Need advise on misplelled name on plane ticket for this Friday!!!

[S&S Cruisers 1983]

I need advise on what to do if lets say a "Cheapo" travel company mispelled your name on your ticket to Hawaii. The airline changed it to the correct spelling on the reservation but the airline states that the travel company has to actually change it on the ticket. I have spoken to them multiple times and get one story that it can't be changed, another story is "we will send it to the department that may be able to change it" and of course the old put on eternal hold and never come back!

 

By the way, this ticket was purchased for my son by someone at his college to send him to an ROTC conference in Hawaii. That person will not take respnsibility for the mistake and left it to my son to work out. Of course my son would really like to go. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[yayvacation!]

How bad is the misspelling? Like a vowel was misplaced? Like it's the wrong name completely? What I'm asking basically is if it is something someone would look at and know someone made a mistake, or they would think he was a different kid entirely.

 

I personally would call customer service to both the airline and the travel agent, ask to speak with a manager, explain the situation (calmly), tell them you understand it isn't their fault but you feel they are the only ones to be able to help you, and beg and plead for a very quick turn around on a new e-ticket.

 

That's all I've got, hopefully it works out.

[yayvacation!]

Just thought of something else, try posting this on the cruise-air board, I bet someone has a really good answer to this question!!! Good Luck!

[salukigrl]

Call the corporate office main 800# and ask to speak with the VP or director issue resolutions (or customer service, etc). Most likely you will be sent to an assistant. Tell your story, and they should be able to help.

 

If the name cannot be corrected, show up at the airport extra early. Your son might need to go through an extra security hassle, but most likely will be allowed to board. I have always found that being nice and calm, and friendly when dealing with airport staff is very helpful when there is an issue. Of course, I am assuming, the name is just slightly misspelled and not completly wrong.

[Linda&Vern]

Call the airline again and explain the situation. It might even be better if your son calls as it is his ticket. I think they will help straighten the mess out. One time I mistakenly used my daughter-in-laws maiden name when booking her a ticket to visit me. I called the airline immediately and they laughed and changed it in their system and sent me a confirmation.

[S&S Cruisers 1983]

Thank you everyone. And thank you for not flaming me because it wasn't a "cruise" problem.

 

The name is mispelled Flairity instead of Flarity, that's it.

 

I tried contacting a supervisor twice but those 2 times they never came back to the phone. I didn't know there was a cruise-air board, so I will try that too.

 

Like you said, it is a very minor mispelling, we didn't even notice it at first.

 

My son didn't have a clue what to say on the phone so he asked me to help.

[wrp96]

So generally (but not always), with a simple one letter mispelling, you will be okay unless you get someone on a power trip. I would advise him to get to the airport extra early in case there are problems (both on the outbound and in the inbound flights) but if you can't get any help from the travel agent or airline in advance then I would just risk it.

[Wingtips56]

Chances are a misspelling like that will be no big deal. Having worked in the area of electronic ticketing for one big airline, I know that system had a slight tolerance for mispellings as long as some letters were the same and in the right place. If it failed the system, they can work around it, override the system or reissue it, but with a spelling that close, they * shouldn't * charge you for it. You will have ID proving you are the person meant to be on the ticket. Wrong names are a whole other nightmare.

 

With Secure Flight going into effect, the name in the reservation has to match with the passport information (or other allowed ID), so you certainly want to make sure the airline knows about it now. Keep calling and ask for a supervisor if necessary. Try checking-in on-line if the itinerary is eligible. Otherwise, get to the airport early and see an agent at the ticket counter, or ticket office if separate from check-in.

 

Word to the wise.... an agent is much more likely to go all out for you if you're nice and there is no rush. Yes, I know it shouldn't matter, but trust me: it does.