My QF profile (including middle name) was set up when Moses was a boy, MrsM has no middle name in her profile, MissM also has no middle in her profile. The only thing I have ever noticed is some carriers seem to know me as first name and first initial of my middle name e.g. M*****d and have also experienced similar with what @SydneySwan mentions with my daughters flights i.e. first and middle name being combined.

If I knew then what I know now maybe I would have left her there, the joys of living with teenage kids

 

[NoName]

Sorry to jump on in this thread but here is another permutation: I have the first middle initial on the ticket but passport has two middle names.

EG
Ticket: John A Smith
Passport: John Adam Brian Smith

Any issues ex LAX?

 

[TraveltoParty]

I doubt this will be an issue. I have flown multiple times without my middle names being on the ticket. One of my sons has twice flown on tickets where his first name and middle name were joined together as one name without a problem. This was his mistake but no-one in authority seemed concerned (it was in 2019).

Thanks for sharing, I am feeling more stress relieved with each post lol

 

[TraveltoParty]

In most cases the middle name has no impact impact on issuing tickets and I would not be concerned. As for CX IIRC that if booking via a call centre the agent the agent will ask for any middle names (it is most likely on the script). If you booked online there should not be any issues. My QF profile (including middle name) was set up when Moses was a boy, MrsM has no middle name in her profile, MissM also has no middle in her profile. The only thing I have ever noticed is some carriers seem to know me as first name and first initial of my middle name e.g. M*****d and have also experienced similar with what @SydneySwan mentions with my daughters flights i.e. first and middle name being combined.

If I knew then what I know now maybe I would have left her there, the joys of living with teenage kids

That is reassuring! I did book online, my flights are Qantas Classic Reward redemptions.

After this I am considering removing my middle name from my passport and all other documentation.

 

[Seat0B]

Interestingly my most recent WF international ticket came as Josephine Q Public - despite the fact that my QF FF profile has my full name of Josephine Quintessential Public, as does my passport. This has never happened before and I also wondered if I should call to change it. I’m going to Japan, QF flights. What do you think, Brains Trust?

 

[DC3]

There’s a number of existing threads about middle name, which could be of some use. I see them at the bottom of this page: Similar Threads

 

[Seat0B]

There’s a number of existing threads about middle name, which could be of some use. I see them at the bottom of this page: Similar Threads

Thanks @DC3

 

[Seat0B]

Feeling very reassured after reading these threads

 

[DC3]

Interestingly my most recent WF international ticket came as Josephine Q Public - despite the fact that my QF FF profile has my full name of Josephine Quintessential Public, as does my passport. This has never happened before and I also wondered if I should call to change it. I’m going to Japan, QF flights. What do you think, Brains Trust?

Sounds good. But make sure that you don’t fly into certain ME counties.

 

[Seat0B]

Sounds good. But make sure that you don’t fly into certain ME counties.

Yes I must check about that as I will be going to Dubai later this year. I have no idea why it came out as it did. My full name is in my QF profile and other tickets I’ve bought recently have had full name. My husband is on the same ticket and his full name came on the ticket. I just got the middle initial. Weird AF.

 

[TraveltoParty]

There’s a number of existing threads about middle name, which could be of some use. I see them at the bottom of this page: Similar Threads

Thanks DC3, I just read through them as well. Seems reassuring so far.

I wonder if anyone here has had experience of being denied boarding their flight.

 

[exLXCXFF]

I think the much bigger issue here is, will CX actually fly to Barcelona at all? The May schedule uploaded a few days ago (see CX forum), had LHR, CDG, FRA, and another European airport I think being serviced twice per month (or similar). All other European destinations are gone for now. I am not convinced that CX will/can scale this up that quickly. If I were you, I would certainly book Plan B now.