Get ready for major headaches regarding IDs with "Secure Flight"

[Crown Prince]

I don't know about the airlines; however, Princess does have the capability (a field is provided) for adding junior or senior as a suffix to a name.

People having the exact same 3 names should get a phone call from the airline or from Princess (if air is booked through the cruseline) because you may be in jeopardy of one of them being cancelled because it appears that you are trying to double book.

The database, Sabre, does name matching. Sabre is the airline booking system that will detect this and, being a computer, does not reason.

 

I have never been asked my sex so I think this is new.

 

;);):D;);)

[UtterCaro]

Everyone,

 

This directive was to get people OFF the "no fly" list. Too many Tom Smith's, etc.etc. etc. And if Tom Smith #1 was on the no fly list, so were most other Tom Smith's. By adding middle names, birth dates and gender, the "no fly" lists can be weeded out (or at least that is the theory). And yes, there will be some minor problems for a short time.

 

PICK one set of ID that you are going to use and use that name consistently for travel, PREFERABLY your passport. Whatever is on your passport, put in your travel reservations. Should not cause many problems in the future. NO ONE asks for more than one set of ID. And a passport is preferable, as it not only establishes your identity, BUT it establishes your CITIZENSHIP. Put away the driver's license, birth certificates, government ID cards (unless they match passports EXACTLY-mine don't). Don't EVEN PULL THEM OUT. USE YOUR PASSPORT and whatever name is on it for hotels, air, cruise ships, ferries, rental cars, whatever mode of travel you need.

 

I haven't shown anything BUT a passport nor made airline reservations for any name other than my passport name for at least 8 years. And I travel internationally for business A LOT. A passport and using the same name CONSISTENTLY REALLY makes travel easier.

 

Great advice, but my existing FF accounts (US and DL) don't accommodate middle names -- and of course my passport shows mine. I imagine many people are in the same boat. Any guidance?

 

Caro

[flamomo]

So why was this ruling not published nationally well in advance of the beginning of the ruling?

Does this mean I need to go into my cruise line's website and amend my name, to include my middle name for my cruises in September and next March?

[greatam]

Everyone,

 

 

Good advice for the future, but I'm booked on an international flight next week and a cruise. My passport is the only document I have that has first name, maiden name, married name. When booking the cruise I asked TA whether it should be booked in exactly my passport name. Was told that neither middle name not initial was needed. My int'l flight was booked online with name, middle initial, last name, exactly as on all my my credit and FF card.

Even if I could change the booking name (doubtful) to agree with passport, wouldn't there be a problem with the FF and credit cards? Wouldn't I need to get new credit and FF cards by Wednesday?

Don't know that it helps, but all three of my names are uncommon.

 

Don't worry about CREDIT CARDS. Obviously, you currently have ID that matches credit cards. No one is checking credit cards at airports FOR SECURITY.

 

As posted previously, TSA/DHS is NOW using middle names to distinguish between people with common names. By October (I think that is the date) you will have to add birthdate and gender info. The airlines are NOT quite prepared to add that info with online booking and FF program profiles yet. They CAN do it manually with a phone call.

 

Just be prepared for POSSIBLE additional security screening IF you have a common name.

 

Everyone, PLEASE don't get in a big tizzy about this. IF your first and last name on your passport MATCHES EXACTLY your airline reservation, you will be fine. TSA realizes that a lot of tickets were booked quite far in advance and the middle name will not be included. IF the info doesn't match first and last name EXACTLY, call the airline and have them correct the info to avoid potential problems..

 

This is AIRLINE SECURITY, everyone. Has not yet filtered down to cruise manifests, train travel, etc. etc. It probably will eventually and that is why I posted to pick ONE set of ID (preferably your passport as it already includes your LEGAL middle name or initial) for travel TRANSPORT RESERVATIONS. I do not see this ever happening with credit cards, hotel reservations or things like shore excursions. Just too much invasion of privacy.

[HLR]

Hello!

 

Moment of freakout-ness....Looked at boarding pass...no middle name! I went on line...it's there! Called travel agent...she said as they don't print out middle names on the boarding passes. Just called Princess...he said, before I even finished the question, "As long as your first and last name match!" and something to the effect that they won't get stringent until September.

 

Phew!!!!

 

PS...My friend DOES live in the US and I tried to point out "April Fool's Day"...note I say TRIED!

[Pia1913]

I never had to give my full name before just First and Last even though my full middle Name was listed.

 

Is that the change?

 

I knew there was a reason my parent's didn't give me a middle name. Now I know why. ;)

[tulips*n*truffles]

This is really interesting. My DL has my first, last, and middle initial. My passport has my first, last, and full middle. My airline ticket has first and last - no middle. Well phooey! What's the possibility any of the above can be changed in the next 26 days...? :-(

[tulips*n*truffles]

I knew there was a reason my parent's didn't give me a middle name. Now I know why. ;)

 

No middle name? At all? I had a boyfriend in college whose middle name was W. Just W. Not short for anything. I finally had to ask him mom to find out if that was true or if he just hated it. Nope - just W. :-)

[DeckSwabber]

I am a ticket agent at a major airline and we haven't been told of any of these new requirements.. Where are you getting your information from?

[LARGIN]

Would be nice if this info was on the TSA website if it was true.. :rolleyes::confused:

[Joe Pflanz]

Prior to the change each airline was responsible for bouncing the passenger manifest agains the Government's No Fly List of potential terrorists.

 

Now that responsibility belongs to the TSA....

 

It is requiring each airline to provide this information 72 hours prior to take off time.

 

Now before everyone jumps up and down and say what about last minute travelers and such.....you can rest assured that they will just be subject to closer scrutiny at check in.

 

I was assured of this by multiple airlines when I inquired about old bookings that did not collect this information.

 

Hope this eases any of your concerns.

 

Joe

[Pia1913]

No middle name? At all? I had a boyfriend in college whose middle name was W. Just W. Not short for anything. I finally had to ask him mom to find out if that was true or if he just hated it. Nope - just W. :-)

 

The story is that we were too poor to get a middle name. ;) My younger sister however did get one. I guess they were more prosperous by then. :D

[mascara]

Last year cruising overseas I was very concerned about the wording for my DH and DS. They are "Sr." and "Jr." Obviously first, middle and last names the same. Airlines and Princess never put Sr or Jr down even though the passports stated so. Do they not have the capability of Sr or Jr? All worked out fine though.

 

I'm so amused by this whole thing (and you can read it right on the TSA website) because I've travelled with all three of my names for about 15 years. There's no travel reservation system in the world set up to handle three names effectively or consistently, and if there is, none of the people operating it know how to use it.

 

Just last week I had a lengthy adult discussion with my company's travel agent about me needing my airline ticket booked as "first middlelast" instead of "first last" as my company has my name in the database. She was very clear in explaining that if my boarding pass doesn't match my id exactly (and first last doesn't match it at all - my middle name is on everything!) I would never get through airport security.

 

I had to insist this would be fine, even without the space between my middle and last names, because that's how the airlines had to do it (and that's airlines with an s - every airline has had multiple people explain to me that they have to group two of my names together, each airline groups differently - some are firstmiddle last, most are first middlelast). Highly annoying for me for so many reasons.

 

So, my real question is - does this mean the airlines' reservation systems have been reprogrammed to handle three names? Somehow I'm not thinking so?

[LARGIN]

I just checked online booking with Southwest.. First and last name only.. :confused::confused:

[cherylandtk]

From TSA:

In the near future, small differences between the passenger's ID and the passenger's reservation information, such as the use of a middle initial instead of a full middle name or no middle name/initial at all, will not be an issue for passengers. Over time, passengers should strive to obtain consistency between the name on their government issued ID and the travel information they use for booking flights.

 

http://www.tsa.gov/press/releases/2009/0512.shtm

 

and

When does the full name requirement go into effect? When MUST my airline ticket match the name on my ID exactly?

 

Secure Flight requires that domestic aircraft operators request and collect full name as of May 15, 2009, and date of birth and gender as of August 15, 2009 for their domestic flights. For international flights, full name, date of birth, and gender must be requested and collected as of October 31, 2009. TSA has built some flexibility into the processes regarding passenger name accuracy. For the near future, small differences between the passenger’s ID and the passenger’s reservation information, such as the use of a middle initial instead of a full middle name or no middle name/initial at all, should not cause a problem for the passenger. Over time, passengers should strive to obtain consistency between the name on their ID and their travel information.

 

Does the name on all of my Identity Documents have to match? What if my driver’s license has only my middle initial, but my passport has my full name? Should I change my driver’s license to match my passport?

 

Secure Flight does not require that the names on all of your IDs be identical. Passengers should ensure, however, that the name used when making a reservation matches the ID that will be used when the passenger checks in. To illustrate this point using a hypothetical example, if a passenger’s current driver’s license reads “John C. Doe,” the passenger is not required to apply for a new driver’s license listing the complete middle name. However, if the passenger plans to use his driver’s license for identification purposes when traveling, he should ensure that he makes his flight reservation using the exact name on the driver’s license, “John C. Doe.”

 

from http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/faqs.shtm#traveler_faqs

[DrivesLikeMario]

What if your full name won't fit in any of the boxes for airlines? I have an unusually long first, middle AND last name. (Yes, I know...lucky me. :( )

[Colo Cruiser]

What if your full name won't fit in any of the boxes for airlines? I have an unusually long first, middle AND last name. (Yes, I know...lucky me. :( )

 

Its not the one from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is it???

[kendon]

So nothing has changed. :D

 

Apparently the middle name must be used now (or middle initial). I have never used in on reservations in the past, as many of us don't....but will NOW. Just another thing....

[firefly4423]

Thanks for the info!!!

[DrivesLikeMario]

Its not the one from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is it???

 

lol :D

 

Okay, so assuming this was my name:

 

Jacqueline Elizabeth Schwartzenegger

 

Depending on the airline, my name might appear like this instead :

 

Jacquel Elizabet Schwartzeneg

 

Jacqueli Eliza Schwartzen

 

Jacquelin Elizabet Schwartzenegg

 

That doesn't match exactly and although it might be obvious that there wasn't enough room for the whole name, it would be just my luck to get that one TSA agent or airline agent that was a by-the-book kind and would raise holy *ell about it.

 

I think until the TSA can mandate that every airline must have a certain number of character spaces in their name fields, that they are going to have to have a lot of flexibility.

[karmacruiser]

The story is that we were too poor to get a middle name. ;) My younger sister however did get one. I guess they were more prosperous by then. :D

 

 

I thought maybe you were just a well behaved kid, since in our family the only time middle names were used, were when we were in trouble. Lucky you!:)

[srpilo]

Sorry

[benchmarklearning]

and lack of common sense by our government bureaucracy. As someone that travels almost every week and deals with these insane rule, I am about fed up. Just because I don't include my middle name on my ticket and it is on my passport does not make me a terrorist. This will only lead to longer lines and more stupid decisions by some TSA person just because they don't like you.

 

It has been 10 years of stupidity. Tell me the bad guys haven't won.

[benchmarklearning]

Guess I will be on somebody's list now.

 

On top of all that I am clinging to my guns and Bible...Oh crap, I am done for now....

[Ethel5]

I'm sure that the use of a middle initial is going to insure safety on flights :rolleyes: