[Anonymous]

[IanFromHKG]

Well, I was on a RTW trip last week, on CX/AA/BA, and since AA’s app is Passbook-compatible I decided to use it to check in and see how the experience was.

Now, I don’t know if this is a Hong Kong thing, but whichever agent I use here always enters my name on the ticket as surname first, then a slash, then as much of my three given names as can be entered in the available space followed by MR. So, let’s pretend my full name is Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta. This would appear on the ticket as something like DELTA/ALPHABRAVOCHARMR

The problem with this is that when I tried to use the app to check in, and entered my names, check-in was rejected because my name didn’t match that on the ticket!

Have others had the same experience? Is it just because there isn’t enough space to enter my full name? Should I be trying to lump my given names together as one in order for them to match?

[LuganoPirate]

I’ve had the same problem Ian, so I just leave out my middle name (which happens to be the name I’m known by) and this seems to work just fine. Never been questioned by any airline or authority over it.

[SayerDAFBDM]

Hi Ian_from_HKG,

I work for DAF and can say that for airline tickets you only need the first and surnames as they appear on the passports. No need for middle names UNLESS you have a travel companion that has the same first and surname. Then we might have to add middle names to show it’s not a case of duplicate bookings.

HTH

Anita

[IanFromHKG]

LP, that’s what I did, I just entered my first name (since that was the field requested in the AA app). Annoyingly, it didn’t give me the option of going back and “correcting” it!!

Anita – fair enough, but in practice that isn’t what local travel agents do! We use three regularly – two in Hong Kong (one for leisure, one for business) and one in Bangkok, and they all do the same thing

[simonjames]

A new iOS app on-stage at WWDC called Passbook that aims to shop all of your “passes” — a category that includes boarding passes, shop cards, and video permits. This could be a boon for buyers.

[IanFromHKG]

simonjames – I am not sure what you are talking about here. The WWDC that introduced Passbook was months ago. Are you saying there has been some change in Passbook flagged at a more recent WWDC?

[simonjames]

Its nice. although, to use Passbook you do have to download and log in to each Passbook-supported app individually before Passbook consolidates the bar ciphers into one place.

[Gold-2K]

The design of the boarding passes in Passbook is not very good. The style of the pass on the BA mobile app was very clear to see flight number, name, class of travel and seat number. In Passbook everything is way too small. i have read elsewhere that the cabin crew are not too impressed as its very hard for them to check boarding passes as people board.

Does anyone know if there is way to use the BA mobile app without Passbook?

[Swissdiver]

@Ian, the name / first name thing is an Asian issue since in several countries there the use is to put the last name first. I am not surprised to see it is creating problems…

@Gold-2K: No opt-out I believe.

@All: I am now using Passbook because BA forced me to do so. But I have to say I am rather happy with the service. I like a lot the boarding “card” availability on the lock screen. Quite convenient…

[Swissdiver]

I tried it now with LH and LX. Interestingly the app’s behaviour is very different. With BA, it is very useful as the right boarding card (i.e. the one for the coming flight) is accessible at any time (without entering the phone pin code). With LH and LX though, I had to manually open the app and select the boarding card. Far less convenient…

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