Name wrong on ticket

[Timtammi]

I've just made a silly mistake. In my day to day life I spell my first name a certain way, most of my ID including credit cards. medicare etc have my name spelt that way. However, my passport has it spelt differently, there is one letter that is different, ie ending in y rather than ending in i.
I just booked some tickets in J directly with GA on their website and to my horror, I see have put my name down the way I spell it usually rather than the way it is on my passport.

I quickly rang the booking office but because the e-tickets are already issued (it seemed to happen instantaneously as I had the e-ticks within 5 mins) but they said they can't do any change, they must cancel ($125 cancellation fee) and reissue.

The advice they gave me was that it should not matter. The person I spoke to said that the airline is ok with one letter different and that Immigration "usually" is as well. He said if it was him, he wouldn't bother changing.

Of course, all of this makes me nervous, but I don't want to have to pay another $125 if I don't have to! I do have other ID with the other spelling if questioned about it but the thought of being denied boarding does not please me.

Do any of you have any personal experience of this? It is only a one letter difference or is that a moot point?

Cheers

Timmi

 

[MatF]

How much is the $125 as a % of the fare?

If it's not much, I'd be tempted to pay it for peace of mind, and chalk it up as a lesson learnt. I don't like being stressed when I'm travelling

 

[Timtammi]

Its an approx $1600 AUD fare so $125 is nearly 8% of the fare.

 

[harvyk]

I'm similar to yourself, in that there are two spellings of my middle name, on most of my ID's it's spelt one way, but on my passport it's spelt the other way.

I'm sure I have at one stage or another made a typo given the spelling on my passport is different to the spelling I normally use, however it has never come up as a problem.

 

[TheInsider]

Where is the flight going to first off?

If the US, DO IT, if not, don't bother for one letter.

 

[AVC]

I have a similar problem with my surname, which is two words. But some databases can't handle two words. Our passports show two words, but (QF) tickets will normally issue as one word (surname).

Whilst it gets picked up sometimes, I can produce enough government ID to prove who I am, and if you explain it, whoever is asking is normally happy.

 

[spudseamus]

I would be nervous as well !! in my case its phases of life --there was a time when I was a Jimmy then James now Jim -- my passport has James but I have been Jim for a long time now lol! its only a problem when asked "name please" Jim reply !! get that look ahhh no James! "well which one " oohhh I feel a drink coming on !!

 

[Timtammi]

The flights are MEL-DPS return. Sounds like most of you think it will be ok? I can show credit cards and medicare card that match the ticket. Surname is correct, its just one letter of my first name. Timmi vs Timmy.

 

[TheInsider]

Staff will probably not even notice, so don't bother. You won't have any issues with Visa's or anything as DPS take your passport, not your BP.

 

[ozmille]

With the way most staff only glance at my passport I would guess you might not run in too much trouble...

 

[bigjobs]

Where is the flight going to first off?

If the US, DO IT, if not, don't bother for one letter.

This man knows

 

[Canny man]

If you think the US is trouble, try mis-spelling your wife's name when booking a ticket for her.

Still living that one down........

 

[MarkD]

I had one like that last year, booked by a customer. Only reason I noticed was that I couldnt add Velocity number. Called the Velocity call centre (Gold), gave them the booking number, told them the problem, name was wrong, they amended it on the phone, no charge and 2 mins of my time.

 

[deejo77]

Just don't go to Egypt, my RTW trip there in 2004 was horrible as QF and some OW airline parnters can not put my legal name on the BP ( i have a bloody dash - in between letters) - so all the letters get jammed together - was not happy and a couple of phone calls to the manager of the airline helped me get in.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

the ticket will be fine with one wrong letter. I believe the IATA rules on name discrepancy is up to three incorrect letters unless there have been any recent changes to that. (for travel to or within the USA I would be a little more cautious though, but that is not the case here).

 

[Timtammi]

Thank you for everyone's response. I have decided to leave it as is and I will let everyone know how I go. I now feel reasonably confident that it will all go ok or that I can at least prove who I am if it gets questioned. I'm thinking the only time I MAY have an issue is at MEL immigration when leaving but I feel ok that I can explain it as a simply mistake and show the appropriate ID.

Anyway, I've decided I will take the risk, it will be interesting to see if anyone actually notices as this is something I've always been paranoid about getting correct and this is the first time I've made this mistake in all my years of travelling.

Cheers

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Would not the logical course of action be to ask the airline for guidance ? or contact the local embassy of the country and ask the question ??

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Would not the logical course of action be to ask the airline for guidance ? or contact the local embassy of the country and ask the question ??

contacting the airline was mentioned by the OP In the first thread.

 

[Timtammi]

Airline have confirmed that they have no issue with one letter difference and advised me not to bother changing.

Cheers

Timmi

 

[sumthinfornuthin]

Good luck just be careful if going to the US. my son is a pilot on the 747's and says they are paranoid about securityand documentation in the Us