Common boarding pass mistake could see you banned from boarding holiday flight
Flight attendants have warned travellers about a minor error which could have a massive effect on your holiday. In fact, the small and easy to do mistake could see you stopped from entering the plane ahead of your holiday.
If you're unable to get a new ticket quickly enough then you may have to miss out on your trip entirely. All because of an avoidable issue. When heading to the airport to jet off somewhere nice, many people like to make sure their boarding passes are downloaded to their phone or even printed out for a stress free journey.
But, not only is it important to have the right documents with you, they also must be 100% correct. Especially if you're travelling overseas to another country.
READ MORE: Woman 'rejected' from Thailand flight with mum due to tiny mistake on passport
One upset traveller recently shared how making the small mistake resulted in him being barred from boarding because the name on his pass didn't match his passport.
To correct the problem, he was then asked to shell out more than the cost of his original ticket to change the details on his boarding pass. The man had realised he had misspelt the name on his ticket slightly, the difference between it and the name on his passport being just one letter.
The infuriated bloke posted on Reddit ahead of his journey to ask flight attendants on the site whether he could chance his luck and head to the airport with the typo in place.
"I've booked a flight but the name is one letter off. Think Jon Michael Smith instead of John Michael Smith," he wrote. "Clearly the same name but slightly different spelling. The airline wants more than the flight cost to change it. Is there a formal check of this, or am I likely to get away with it if I try my luck?"
Unfortunately for him and his bank account, the answer was that he may well be stopped from boarding altogether if his ticket was wrong. It's not a risk many people told him to take.
One cabin crew member said: "The last time I was in line for TSA (Transport Security Administration) screening the woman in front of me had the same issue and they wouldn't let her through." Another added: "I was held back and almost denied boarding during a layover in Italy from New York because my middle name wasn’t on the ticket."
A third weighed in: "It needs to match and they are likely to catch that. I don't know why they want you to pay so much extra money. It's an obvious mistake and an easy fix. Are you trying to change anything else about the ticket? If no luck you could even go to an airport and talk to someone at the check in desk. Bring lots of ID."
Bringing tickets without the right information on is not the only mistake passengers often make when at the boarding gate, according to pilot Patrick Smith. He revealed some of the common mistakes all passengers make, including rushing to the gate as soon as boarding is announced.
“When your flight is called for boarding, resist the urge to stand up and get in line immediately," he told eShores.
"In the past, people stayed in their seats until their row or zone was called. Nowadays, when the first pre-boarding call is announced, two-hundred people instantly stand up and form a mob, blocking the way for those passengers whose zones are actually being called.
"People are forced to literally elbow and shove their way to the front. It’s madness, and there’s no need for it. Standing in line does not get you on the plane any faster. On the contrary, it makes the already tedious boarding process take longer."
Plus, if your passport isn't in order then you could be turned away at check in too. TikTok creator Arabella Leat, @arabellaelizabethleat, went viral after sharing her ordeal at the airport.
Arabella was due to fly off to the sunny holiday destination with her mum, but was forced to return home alone that same day. The entire debacle was all caused by a tiny mistake – Arabella’s passport had a small rip in it.
Passports that are damaged can be rejected by airport staff. If you notice any rips or tears in your documents you should apply to renew your passport on gov.uk.
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