Booking flight on thaiairways.com w/ wrong passport number – ok?

[henrik2000]

Hello, here's me trouble:

• February 2025 – already NOW want to book cheap one-way flight EU – BKK on Thaiairways.com for next November
• September 2025 – my passport expires, and i'd like a new passport only in September
• November 2025 – the flight takes off

When booking online, Thaiairways.com asks your passport number and passport expiry date. You can't leave these fields empty. But you can fill in a bogus passport number and a bogus expiry date and click through till payment, I tried that.

So could I make my online booking with bogus passport number and bogus passport expiry date?

(NB, this NOT about visa application and NOT about online check-in. On those occasions I would present the correct info from the new passport of course. Also I don't need a visa beforehand.)

Notes:

• It is not totally unlikely to have a changed passport number after booking online. One may have lost one's passport and replaced it.
• Getting a THAI flight on booking.com, they don't ask for your passport number and it is 2% cheaper. BUT I hear it's better to book straight with THAI in case of complications (my western home airport has a lot of strikes, and I want to book sports luggage on top of the regular luggage, doable only after having a confirmed booking).

[Nick Carter icp]

Just get a new passport now .

You may save six months passport validity, but they may lose your flight .

Don't go putting in fake passport numbers 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Call THAI and tell them your situation and see what they say. If THAI can't offer a solution, get a new passport now.

 

Don't put any bogus information into their reservation system.

[Nick Carter icp]

6 minutes ago, Etaoin Shrdlu said:

Call THAI and tell them your situation and see what they say. If THAI can't offer a solution, get a new passport now.

 

Don't put any bogus information into their reservation system.

 

  Great advice there , I fully agree

[Rick45]

I would just use a third party website to book this.  Many don't require you to enter a passport.  Trip.com, Expedia, Priceline.  There are many others.

[Hawaiian]

1 hour ago, Rick45 said:

I would just use a third party website to book this.  Many don't require you to enter a passport.  Trip.com, Expedia, Priceline.  There are many others.

Priceline always asks for my passport number.

[henrik2000]

Hi all, thanks for your comments!

 

9 hours ago, Hawaiian said:

Priceline always asks for my passport number.

That's interesting, because booking.com (a Priceline brand) does not ask the passport number when booking a Thai flight on my route, i tried it (just before the Payment threshold).

[Stocky]

You should be able to change it online. When I renewed my passport in the UK two years back I had the same problem but with Qatar Airways. Was able to change passport details online for the return flight. Failing that surely if you presented old and new passport at check in they would understand.

[Hawaiian]

On 3/3/2025 at 9:33 PM, henrik2000 said:

Hi all, thanks for your comments!

 

That's interesting, because booking.com (a Priceline brand) does not ask the passport number when booking a Thai flight on my route, i tried it (just before the Payment threshold).

This is from Priceline:  https://help.priceline.com/identification-guidelines-S1UB9186d

As mentioned before, I have always been required to furnish my passport number when booking international flights through Priceline.

[Olmate]

On 3/4/2025 at 3:13 AM, Rick45 said:

I would just use a third party website to book this.  Many don't require you to enter a passport.  Trip.com, Expedia, Priceline.  There are many others.

BS Dick! 🫠

[Upnotover]

On 3/4/2025 at 5:21 PM, Stocky said:

You should be able to change it online. When I renewed my passport in the UK two years back I had the same problem but with Qatar Airways. Was able to change passport details online for the return flight. Failing that surely if you presented old and new passport at check in they would understand.

The OP's issue is that his current passport expires before the initial flight.  And as TG ask for passport number and expiry date when booking, presumably their system would not be able to proceed to completion.

[Kinnock]

I don't think there's any link from the airline booking system passport details to the immigration system, so your passport number is only needed to link to the booking in the Thai Airways system?

 

So they'll just need to use your name rather than your number.

 

I've flown Thai to my home country several times to get a new passport, and that means on my return journey my new passport will not match my booking, but never has an issue.  I just carry my old passport, but was not asked for it until arrival at immigration. 

 

 

[Sheryl]

Do not use a bogus number. Enter your current details.  After you get new pasdport, update online if possible. If not then bring both old and new passports with you (or copy of old one if you have to surrender it).

 

Potential issue would be at airline  check in, not at Thai immigration. 

[Upnotover]

10 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

Do not use a bogus number. Enter your current details.  After you get new pasdport, update online if possible. If not then bring both old and new passports with you (or copy of old one if you have to surrender it).

 

Potential issue would be at airline  check in, not at Thai immigration. 

If TG's system is in any way "clever" it won't allow the booking as the passport expires before the flight.  Of course the only way to find out is to try it.

[The Fugitive]

5 hours ago, Olmate said:

BS Dick! 🫠

Copied this now from Trip.com;

Passenger Information

Passport or ID information is not required at the time of booking. However, please ensure that you have a passport or ID valid for travel when you check in.

[The Fugitive]

On 3/4/2025 at 3:13 AM, Rick45 said:

I would just use a third party website to book this.  Many don't require you to enter a passport.  Trip.com, Expedia, Priceline.  There are many others.

Agree. Online travel agents almost always offer flights for less (as you've already discovered) than booking directly with the airlines. Their websites/mobile apps are more user friendly too in my experience. The terms and conditions are set by the airlines and the agents have to abide by them.