Another act of piracy in the skies by the usual suspect airline

[mesquite]

OP, thanks for posting. I have flown this airline many times without problems, but now will reconsider in favor of Nok Air. The other airline's penalty for making a mistake in the name is overly harsh.

I suspect some of the critics in this thread did not read your entire post.

[NanLaew]

...

I suspect those who are criticising me as being a tosser for using a nickname do not live in Thailand and/or do not understand the significance of a nickname here.

Huh? It doesn't take living in Thailand to suss out the Lek, Gop, Dao, Pancake, Jeab, Moo, etc., are all nicknames and never, ever used in anything other than SPOKEN word. I mean seriously, you think that Tiny, Frog, Star, Pancake, Chicken and Pig are valid names?

Keep digging.

[Razzler1973]

Why not book using names as they appear in the passport/ID and be done with it?

When making group bookings, the person making the booking may not be in possession of everybody's passport. This is the issue.

It was his family, wasn't it?

[Razzler1973]

I do agree that sometimes a bit of common sense can be used. Ok, you may not have done everything the way it should have been but they're in the business of people people on flights and getting them where they want to go. A whole family and one name different ... common sense would be handy

However, I wouldn't pursue this any further, technically they haven't done anything wrong aside from not apply a bit of sense

When you book with airlines like Air Asia and Nok don't you submit passport details online before check in? Pretty sure I have done before so if the online details matched the 'correct' passport at time of check in you'd think that would be ok to

Most bookings do say 'book as name written in passport' though to be fair so I don't think you'll get anywhere even if it is annoying. Deep down I think you may be a little annoyed at yourself for booking in that way too

[Chao Lao Beach]

[MrWorldwide]

OP, thanks for posting. I have flown this airline many times without problems, but now will reconsider in favor of Nok Air. The other airline's penalty for making a mistake in the name is overly harsh.

I suspect some of the critics in this thread did not read your entire post.

I even went back and read it a second time, and its clear that he came up against the same bureaucrazy the rest of us have to deal with at check-in : I don't see this as a problem specific to AirAsia. They are a much larger airline than Nok Air and I have little doubt that there are 30+ people standing in line for every job AirAsia advertises. I know precisely how nicknames are used on a daily basis in Thailand, but airline security is all about dotting the i's and crossing the t's. If anything, Nok is the airline that isn't playing by the rules.

I also reject the title of this thread - the OP made a mistake and suddenly AA are 'pirates' ?

[krisb]

Frustrating and seems unfair but oh well.

[wooloomooloo]

The long and short of it is - if 50% of the passengers made a mistake with their booking name, i.e. using nicknames, then the flight would be delayed for hours.

There has to be a line drawn, in addition to security requirements, and you'd all be tutting if you were delayed.

[richard_smith237]

For these such as this I avoid Budget Carriers wherever possible....

I've been stung by Easy Jet in the UK (to the tune of £180) for excess baggage that I couldn't pool with my Parents (parents with 20kgs for two, Wife and I on 60kgs - 80kgs in total with a purchased 20kg allowance each). They wouldn't let my parents check one of our bags in as theirs (same surnames, same credit card paid for the tickets). They said it was a safety issue... I hit the roof and was nearly one of those passengers on those Airline Documentaries who gets escorted out of the building... I had to suck it up.. I've never flown that same airline again.

Thus: Even when we think we have ourselves covered, these Budget Airlines find a way to catch us out, be it 1kg over weight, be it slightly late at check in, be it a close connection time... They do whatever they can to give themselves an opportunity to make more money... This is not customer service.

Its OK if you accept these terms, many do an get along fine with it. However, I for one choose not to use these companies and have voted with my feet wherever possible.

[NanLaew]

For these such as this I avoid Budget Carriers wherever possible....

I've been stung by Easy Jet in the UK (to the tune of £180) for excess baggage that I couldn't pool with my Parents (parents with 20kgs for two, Wife and I on 60kgs - 80kgs in total with a purchased 20kg allowance each). They wouldn't let my parents check one of our bags in as theirs (same surnames, same credit card paid for the tickets). They said it was a safety issue... I hit the roof and was nearly one of those passengers on those Airline Documentaries who gets escorted out of the building... I had to suck it up.. I've never flown that same airline again.

Thus: Even when we think we have ourselves covered, these Budget Airlines find a way to catch us out, be it 1kg over weight, be it slightly late at check in, be it a close connection time... They do whatever they can to give themselves an opportunity to make more money... This is not customer service.

Its OK if you accept these terms, many do an get along fine with it. However, I for one choose not to use these companies and have voted with my feet wherever possible.

It's not unique to budget carriers.

My wife, son and I checked in for a KLM flight, each with a 23kg allowance. My checked bag was 26kg (a single large item inside and unable to reduce size), the wife's checked bag was 16kg and my son's checked bag was a whopping 12kg. They STILL insisted that I pay for the overages on my single bag despite being well under the allowance on the other two bags.

Edited November 27, 2013 by NanLaew

[ravip]

For these such as this I avoid Budget Carriers wherever possible....

I've been stung by Easy Jet in the UK (to the tune of £180) for excess baggage that I couldn't pool with my Parents (parents with 20kgs for two, Wife and I on 60kgs - 80kgs in total with a purchased 20kg allowance each). They wouldn't let my parents check one of our bags in as theirs (same surnames, same credit card paid for the tickets). They said it was a safety issue... I hit the roof and was nearly one of those passengers on those Airline Documentaries who gets escorted out of the building... I had to suck it up.. I've never flown that same airline again.

Thus: Even when we think we have ourselves covered, these Budget Airlines find a way to catch us out, be it 1kg over weight, be it slightly late at check in, be it a close connection time... They do whatever they can to give themselves an opportunity to make more money... This is not customer service.

Its OK if you accept these terms, many do an get along fine with it. However, I for one choose not to use these companies and have voted with my feet wherever possible.

It's not unique to budget carriers.

My wife, son and I checked in for a KLM flight, each with a 23kg allowance. My checked bag was 26kg, the wifes checked bag was 16kg and my sons checked bag was a whopping 12kg. They STILL insisted that I pay for the overages on my single bag despite being well under the allowance on the other two bags.

This indeed is very surprising as you were travelling together. Did you not take it up with KLM later?

[NanLaew]

For these such as this I avoid Budget Carriers wherever possible....

I've been stung by Easy Jet in the UK (to the tune of £180) for excess baggage that I couldn't pool with my Parents (parents with 20kgs for two, Wife and I on 60kgs - 80kgs in total with a purchased 20kg allowance each). They wouldn't let my parents check one of our bags in as theirs (same surnames, same credit card paid for the tickets). They said it was a safety issue... I hit the roof and was nearly one of those passengers on those Airline Documentaries who gets escorted out of the building... I had to suck it up.. I've never flown that same airline again.

Thus: Even when we think we have ourselves covered, these Budget Airlines find a way to catch us out, be it 1kg over weight, be it slightly late at check in, be it a close connection time... They do whatever they can to give themselves an opportunity to make more money... This is not customer service.

Its OK if you accept these terms, many do an get along fine with it. However, I for one choose not to use these companies and have voted with my feet wherever possible.

It's not unique to budget carriers.

My wife, son and I checked in for a KLM flight, each with a 23kg allowance. My checked bag was 26kg, the wifes checked bag was 16kg and my sons checked bag was a whopping 12kg. They STILL insisted that I pay for the overages on my single bag despite being well under the allowance on the other two bags.

This indeed is very surprising as you were travelling together. Did you not take it up with KLM later?

Not so unusual these days with tighter airline budgets and we were cattle class and nowhere near any elite status. I doubt it would have happened had I been departing from an airport with actual KLM staff but in the UK, they farm out check-in and baggage handling to Servisair and they are a 'by-the-book' subcontractor with not a KLM rep in sight.

I now exercise the option to fly other carriers whenever I can.

[Razzler1973]

My experience is the opposite with being over weight with baggage, they always seem to shrug and let me go with it

I guess it depends on how full they are too

[sustento]

Why not book using names as they appear in the passport/ID and be done with it?

I'm sorry but that would be far too sensible.

[NoshowJones]

C'mon people ! Ok, technically correct about passport and ticket, yes, but this is not peter jones instead of michael mouse, this is a family travelling together, same surname, d.o.b correct etc and anyone could see the minor error. Whats happened to people, its all about the money, any excuse possible to get a few more bucks.

Whats happened to common sense and customer service, a minor adjustment easily made, customer happy, family happy, repeat business = more money! Thats the "right" decision. But NO it doesnt fit the neat little box so no one is allowed to think, just charge more! Complete Morons! In my opinion.

OP, yiu wont get anywhere as you will probably just get another line of scripted technicality, deal with a human being somewhere you might have more luck, but doubtful with that organisation.

I feel your pain and agree with your sentiment.

Common sense in Thailand Charlie ???????? Your post is 100% correct.

[theoldgit]

Last year I booked flights on AA for friends who where travelling from the UK, we were travelling up to Chiang Mai together.

I know my friend as John though his passport says Malcolm John, I went to the AA ticket desk a few days before the flight with a copy of the passport, and they changed it without charge.

[Jay Sata]

As so many others have said getting names wrong or having over weight bags invokes penalties with budget carriers.

Frankly some people are plane stupid.

In Europe Ryanair are the number one budget airline. There are rigid rules on the size of the one carry on bag allowed in the cabin. Oversized and it goes in the hold and you pay. That's when the temper tantrums start.

The thread title is misleading as the OP made the mistake and it only cost 500 baht to rectify.

How often do you see passengers throwing kilo's of veg away at airports because they don't weigh their bags or think they'll get away with it.

In the case of the guy above where were you going with 60kgs between yourself and wife on easyjet? It's not exactly a long haul airline.

[mogandave]

I think the problem is with last minute changes.

[Jay Sata]

There is no problem if you read the rules and abide by them.

[ultimate weapon]

Three weeks ago I wrote the following complaint to a well known budget carrier whom I have always stoutly defended against other critics on Thai Visa in the past.

"Having been a previously regular customer of [A Airline] I will no longer use your airline whenever there is an alternative (at any price).

Last week I travelled with my family on Nok Air from Ubon to Bangkok and then from Bangkok to Krabi with [your airline].

oh touche.

[ultimate weapon]

As so many others have said getting names wrong or having over weight bags invokes penalties with budget carriers.

Frankly some people are plane stupid.

In Europe Ryanair are the number one budget airline. There are rigid rules on the size of the one carry on bag allowed in the cabin. Oversized and it goes in the hold and you pay. That's when the temper tantrums start.

The thread title is misleading as the OP made the mistake and it only cost 500 baht to rectify.

How often do you see passengers throwing kilo's of veg away at airports because they don't weigh their bags or think they'll get away with it.

In the case of the guy above where were you going with 60kgs between yourself and wife on easyjet? It's not exactly a long haul airline.

You didn't read it properly. NOK made him/her pay but the other airline required a new ticket of around 4K+ to issue a new ticket.

[ultimate weapon]

Seriously, try this on ANY other airline and tell us if things went tickety boo!

An ID should be a serious thing what ever the issue is.

A nickname for an airline ticket...???

Seriously, read my original post for the answer to your challenge, ravip. You just risk looking like a mug if you rush to criticise someone without reading a thread properly.

I suspect those who are criticising me as being a tosser for using a nickname do not live in Thailand and/or do not understand the significance of a nickname here.

Wouldn't be a problem if you registered a child's nickname on his passport.

Honestly speaking it was your bad.

Now it's not only in thailand that people have nicknames.

Ppl the world over have them.

Take the USA. Give you an example a pop singer Madonna or a rapper say Jay Z. I'm not really sure about this but these personalities probably refer to themselves via their moniker/nickname more than their birth names but do you think they put their nick names down when they buy air tickets? I doubt it. It's their govt name aka passport name and no ifs and buts.

I personally have a name that me/friends/family call me but it's not registered on my passport/ID and it's cos i found it too big a hassle to do it so on my official documents that name isn't registered on them but when i book a flight or a hotel i don't use that name of mine but the government one and i don't forget.

Edited November 28, 2013 by ultimate weapon

[ultimate weapon]

To the OP you mentioned you put the child's nick name on both airlines did you do the same for the hotel rooms?

Lord how could you book more than 1 flight and make that mistake?

Let's put things into perspective here. Most thais have a nick name cos their official name is too long. They usually use nicks of 1 syllable long so it's something like say thip, ott, ning, nong etc. Tony jaa was nicknamed ting in ong bak which sounded rather feminine cos it's a female name but anyway back to the topic these are the usual nicks of thai ppl now think about this anyone with any common sense would know these aren't official names. You cannot expect someone to just be called nong right? It's the same with american names too. Someone named william is usually named bill someone would have figured out hey that's not what he's really called on his govt ID what is worse is that the person that OP mixed it up in this case was his own son. Oh lord!

[Briggsy]

As so many others have said getting names wrong or having over weight bags invokes penalties with budget carriers.

Frankly some people are plane stupid.

In Europe Ryanair are the number one budget airline. There are rigid rules on the size of the one carry on bag allowed in the cabin. Oversized and it goes in the hold and you pay. That's when the temper tantrums start.

The thread title is misleading as the OP made the mistake and it only cost 500 baht to rectify.

How often do you see passengers throwing kilo's of veg away at airports because they don't weigh their bags or think they'll get away with it.

In the case of the guy above where were you going with 60kgs between yourself and wife on easyjet? It's not exactly a long haul airline.

I think you'll find Air Asia charged him 4500 Baht to rectify. Please re-read.

[Jay Sata]

Yes I've just re read and see there were two tickets. The same applies with budget carriers the world over. Food and drink on board or

mix ups like this and the passenger pays.

Most people understand the rules and get what they want at a price that undercuts others.

Airline check in staff always expect the name on the ticket to be the same as that on the passport.

If you want latitude then go with a major carrier and pay the extra.

You can't blame the airline...you made the mistake.