Airport experts agree that when it comes to boarding passes, the most common mistake is for passengers to fail to check the information on it. What do you need to know? Is everything correct? Does your pass match your other materials?
“If there is any mismatch, you will not be able to get through security and not be able to board your flight until the mismatch is resolved,” said Dan Bubb, a former airline pilot and associate professor at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas who has expertise in commercial aviation.
Anda Iepure, a deputy handling manager and former check-in agent at Menzies Aviation, has seen this, too — particularly with names being spelled incorrectly or incompletely. Some names aren’t updated, either: People may type in a maiden name or their partner’s last name even though it’s inconsistent with their other documentation.
For what it’s worth, the point of the nitpicking isn’t to annoy you, as tedious as it may seem. Iepure explained it’s a safety and security issue, and that the fix doesn’t have to be a huge thing.
“This is a simple and possible process if they show up on time at the airport and ask for support at the check-in counters,” she said. “The major problem is if they go straight to the boarding gate and try somehow to board the flight with the wrong name on the boarding pass.”
It’s also important to know the time, gate and other info on your boarding pass ― but don’t forget, it’s subject to change.
“Airlines and airports frequently make last-minute changes to gate assignments, terminals and boarding times,” said Duke Armitage, airline pilot and founder of Aviamonde.
David Rimmer ― the CEO of AB Aviation Group, and a former airline manager and frequent traveler ― experienced a seating change when traveling on a humanitarian mission. After reclassifying his trip as medically related travel, the airline switched his seat and decided he was ineligible to sit in the exit row.
“I did catch the change,” he said, “but was unable to do anything to correct it, and was forced to travel on a redeye in a seat near the rear of the aircraft.”
All of that is to say that while we’re looking at one core mistake here, avoiding it entails multiple steps. Rimmer encouraged the following:
- Verifying that your name is spelled correctly
- Verifying your flight details, such as the flight number, time and route (and staying updated on changes)
- Confirming that your seat assignment agrees with your boarding pass (especially if you paid for an exit row or extra space seating)
- Ensuring your boarding group is correct so you have enough overhead space and can bring your carry-on
“Don’t rush booking your travel,” Bubb advised.
