Boarding refusal in Rome by Qantas (BA as agent)

[Dave Noble]

I feel sorry for you and your wife Michael but ultimately it is your responsibility that the names are correct. Still I am sure that BA (or Qantas) could have handled the situation much better in Rome. As you had an award ticket they should have been able to issue an new ticket in the new name and charged a change fee or whatever it requires. To leave someone stranded or ask for ridiculous one-way airfares is not good customer service and it is something I would expect from a LCC not a full service carrier.

Why is it ridiculous to ask the passenger to pay the fare for a ticket?

Passenger turned up without a valid ticket and was correctly denied check in. It is perfectly reasonable to require the passenger to go back to original place of purchase and get it changed. If there is no availability, then c'est la vie. It was the passenger's responsibility and they are not being left stranded; the passenger was being refused boarding at the check in of the 1st flight on the itinerary from what I can tell

 

[greenfrog86]

Whilst it is unfortunate that this happened, the OP has sought our advice, and it has been provided.

I'm not sure what value there is to be gained by berating the OP - I think its clear from these posts that one must check their ticket matches their passport.

I hope that this serves as a reminder to all that it is worth double checking that everything is right, and that if we don't understand something we should ask the company involved.

I would like share my experience however, where a friend booked a ticket for me and only put one 't' in my name when it has two. AirNZ said they were fine with one letter difference, but any more and a ticket reissue would be required.

Happy travels all

 

[serfty]

Interestingly, I have an e-ticket with AA.

I placed myself and my wife's name, middle initial and surname for each of us into the booking.

Before it was even ticketed I checked this carefully and was OK.

However none of the E-Ticket Confirmation emails sent after changes are showing my wife's middle initial, while mine is still there.

All is good on-line and the e-mail that one can send from the reservations does indeed have this; I will be printing this one out and using it.

 

[MelUser]

2 observations:

(1) I fail to see why the airline could not have reissued, revalidated, re whatever was necessary to correct the error.

I think that if you had been checking in for a Qantas flight with Qantas checkin staff (eg from LAX back to Australia) that Qantas would have fixed everything up and got you on the plane back home.

The BA staff (if even they were that - they could have been airport agency staff as is becoming more popular around the world) were probably lazy and couldn't be bothered phoning the BA help desk to work out how to check this passenger in.

This is unfortunate but I suspect Qantas will be unwilling to help you after the event.

(2) In the US where people at airports are scared of their own shadows, they now require all passport names (ie middle name etc) to be entered into the booking. Accordingly, US bookings will need even more care.

 

[JohnK]

Why is it ridiculous to ask the passenger to pay the fare for a ticket?

Passenger turned up without a valid ticket and was correctly denied check in.

Because it is quite clear that a married couple turned up, with valid tickets for the flights, and one was refused boarding due to a very simple mistake. It was also clear that no-one else was going to turn up to use that valid ticket as that person was already there.

Good customer service says that when you realise a simple mistake was made you do everything possible to fix it. Yes free of charge. Unfortunately you and I are not likely to agree on what constitutes good customer service.

 

[Dave Noble]

Because it is quite clear that a married couple turned up, with valid tickets for the flights, and one was refused boarding due to a very simple mistake. It was also clear that no-one else was going to turn up to use that valid ticket as that person was already there.

No. 2 people turned up, one of which did not have the same name as that on the ticket nor had any id in that name.

 

[NM]

However none of the E-Ticket Confirmation emails sent after changes are showing my wife's middle initial, while mine is still there.

I suspect the AA standard layout for the e-ticket confirmation only has space for about eight characters for the "given names" field. Hence you get an initial and Mrs Serfty does not.

 

[anat0l]

Whilst it is unfortunate that this happened, the OP has sought our advice, and it has been provided.

I'm not sure what value there is to be gained by berating the OP - I think its clear from these posts that one must check their ticket matches their passport.

There is no value in berating the OP, but I will reiterate and make my opinion clear that this predicament is primarily the fault of the OP. I'm sorry, but that's how it is. It's an error on much the same scale as forgetting to enter advance information before entering the US, buying duty free liquor before a LAG security point or even forgetting to apply for an appropriate visa before attempting to enter a country.

Note that just because an airline has a CoC does not mean that is the totality of your obligations. How is QF - or any airline or any agent working in any capacity in the airline industry - supposed to know that the name on the ticket is supposed to be your wife if you cannot identify matching ID? The fact that you passed one international gateway with incorrect details is irrelevant - in fact, I would root out the agent that allowed your wife to pass with those details and have them seriously reprimanded.

No one can be blamed for following the rules, but we are very able at blaming people who cannot suggest better alternatives or "exercise discretion" in order to smooth things for an affected customer. Good customer service seems to be measured by how much a person can do such things.

In saying all this though, as soon as I heard BA (let alone hearing that they are trying to sort out a QF matter), I knew that this case was as good as dead. The fact that you had the options you were given was probably good; BA could have just as easily left you out in the cold without recourse (in one case, they might even treat this as attempted fraud), and frankly that's the response I would have expected out of them.

I'm sorry that you and your wife had to find this out the hard way, but if you're expecting any redress from QF, I wouldn't count on it at all. The fact that you could not find this requirement in QF's CoC because it is not written in there is absolutely no excuse.

 

[serfty]

Because it is quite clear that a married couple turned up, with valid tickets for the flights, and one was refused boarding due to a very simple mistake. It was also clear that no-one else was going to turn up to use that valid ticket as that person was already there.

Good customer service says that when you realise a simple mistake was made you do everything possible to fix it. Yes free of charge. Unfortunately you and I are not likely to agree on what constitutes good customer service.

No. 2 people turned up, one of which did not have the same name as that on the ticket nor had any id in that name.

It is not the airlines that prevent people travelling internationally on tickets with name on the tickets different from the name on the passport, it's governments and the Authorities they assign to enforce this.

While the airline's (BA) representative could have made arrangements to change the name on the ticket FOC, they do not have to.

It is for this reason that any who travel should really check carefully all fine details of the requirements.

Expect nothing, then you are not disappointed when you get it.

 

[Travel Guru]

While, the airline could have changed the name on the ticket FOC, they do not have to.

Nor should they in my opinion.

The line has to be drawn somewhere, why should it be okay for a married couple to make a mistake and be uploaded FOC but not for someone else?

I believe that the checkin staff did the right thing, if you make an exception for one, you have to make an exception for everyone.

The last thing we want is a system where people can profit or benefit from "mistakes" to change passengers at the last minute etc etc.

TG

 

[liamg]

Sorry to jump on the back of this thread, but it's quite relevant.

I've got a whole bunch of flights on the same PNR coming up.

They're ticketed to "Liammmr Gxx_xx" where "Liam" is my first name, "M" is my initial and "Mr" is my title. So the travel agent has written that in, instead of Mr Liam M Gxx_xx.

I called Qantas a while ago and they said it would all be fine, but now it's got me worried. I'm flying Qantas MEL-SYD then to BKK (on TG) TLV (on LY) FRA (on LY) before travelling FRA-SIN-MEL on QF.

Do you reckon I have reason to be worried?

L.

 

[anat0l]

Sorry to jump on the back of this thread, but it's quite relevant.

I've got a whole bunch of flights on the same PNR coming up.

They're ticketed to "Liammmr Gxx_xx" where "Liam" is my first name, "M" is my initial and "Mr" is my title. So the travel agent has written that in, instead of Mr Liam M Gxx_xx.

I called Qantas a while ago and they said it would all be fine, but now it's got me worried. I'm flying Qantas MEL-SYD then to BKK (on TG) TLV (on LY) FRA (on LY) before travelling FRA-SIN-MEL on QF.

Do you reckon I have reason to be worried?

L.

It should be OK, because many systems around the world do exactly that kind of thing, i.e. join the salutation and the name together. Often, it is also printed like that on the BP (sometimes even when the original booking is correctly "written"). I've heard and seen TAs and other airline industry (or industry-related) staff write pax names like that, and even recount them to people in precise verbatim fashion.

However, as Mal would say, I reserve the right to be wrong! It does annoy me bitterly that TAs can be so cavalier as to do something like that - long time or short time, convention or not, given today's critical security protocols, there is little room for small inaccuracies because the consequences to the passenger can be extremely painful.

 

[Travel Guru]

It should be OK, because many systems around the world do exactly that kind of thing, i.e. join the salutation and the name together. Often, it is also printed like that on the BP (sometimes even when the original booking is correctly "written"). I've heard and seen TAs and other airline industry (or industry-related) staff write pax names like that, and even recount them to people in precise verbatim fashion.

However, as Mal would say, I reserve the right to be wrong! It does annoy me bitterly that TAs can be so cavalier as to do something like that - long time or short time, convention or not, given today's critical security protocols, there is little room for small inaccuracies because the consequences to the passenger can be extremely painful.

It's not a TA mistake, its the way Galileo and I dare say other GDS's print the passengers names on itineraries.

It's completely correct, there's no need to be concerned travelling, its just the way some of the rather antiquated systems generate names.

It has nothing to do with the TA not doing something correctly, they will have entered it as required, it will just be the system in question.

TG

 

[PineappleSkip]

You would think there would be some expectation around minimum info about names when entered into tickets. I have a boarding pass in front of me with SURNAME/ I I MR (where I is an initial). Many other times I have had SURNAME/I MR. If the surname and initials are common e.g. SMITH/J MR any number of people could travel on that ticket. This rather defeats the aim of reliably identifying who's travelling.

PS Writing this in the PX lounge in POM - First time I've actually seen a computer here and working to boot. The gods are smiling tonight. If they smile some more maybe PX98 will actually board...

Cheers skip

 

[medhead]

No. 2 people turned up, one of which did not have the same name as that on the ticket nor had any id in that name.

A caveat before my post, I'm about to say something that I feel I should apologise for before I even say it. Many people have beaten it into me not to say my message in these situations. But I gotta say this the temptation is too great.

Acutally, the facts say that a married couple turned up or 2 very closely related people. This is evidenced by their passports, and otehr ID completely independantly of the booking. This related couple then had 2 seats booked in the name of one of them. Basically these are not complete strangers as suggested by your post Dave.

now for further apology. I'm only taking issue with how you seem to sometimes get strange interpretations that seems to miss some of the information. That doesn't mean I disagree with the general conclusions from (what I consider to be) misinterpretations.

 

[JohnK]

No. 2 people turned up, one of which did not have the same name as that on the ticket nor had any id in that name.

Sorry Dave but I totally disagree with your logic again and I am happy to be wrong knowing that I am actually right.

There were 2 people that turned up that day. One was Michael Hoy and the other was Mrs Michael Hoy. The relationship between the two can be easily proven and it is irrelevant what their "official ID" says. They had 2 valid tickets for travel on those flights and one of them was refused boarding. Very sad indeed....

 

[2muchplastic]

Sorry to jump on the back of this thread, but it's quite relevant.

I've got a whole bunch of flights on the same PNR coming up.

They're ticketed to "Liammmr Gxx_xx" where "Liam" is my first name, "M" is my initial and "Mr" is my title. So the travel agent has written that in, instead of Mr Liam M Gxx_xx.

I called Qantas a while ago and they said it would all be fine, but now it's got me worried. I'm flying Qantas MEL-SYD then to BKK (on TG) TLV (on LY) FRA (on LY) before travelling FRA-SIN-MEL on QF.

Do you reckon I have reason to be worried?

L.

I reckon you'll be fine. I had a whole series of flights booked by our Corp TA and ticketed over about a year in a similar fashion - Davidimr xx_xx_ where clearly David is my first name, I the initial...
Caused an almost humourous moment at the Lounge in BNE when the lounge dragon (presumably she had not seen that notation before!) tried to call me that as a first name.

I didn't have an issue on any of the flights.

 

[dajop]

There were 2 people that turned up that day. One was Michael Hoy and the other was Mrs Michael Hoy.

Know what you're saying, and on a good day commonsense may have prevailed. But this is the 2000's, and the name "Mrs Michael Hoy" belongs in the 1950's/60's - not in the 2000's and certainly has no place in the post 9-11 world, and BA were just following the book. Also, I have no idea so excuse my ignorance- but culturally is the concept of "Signora Michael Foy" something that's common on Italy - or is this an English artefact and would it be just "Signora Foy"?

 

[anat0l]

There were 2 people that turned up that day. One was Michael Hoy and the other was Mrs Michael Hoy. The relationship between the two can be easily proven and it is irrelevant what their "official ID" says. They had 2 valid tickets for travel on those flights and one of them was refused boarding. Very sad indeed....

The problem is at the time of boarding (when they were refused), how could their relationship be easily proven to a complete stranger beyond any doubt? Showing two passports with identical last names and two matching wedding bands is more than likely good enough for us. I don't think many couples frequently travel with a copy of their marriage certificate. And I don't believe that the gate agents are prepared to call the registry of marriages for the relevant couple's jurisdiction to make a confirmation call.

I think there is a fundamental flaw in your merely saying

it is irrelevant what their "official ID" says

since all acceptable, reliable identification documents are official (whether you choose to take that figuratively or literally) for a good reason. In a world where fraud is common, these official documents are very important for identifying the right person (irrespective of the ability to forge any document); why would you attempt to complicate matters when ensuring that you prove you are the person who is travelling is crucial, for your own sake/safety and in order to be in line with the law?

 

[Travel Guru]

Also, I have no idea so excuse my ignorance- but culturally is the concept of "Signora Michael Foy" something that's common on Italy - or is this an English artefact and would it be just "Signora Foy"?

No it's not used at all as in Italy the wife retains her maiden name, my Grandmother only used my grandfathers family name after they emigrated to Australia, as far as the Italian govt was concerned, she was still Mrs xx_ Maiden Name.

Even today all of my relatives wives still hold their maiden names with their children taking the fathers family name.

TG