Choice Air International Travel - Read this

[ghstudio]

As most know, when you book an international ticket (actually any air ticket these days) you have to provide your information to TSA and it must match your passport or you may have serious trouble at the airport. Normally, this isn't a problem because you enter it correctly....but not with choice air.

 

Choice air will only issue a ticket in the exact name that is on your cruise reservation. If your cruise reservation says John Doe, that's what choice air will enter on the TSA form and although there is a field for middle name, you can't enter anything...it will be rejected because your cruise booking doesn't include the middle name. This has nothing to do with on-line check in which does allow you to enter the correct info...choice air uses the reservation names.

 

In order to book a ticket you have to either call choice air or book the ticket online without a middle name and then call choice air. Believe it or not, they can't just add the middle name/initial...they had to cancel the reservation I made and rebook it with my middle initial (which is what's on my passport)...and I now have a new record locator with American Airlines.

 

In my book, that's a serious programming flaw...and if you don't catch it, or if you say it won't matter, you could be heading for real difficulty at the airport....including American (or other airlines) not allowing you on the plane.

Edited April 21, 2014 by ghstudio

[jelayne]

Good heads up for those who are booking with Choice Air.

 

I encountered the same thing when I booked our flight to Southampton. When I got the record locator number from Choice Air I just called American & they added the middle name.

[NLH Arizona]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Andy]

Hi Ghstudio,

 

Thanks for the heads up. I agree that's a serious programming flaw, and I hope that Choice Air will resolve this.

[Celebrity Cruises]

Hi Ghstudio,

 

Thanks for the heads up. I agree that's a serious programming flaw, and I hope that Choice Air will resolve this.

 

We're already looking into this. Thanks for letting us know.

[sasset]

Thanks. I just double checked to be sure.

 

My Captain's Club card lists my middle initial; my Celebrity reservation lists just first and last names; my Choice Air booked American Airlines LHR/LAX ticket shows middle name.

 

I don't get it, but I feel better now.

[curiouscat]

Choice air can add middle name or initial into the TSA record without canceling the ticket ... the choice air person was incorrect... ask for a supervisor next time. But if first or last name is misspelled you have a problem

 

CC

[ghstudio]

Choice air can add middle name or initial into the TSA record without canceling the ticket ... the choice air person was incorrect... ask for a supervisor next time. But if first or last name is misspelled you have a problem

 

CC

 

That's what I thought...but the agent insisted he had to cancel and rebook which was OK...I'm just glad I followed through and didn't assume it didn't matter.

 

Good that Celebrity is looking into this....cause it could really create a mess for someone.

[Dick in Falls Church]

Saw this, checked the ChoiceAir confirmation. Sure enough, first and last names only. Called ChoiceAir. Agent checked, and proper (middle) names had been reported to both airline TSA.

 

thanks for the heads-up.

[BBsails]

Seems like it would be a good idea to add this thread as a sticky or at least get it into the Choice Air sticky that's already at the top of the page.

 

Betsy

[SeagoingMom]

OK, so I am the dummy here; what exactly is Choice Air and how does it work? I have seen it referred to on posts and on cruiseline websites, but (obviously) never used it, and am not sure why one would... Can ya'll clue me in? The only time I checked the price of flying with Choice Air on a cruise website, the flight was significantly more expensive than what I could book myself. Are there advantages to Choice Air that I am unaware of (or any advantages at all, really?)

[ghstudio]

OK, so I am the dummy here; what exactly is Choice Air and how does it work? I have seen it referred to on posts and on cruiseline websites, but (obviously) never used it, and am not sure why one would... Can ya'll clue me in? The only time I checked the price of flying with Choice Air on a cruise website, the flight was significantly more expensive than what I could book myself. Are there advantages to Choice Air that I am unaware of (or any advantages at all, really?)

 

For the most part, choice air is just another way to book air tickets available only to those who book a cruise with any of the Royal Caribbean brands....however, if you only need to fly one way (eg a transatlantic), they offer rates on major airlines that aren't even offered by the airlines. A one way ticket to London on American booked at american is well over $1000....on choice air, that exact same ticket is under $400. There may be some other reasons to use them....but someone else will have to address those.

Edited April 21, 2014 by ghstudio

[jamona2311]

I just checked also as my Choice air reciept didnt have middle anything but on Deltas site it does show our ticket numbers with our full names which is how are passports are done! Whew

 

Thanks for the heads up. I was really nervous for a second there :o

[ghstudio]

I just checked also as my Choice air reciept didnt have middle anything but on Deltas site it does show our ticket numbers with our full names which is how are passports are done! Whew

 

Thanks for the heads up. I was really nervous for a second there :o

 

It's possible that the delta site filled in the information from your frequent flyer account....but I'm not sure I'd rely on that happening, especially if you didn't have a frequent flier number (did you??).

 

Good that you checked...and good that it's right.

[corey07850]

You can usually change the info in the reservation online. In fact, I just did this for our LH res leaving in a couple weeks. Just login to your res and find something referring to immigration/Secure-flight/APIS info.

 

Pretty sure you actually have to fill this out when you check in online. Should save a call to Choice Air

[Br00klyn102]

Well now that I'm officially nervous.

 

I checked the Choice Air confirmation as well as our cruise confirmation and both just have my and my husbands first and last name. Of course our passports include our middle names as well.

 

Do they need to be added to both of the bookings?

[Christine Frances]

DH's ID is all over the place. Ron K, Ron Keith, Ronald K, Ronald Keith plus Air Canada has him as Ronk lol. BC Ronald Keith (Last Name) PP is Ron K (last name) Celebrity has him as just "Ron" and we have 2 flights booked through Choice Air. We have been to Russia, Europe, US, SA and Asia and never had a problem. We are participants in the Trusted Traveler Program GOES/Nexus so don't know if that makes a difference.

[ghstudio]

Well now that I'm officially nervous.

 

I checked the Choice Air confirmation as well as our cruise confirmation and both just have my and my husbands first and last name. Of course our passports include our middle names as well.

 

Do they need to be added to both of the bookings?

 

No need to be nervous, but you need to get the airline information accurate.

 

Yes...the tsa information for both tickets must match your passports exactly if you are flying internationally to avoid problems. I don't think it matters on domestic us flights. It's the tsa info not the name on the ticket itself.

 

You may be able to update the info on your airline site or call them and ask how to update it. For the cruise, don't worry about the name on the reservation but be sure your online checking info is accurate when you fill it out.

Edited April 22, 2014 by ghstudio

[Br00klyn102]

No need to be nervous, but you need to get the airline information accurate.

 

Yes...the tsa information for both tickets must match your passports exactly if you are flying internationally to avoid problems. I don't think it matters on domestic us flights. It's the tsa info not the name on the ticket itself.

 

You may be able to update the info on your airline site or call them and ask how to update it. For the cruise, don't worry about the name on the reservation but be sure your online checking info is accurate when you fill it out.

 

Oh phew! I called United and they confirmed that while our middle names do not appear on the reservation confirmations or etickets that it is has been added and within their internal systems.

[Wine-O]

Well now that I'm officially nervous.

 

I checked the Choice Air confirmation as well as our cruise confirmation and both just have my and my husbands first and last name. Of course our passports include our middle names as well.

 

Do they need to be added to both of the bookings?

 

I just called Choice Air and had them add our middle names to the two overseas reservations we have. They told me it will be on the TSA portion of the reservation which is on a separate system. Boarding passes will still have first/last names.

 

A separate domestic reservation that I made, not with Choice Air, only had my middle initial. I called United and they told me that our middle names are in the "system."

[mexico8]

For the most part, choice air is just another way to book air tickets available only to those who book a cruise with any of the Royal Caribbean brands....however, if you only need to fly one way (eg a transatlantic), they offer rates on major airlines that aren't even offered by the airlines. A one way ticket to London on American booked at american is well over $1000....on choice air, that exact same ticket is under $400. There may be some other reasons to use them....but someone else will have to address those.

 

Find these posts interesting because I kept reading about Choice Air on cruise critic so I checked some flight prices awhile back and found Choice Air to be extremely expensive - no deals at all. I had booked with Celebrity so it should have been less expensive but it wasn't, so I gave up. In future I will check them again to see if I can find any decent prices.

[alcpa1]

I encourage any of you with questions about Cruise Air programs to familiarize yourselves with the Sticky on the CRUISE AIR FORUM.

Booking an air program, no matter which cruise line, is akin to a blind booking. You never know exactly what you are booking. You get a fare, and a ticket but it could, and often is, a highly restricted consolidator ticket. This is particularly true of TATL and TPAC flights.

The awesome experts on the Cruise Air Forum are extraordinarily generous with their time and expertise. The true measure of the posters like Grand Am and Globilizer is offered and best taken advantage of when you post BEFORE you book a ticket. They have access to tools that provide schedules, costs, and routes that most of us cannot access.

Please, please take advantage of the Cruise Air Forum.

[waterbug123]

Well now that I'm officially nervous.

 

I checked the Choice Air confirmation as well as our cruise confirmation and both just have my and my husbands first and last name. Of course our passports include our middle names as well.

 

Do they need to be added to both of the bookings?

 

Generally speaking, you will not have an issue with TSA if your middle name is missing from the reservation, as long as the first and last name are correct. The issues occur when the first or last name are different, spelled incorrectly, or "Katherine" books as "Kathi" or "Kit"

[Karynanne]

Find these posts interesting because I kept reading about Choice Air on cruise critic so I checked some flight prices awhile back and found Choice Air to be extremely expensive - no deals at all. I had booked with Celebrity so it should have been less expensive but it wasn't, so I gave up. In future I will check them again to see if I can find any decent prices.

 

It depends on the itinerary. Choice Air international flights can be far less than booking directly with your chosen airline.

 

We've used them quite a few times, and have another furture one booked, and have consistantly found the prices less than 1/2 of the airline's price. BUT...I do upgrade "directly" with the airline, once given a "locator" number by Choice Air.

 

Hope this is helpful for you.

 

Karyn

[jerseygirl3]

As most know, when you book an international ticket (actually any air ticket these days) you have to provide your information to TSA and it must match your passport or you may have serious trouble at the airport. Normally, this isn't a problem because you enter it correctly....but not with choice air.

 

Choice air will only issue a ticket in the exact name that is on your cruise reservation. If your cruise reservation says John Doe, that's what choice air will enter on the TSA form and although there is a field for middle name, you can't enter anything...it will be rejected because your cruise booking doesn't include the middle name. This has nothing to do with on-line check in which does allow you to enter the correct info...choice air uses the reservation names.

 

In order to book a ticket you have to either call choice air or book the ticket online without a middle name and then call choice air. Believe it or not, they can't just add the middle name/initial...they had to cancel the reservation I made and rebook it with my middle initial (which is what's on my passport)...and I now have a new record locator with American Airlines.

 

In my book, that's a serious programming flaw...and if you don't catch it, or if you say it won't matter, you could be heading for real difficulty at the airport....including American (or other airlines) not allowing you on the plane.

 

Could you clarify something for me? Are you saying that our Choice Air tickets, our passports and our Celebrity reservation must ALL match?

 

I do have an issue with there being a hyphen in my first name (i.e., Jo-Ann). My Choice Air reservation on USAir's website wouldn't allow me to put in the hyphen, so it reads Joann. My middle name is included on the Choice Air reservation, as well as my passport (although my passport has my name as Jo-Ann). DH has his middle name on his passport and his Choice Air reservation. Neither of us have our middle name on our Celebrity cruise reservation.

 

Are we okay?