Air Passengers Need to Book with Full Name

Air travelers will soon notice changes to the information they’re asked to give while booking a flight.

Passengers will need to book tickets using their full names, exactly as they appear on their photo ID. They’ll also have to tell their date of birth and gender when reserving a seat.

Airlines will then hand over that information to the government agency that handles airport security, the Transportation Security Administration. TSA spokesman John Allen says the new system should reduce the number of travelers who are mistaken for similar names on terrorist watch lists. Right now, Allen says those people are required to check in at the ticketing desk so the airline can verify that they’re allowed to fly.

“Having that additional information will dramatically reduce the likelihood of somebody being misidentified, and enable then those people who have not been able to check in at home, to take advantage of those conveniences.”

The changes will be phased in as airlines alter their booking systems to handle the new data. Tickets that have already been bought won’t be affected. During the transition, Allen says TSA officers will be lenient on passengers with tickets that use shortened versions of names. Allen expects the new system to be fully in place by early next year.