Surname change during trip and flight

sheramber

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/customerrelations/customer_charter/booking.jsp

For security reasons it is absolutely essential that the name on your booking, ticket and passport are exactly the same.

If they are not you will be unable to board the flight. This applies to every passenger so when you are making your booking either through a travel agent or direct with us via our website or contact centre it's a good idea to have all the passports with you. The person that you’ve known as John all your life may be called Jack in his passport. And Jane may be spelt Jayne.

This rule also applies to marriage or maiden names. We can no longer allow passengers to travel by accepting marriage certificates or decree absolutes in conjunction with a passport.

IBlameGordonB

sheramba - totally unhelpful, I have read this already. Clearly they are referring to accuracy and correctness, not a the situation where the name of a person actually changes between outward and return legs. There is no option to put this info on a return flight booking so all you could do is book two singles (much more expensive and this site is called moneysavingexpert!)

Others - I think our particular circumstances (which I won't explain here) are unusual. I've heard that they can't do the name change (for £30) after you've taken the outward leg, I can see the logic because they have to ensure its the same person going and coming back. I think we're saved by the fact that her passport includes her maiden surname within the name field (as in my previous post) so they can clearly identify she is the same person. They will not change the name on the booking.

Ultimately if they won't let her on the plane, we'll have to shell out £700 for a single, and take whatever action later to reclaim it, because it is their processes/systems that can't cope with our situation, not us making an error in the booking. And also I'll be back on here to shame them!

Thanks everyone I'll leave it there.

photome

IBlameGordonB wrote: »

sheramba - totally unhelpful, I have read this already. Clearly they are referring to accuracy and correctness, not a the situation where the name of a person actually changes between outward and return legs. There is no option to put this info on a return flight booking so all you could do is book two singles (much more expensive and this site is called moneysavingexpert!)

Others - I think our particular circumstances (which I won't explain here) are unusual. I've heard that they can't do the name change (for £30) after you've taken the outward leg, I can see the logic because they have to ensure its the same person going and coming back. I think we're saved by the fact that her passport includes her maiden surname within the name field (as in my previous post) so they can clearly identify she is the same person. They will not change the name on the booking.

Ultimately if they won't let her on the plane, we'll have to shell out £700 for a single, and take whatever action later to reclaim it, because it is their processes/systems that can't cope with our situation, not us making an error in the booking. And also I'll be back on here to shame them!

Thanks everyone I'll leave it there.

I disagree, Duchys post made it quite clear what you should have done.

You have named the airline already and i dont think you can shame them as it isnt their fault

Why is Sherambas post unhelpful, is it because it isnt what you want to hear?

agrinnall

IBlameGordonB wrote: »

sheramba - totally unhelpful, I have read this already.

You didn't read it very well then, as it refers to the situation your wife is in.

sheramber wrote: »

This rule also applies to marriage or maiden names. We can no longer allow passengers to travel by accepting marriage certificates or decree absolutes in conjunction with a passport.

I would interpret this as not allowing your wife to travel unless she changes the name on the ticket, and if the ticket type doesn't allow name changes then you've made a rather expensive mistake.

duchy

It is unclear how you can "shame" an airline for following its own published terms and conditions but perhaps this strange utterly unique but very secret circumstance you keep talking about will make a difference (although frankly I doubt it)

Just because people aren't telling you what you want to hear isn't any reason to be discourteous to them . Perhaps if you had asked before booking tickets/getting a new passport (either here or asked Virgin) rather than after the event you might have avoided this entire situation you've got yourself into.

pendragon_arther

I can understand the stringent regulations for the passport and ticket to be exact for security purposes but there must be a bit of leaway surely if the op can prove beyond doubt the legitimacy of their circumstances. Otherwise we should all be ruled by robots.

InsideInsurance

pendragon_arther wrote: »

I can understand the stringent regulations for the passport and ticket to be exact for security purposes but there must be a bit of leaway surely if the op can prove beyond doubt the legitimacy of their circumstances. Otherwise we should all be ruled by robots.

But then you get the leeway on the leeway.

The normal process would have been to renew the passport in her maiden name and then update the passport into the married name post the travel. Or, if knowing this was to happen, then book the two separate flights in the separate names originally.

The OP is clearly being cagey about releasing details as a lot of questions have been asked that remain unanswered which is their prerogative but makes understanding the situation much more difficult

Heliflyguy

IBlameGordonB wrote: »

Ultimately if they won't let her on the plane, we'll have to shell out £700 for a single

I would check the price of a return ticket it may be cheaper and you can forget about return leg, I wouldnt bother arguing with VS though and I doubt any other airline would take a different view. edit: sorry just seen that the price for a return is about the same..maybe try a different airline/date and meet up back at home.

Not that it helps the OP but for those saying ticket name must always match the passport in some cases a name has too many characters to fit in the name field as certain airlines only accept 29, names have to be shortened and therefore do not match the passport, of course the check in staff would be aware of the situation.

anotheruser

IBlameGordonB wrote: »

Others - I think our particular circumstances (which I won't explain here) are unusual.

A thai bride isn't that unusual these days... especially for older men.

pendragon_arther wrote: »

I can understand the stringent regulations for the passport and ticket to be exact for security purposes but there must be a bit of leaway surely if the op can prove beyond doubt the legitimacy of their circumstances. Otherwise we should all be ruled by robots.

The problem is marriage certificates are different in every country.
I could knock up a convincing one in 20 mins, print it out on heavier paper and emboss it, all within the hour.
Check-in staff aren't to know what is genuine and what isn't, so it's easier to disallow it all together.

duchy

Heliflyguy wrote: »

Not that it helps the OP but for those saying ticket name must always match the passport in some cases a name has too many characters to fit in the name field as certain airlines only accept 29, names have to be shortened and therefore do not match the passport, of course the check in staff would be aware of the situation.

presumably the first 29 characters would match however and not be entirely different.

Doesn't appear to be the issue in the OP's situation however -so not particularly relevant