A budget airline passenger has sparked a debate about passport name rules after querying whether her booking needed amending. Jessica, who booked a holiday with easyJet, asked on the easyJet holidays Facebook page whether she needed to add her middle name to her booking, as her passport includes it but her booking only has her first and last names.
EasyJet responded, citing International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidance that the name on the reservation should match the official travel document. The airline advised Jessica to contact them via direct message to add her middle name, confirming that the booking name must match the passport.
The UK government website advises that the name on your passport must match the one used when booking travel, but does not specifically clarify whether middle names are required. Different airlines have their own policies. Ryanair states that middle names are not required for flights, while Jet2 says middle names are only needed if two passengers on the same booking have identical first and last names.
Tui also confirmed that middle names are not essential, noting that its website has a 15-character limit for names and that only title, first name and surname are needed. Passengers are advised to check directly with their airline if they have concerns about name matching.
