Airline ticket / passport not matching

[matt2matt2002]

Can anyone advise me on flying without my middle name on my passport being on the airline ticket?

I have booked a return ticket with Turkish Airlines from Edinburgh to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan via Istanbul.
I leave on Mat 26th
When I booked on line the site asked for first name and last name.
So I entered Matthew & Newton
When I was checking through things today I looked at the site again and in very small print it does say that the name on the ticket should match the passport name.
When I called the Airline the lady said I should have entered 2 names ( Matthew William) in the section for first name.
I said this wasn't clear and could she change the ticket. She didn't have the authority to change the ticket and asked me to fill in a complaint form on line.
I have done that and have a reference number but have to wait 7 working days for a reply.
I suspect it will be that they cannot change the ticket name and I will not be able to fly with my passport as it reads.

I do have the option to change the name on my passport ( drop the middle name ) but don't want to do this unless necessary. And I'm not sure how easy it would be and any future personal consequences.

Any folk have experience of travelling without their middle name on their ticket?
Could I take additional identification with my photo on?
Anyone any ideas on how best to proceed?

Many thanks

Matthew (William) Newton

[gaz]

99.99% sure that when we've booked air tickets (BA & EasyJet) we've only used first names and not middle. I'd be 100% sure but Mrs gaz does the bookings.

Await further replies before deciding what to do.

[millikino]

I work as a travel agent so should be able to advise here!!

You do not need your middle name on the booking, as long as it is a middle name and not a double barred surname you will be fine.
I sell about put through about 20 tickets a week actively ask my clients not for the middle name since airline systems can only carry a certain amount of characters-so it is easier/safer to leave it as first name/surname.

Turkish airlines are very good and rated as one of the best scheduled carriers in Europe, so I would be very surprised if they even asked you about it at check in

Have a great trip,i'm planning a round the world trip so will be cycling through Kyrgyzstan in November so you'll have to let me know how it goes

[F70100]

Turkish airlines are very good and rated as one of the best scheduled carriers in Europe...

Admittedly this incident this week wasn't in Europe, but...

[Heltor Chasca]

I work as a travel agent so should be able to advise here!!

You do not need your middle name on the booking, as long as it is a middle name and not a double barred surname you will be fine.
I sell about put through about 20 tickets a week actively ask my clients not for the middle name since airline systems can only carry a certain amount of characters-so it is easier/safer to leave it as first name/surname.

Turkish airlines are very good and rated as one of the best scheduled carriers in Europe, so I would be very surprised if they even asked you about it at check in

Have a great trip,i'm planning a round the world trip so will be cycling through Kyrgyzstan in November so you'll have to let me know how it goes

+1 for this. In a 'past life' I was a travel consultant too. Great fun, but indoors is bad for me! Middle name scenario is cool so long as initials and surname is EXACT. Happy holidays...b

[Mark1978]

My full name is Mark Paul Hewitt it's on my passport. I don't recall ever using my full name on any flights ever. It's never even crossed my mind.

[mercalia]

On another note be careful in changing any details on your passport as it is an identity document these days. Thats the only reason I have mine, so many situations I have needed it as a photo id.

[simonhill]

I have just checked my current Emirates ticket and it says HILL SIMONMR. That is how it puts my name. It gets my name from my frequent flyer and I can't remember if my middle name is there. It is on my passport. I have never had a problem on 10s of flights.

My latest AirAsia ticket, used a week ago just says SIMON HILL no middle name and no problem.

What you quoted off your ticket doesn't say exactly match. First and last should be fine.

Another example is they sometimes say credit card should match ticket. I have 2 credit cards one Simon and another only S. I would never worry about them not matching.

Anything to take your mind off the pedalling hell to come!!!

[eileithyia]

Would have to check, but am sure my middle name is on my passport but never been used for booking flights. Only time there was an issue, I use maiden name and friend booked tickets giving my son my surname, tickets were altered at a small charge.

[Vorpal]

I used to travel quite a bit for a company whose travel agent regularly messed up my name & title, so the sometimes my tickets read like

Mrsnamename Surname
Surname, Namems
Surname, middlenamenamems

And I never had any problems as a result. I have only recently started started using my middle name. I wouldn't worry about it.

[martin.philpot.3]

No probs with passport Mat, have only ever used my first and last name despite a middle name on my passport. May be different however with visa forms in the Stans! Have a great trip. Am looking forward to your crazy guy log. Fairly likely we will meet as I am going clockwise from Osh. Possibly around Khorog, we will see.

[TimP]

I have 4 names on my passport. I have flown using tickets with all 4, first and last, first, second and last and first three only (no family name though third name is a family name of sorts). Never had any problems.

As long as your ticket is not in a name that is not at least part of your name you are okay (so in your case the names shown on the ticket are on your passport - it isn't a case of trying to use a ticket with the wrong name, say you are John Adam Smith, John Smith would be okay but Richard Smith or Richard Adam Smith or John Adams would not be accepted as it is a name not on your passport.

[TonyR]

After a friend was elevated in the peerage I asked whether she got more upgrades when she travelled. "Unfortunately not", she replied, "They just think my name is Susandame"

[Neil Wheadon]

One note of caution
If you are flying to America, in my experience buying many tickets for CTC Tours and Holidays, the airline do require a middle name.

Neil

[Swallow]

I recently flew to Spain, my ticket did not match my passport. I was told it should so I phoned the airline, Flybe and was told it was fine as it was as long as the christian names were the same, ie in my case Robert not Bob or Bobby