When you're booking an international flight with All Nippon Airways (ANA), there is one thing that matters above all else: your passport. If the name on your screen doesn't match the name in your hand, you're looking at a potential travel disaster.

The All Nippon Airways Name Change Policy is notoriously strict. Unlike some North American carriers that might let you slide with a minor typo, ANA treats the passenger name field as nearly sacred. If you've realized your middle name is missing or your surname is spelled with a "C" instead of a "K," here is the reality of how to fix it without losing your flight (or your mind).

The Big Reality Check: Correction vs. Change

First, we have to clear up the terminology. In the airline world, there is a massive difference between a "correction" and a "change."

• Name Correction: This is when you made a mistake entering your own name. Maybe you swapped your first and last name, or you missed a letter. ANA generally considers these on a case-by-case basis.

• Name Change: This is trying to give your ticket to someone else—like selling your seat to a friend because you can't go. ANA strictly prohibits this. Tickets are non-transferable. Period.

If you need a full name change because you are a different person than the one on the ticket, the All Nippon Airways Name Change Policy is very clear: you must refund the original ticket (paying whatever cancellation fees apply) and buy a brand-new one at current market prices.

Common Scenarios for Name Corrections

Since you can't just edit your name on the ANA website once the booking is confirmed, you’ll likely need to call their customer service. Here are the situations where they are most likely to help you:

1. The Inverted Name Oopsie

It happens to the best of us. You put "John" in the Surname box and "Smith" in the First Name box. Because it's clearly still you, ANA can usually fix this. However, it often requires "reissuing" the ticket, which might come with a service fee even if the fare difference is zero.

2. Legal Name Changes (Marriage or Divorce)

If you booked your flight as "Jane Smith" but your passport now says "Jane Doe" because you got married, ANA will typically allow a correction. You will almost certainly have to email them a copy of your marriage certificate or legal decree along with your new passport scan.

3. Minor Spelling Errors

A one or two-letter typo is usually forgivable. If your name is "Christopher" and you typed "Cristopher," the airline can often add a remark to your reservation or reissue the ticket. However, if the error changes the "sound" of the name significantly, they might get more protective.

Eligibility and Strict Limitations

Don't wait until you're standing at the check-in counter at Narita or LAX to bring this up. The All Nippon Airways Name Change Policy has several "deal-breaker" conditions:

• 205 Ticket Stock: To fix the name, your ticket usually needs to be issued directly by ANA (their ticket numbers start with 205). If you booked a codeshare flight (like an ANA flight booked through United), ANA might not be able to touch the name field; you'd have to call the airline that issued the ticket.

• Interline Agreements: If your itinerary includes other airlines (e.g., a connection on Lufthansa or Thai Airways), correcting a name becomes 10x harder because the name must match perfectly across all airline systems.

• Already Flown: If you’ve already used the first leg of your trip, you generally cannot change or correct the name for the return leg.

Estimated Fees and Costs

While ANA doesn't publish a single "Name Change Fee" (because they technically don't allow "changes"), there are costs associated with "corrections."

Note: If your fare class is "Non-Refundable" and you have to rebook because of a name error, you might lose the entire value of the original ticket. This is why double-checking the spelling during booking is so vital.

How to Handle a Name Issue (Step-by-Step)

If you just spotted an error, don't panic, but do move quickly.

1. Call the ANA Reservation Center: Don't try to do this via email for an urgent flight. Find the local number for your region.

2. Have your Passport Ready: The agent will ask for the exact spelling as it appears in the Machine Readable Zone (the bottom part of your passport).

3. Request a "Name Correction": Use that specific phrase. If you say "Name Change," the agent might reflexively tell you it's impossible.

4. Expect a Reissue: In many cases, they can't just "edit" the text. They have to cancel your old electronic ticket and issue a new one with the correct name.

A Note on Middle Names and Titles

A common panic point for travelers is the middle name. If your passport says "James Robert Smith" but your ticket only says "James Smith," you are usually okay. Most airlines, including ANA, are fine with the middle name being omitted as long as the First and Last names match. Similarly, if your title is wrong (Mr. instead of Ms.), it’s rarely an issue at boarding.

The All Nippon Airways Name Change Policy is designed to prevent ticket fraud, not to punish people for hitting the wrong key on their keyboard. If you're honest, have your legal documents ready, and reach out well before your flight, you can usually get things squared away.

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