Frequent Flyers Need To Prepare Now For New Secure Flight Rule
Atlas Note: If any of your travelers change their frequent flyer names, or make any corrections to their names, please notify your Atlas account manager immediately!
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued its "Final Rule on Secure Flight" which shifts pre-departure watch list matching responsibilities from individual airlines to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Under the new Secure Flight Rule, the TSA mandates ALL reservations must contain the passenger's full name as it appears on the document that will be used to verify identity at the airport.
In the wake of this Secure Flight passenger pre-screening program, an obstacle affecting the airlines' best customers is beginning to surface. Certain elite members of airline loyalty programs are not being identified as such when they arrive at airports. Under Secure Flight rules, the name travelers use to make bookings must exactly match the name on their government-issued identification (including middle names, first or middle initials, etc.), which may not exactly match the name associated with their frequent flyer accounts.
On the surface, an easy fix would be to have the affected travelers change the names on their frequent flyer accounts to match the names on their government-issued ID. As with many customer service issues related to airline information technology, such a solution often is far easier said than done and often requires faxing, mailing and following up with phone calls.
EXAMPLE 1: An American Airlines frequent flyer who has maintained platinum status in the carrier's loyalty program for 14 years. His reservations have always been booked under R. David Baker (not his real name). His ID reads Robert David Baker, but he has never had trouble getting through security to date. His frequent flyer account reads Robert Baker, but that's never been an issue with American until this week when American advised that he must either change his reservation name to match his frequent flyer account in order to receive miles and elite status recognition (i.e. upgrades), or he must change his frequent flyer account to match his reservation name. And ultimately, his government ID name will trump either process.
EXAMPLE 2: A traveler's Continental OnePass account is listed as 'Shawn', but his ID and passport is listed as 'Shaun.' In 10 years, he has never had a problem until attempting to check in last week for an international flight. It took quite a while to get him past security and checked in.
The Secure Flight rule officially takes place in August, but given the phased-in approach the TSA is taking, travelers may want to take the necessary steps now to change names in frequent flyer accounts if they don't match their government identification.
Each airline has a different procedure for name changes. Some allow a letter to be faxed, some will do it by phone, and some require documentation to be sent via mail only. Below are links to most airline's name change information page (or phone numbers if they do not have information online):
American: <http://www.aa.com/aa/pubcontent/en_US/utility/nameChange.jsp?
anchorLocation=DirectURL&title=namechange>
Continental: <http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/Contact/onepass/namechange.aspx>
Delta: <http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_skymiles/membership_guide_program/skymiles_rules/index.jsp#changes> (under "Name and Address Changes")
JetBlue: <http://help.jetblue.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/webisapi.dll/,/?St=35,E=0000000000015217491,K=4373,Sxi=11,Case=obj(4458)>Northwest: call 1-800-447-3757
Southwest: call 1-800-445-5764
USAir: <http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/contact/dmilesacctform.aspx>
United: <http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51027,00.html?navSource=MileagePlusFAQ&lin
kTitle=Manage+profile+FAQ+sidebar#Can%20I%20submit%20a%20name%20change%20online>