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I have a Virgin booking created by my employer’s TMC. My name — not unlike John Smith — is displayed in a variety of ways in each of the booking portals involved. I’m concerned in case Virgin has mangled it and I don’t want ID issues at check in or immigration.
TMC record: SMITH/JOHN Mr
TMC record: John Smith
TMC eticket summary: SMITH, JOHNMR
Virgin Atlantic Profile/personal details: all correct
Virgin PNR Passenger Detail: Johnmr Smith
Virgin’s “ready to fly” page for document upload: “Hey Johnmr”Have they incorrectly merged my first name and salutation, or is this all normal?
All normal. Like you, I was concerned when I first saw this some years ago and called/emailed/messaged etc. and was told it’s just how the system processes it. You’d think they’d put some sort of message saying don’t worry about if your name and salutation are merged.
I had to call as they merged first name and first digit of middle name. Agent said it’s fine and they get calls all the time. Surprised they just don’t fix!
I had to call as they merged first name and first digit of middle name. Agent said it’s fine and they get calls all the time. Surprised they just don’t fix!
Easier said than done.
It would require a change in the GDS (an over arching airline booking system that allows different airlines to talk to each other and a way for travel agents to access airline inventory plus there is more than one of them) which were originally built decades ago when data storage was expensive.
It might seem an easy job to just add a few more characters but it really isn’t.
I had to call as they merged first name and first digit of middle name. Agent said it’s fine and they get calls all the time. Surprised they just don’t fix!
Easier said than done.
It would require a change in the GDS (an over arching airline booking system that allows different airlines to talk to each other and a way for travel agents to access airline inventory plus there is more than one of them) which were originally built decades ago when data storage was expensive.
It might seem an easy job to just add a few more characters but it really isn’t.
There’s also at least one IATA/ICAO standard on it, and plenty of systems built on expecting the standard format such as those processing pre-arrival clearances etc. As BA Flyer says, would need the GDS to update, but the countries operating using the ICAO standards would also need to update.
Unlikely to change.
I had to call as they merged first name and first digit of middle name. Agent said it’s fine and they get calls all the time. Surprised they just don’t fix!
I have exactly the same thing on an upcoming booking where some flights are Virgin and some are Delta. In my Flying Club account I have my name as John C Smith (not my really name obvs) and on some bits it’s showing as that but on other parts of the booking it’s showing as Johnc Smith and it had been really worrying me despite being told twice by Virgin it won’t be an issue.
I have a special letter in my name that is substituted with two letters in English, so my name is always spelled different on my ticket than in my passport. I also have two first names that are sometimes combined into a single word, plus of course what you have discussed here with mr being appended to my name in various ways, and it’s never been an issue. Out of 100s of interactions with check in staff I’ve only been asked about it once, and it was fine after I had explained (this was also just after covid so the agent might have been a new hire). You just need to make sure your name is spelled correctly in the Advance Passenger Information form
You just need to make sure your name is spelled correctly in the Advance Passenger Information form
I have exactly the same thing on an upcoming booking where some flights are Virgin and some are Delta. In my Flying Club account I have my name as John C Smith (not my really name obvs) and on some bits it’s showing as that but on other parts of the booking it’s showing as Johnc Smith and it had been really worrying me despite being told twice by Virgin it won’t be an issue.
My name is showing as per the Johnc example in my API. Is this going to cause an issue?
omicron
I have a special letter in my name that is substituted with two letters in EnglishHow do they substitute the greek Omicron Ο with two letters?
You just need to make sure your name is spelled correctly in the Advance Passenger Information form
I have exactly the same thing on an upcoming booking where some flights are Virgin and some are Delta. In my Flying Club account I have my name as John C Smith (not my really name obvs) and on some bits it’s showing as that but on other parts of the booking it’s showing as Johnc Smith and it had been really worrying me despite being told twice by Virgin it won’t be an issue.
My name is showing as per the Johnc example in my API. Is this going to cause an issue?
No. FIRSTNAMEMIDDLNAME or FIRSTNAMEMIDDLEINITIAL is a common way to store those details, allowing for easier onward submission. You will be fine.
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