Ticket vs Passport vs ID

The new information requirement about birthdate and sex is a new rule designed to help eliminate the wrong people being detained because of a similar name appearing on the No Fly list.

It's OK if your ticket only shows your middle initial instead of your full middle name.

This is from the TSA website:
"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. "
http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/faqs.shtm

If your name is Anthony and its Anthony on your passport and Tony on your ticket, chances are you will not fly internationally. If your full name is on your passport, it must be on your ticket as well. I understand that there is some "give" on the middle initial being OK for the full middle name but that's it. I just had a business trip to China. My client, who booked the airline ticket, knows me as Larry and booked it that way. My name is Lawrence on my passport and there is a Jr. hanging off the end. They had to go back and re-book the ticket.

Thanks Jeff, based on that info, I am ok to go without having to make any changes. Trip is between Sept 8 and 28 so will be home before main changes take effect.

I'm going to be renewing my passport later this year and will be removing my middle name just so there is no confusion. I called the Passport Agency and they said it can be done. I just hope they actually do it.

TSA will also soon start asking people to put their shoes directly on the conveyer belt rather than in the bin because too many people fill up the bin and it's hard for them to see everything. Why can't we be like much of Europe and stop taking our shoes off...period.

Yikes. I hope they don't require middle names- my girls all have two of them! I think I will go with driver's license (middle initial) for domestic travel and save the passport (full middles) for international only.

The new push is that you are ticketed in the same name as your ID. For me that means getting tickets under Bradley rather than Brad, which is what everyone but my family calls me. The main thing is that when you buy your tickets, you order them with the name as it is printed on your passport (for foreign travel) or whatever ID you use (for domestic travel).

What about tickets purchased before this was announced for travel after it goes into effect?

I talked with American Airlines today and they said that any ticket purchased before the dates that the changes go into effect are ok and need not be changed. I would imagine that would be the case on all airlines as this is a TSA thing.

I flew last week-end. Shoes did have to be placed directly onto the conveyer belt. Women's lightweight shoes and flip-flops were getting caught in the belt. For the lady ahead of me, one shoe disappeared for a while. It eventually came through. People were mad. It was a mess.

Thomas,

I'm pretty sure that's the new "Inappropriate Shoe Detector" that won't let people bring inappropriate shoes to Europe, flip flops and white tennis shoes get stuck in it. LOL

Oh, no! Will the new Clothing Scanner rip the shorts off of people?