Name on ticket

[Ispolkom]

Last weekend I bought a ticket at the depot (I did it in person because I had some unused tickets to turn in). Strangely enough, the agent insisted that I needed to have the new ticket written with my first and last names on it. TSA regulation, he claims.

This was annoying, since a) I've always gone by my middle name, and my AGR account is in my middle name, and b) I've always had middle-name last-name on my Amtrak tickets, including one that I was turning in, a ticket issued at that very station.

I didn't make more of a scene because Mrs. Ispolkom was with me, so now I have a ticket that won't earn me AGR points, since the name is wrong.

I chalk this incident up to an officious agent screwing around with me, and will be more careful to buy tickets on-line and use the quik trip machine.

 

[MrFSS]

Last weekend I bought a ticket at the depot (I did it in person because I had some unused tickets to turn in). Strangely enough, the agent insisted that I needed to have the new ticket written with my first and last names on it. TSA regulation, he claims.

This was annoying, since a) I've always gone by my middle name, and my AGR account is in my middle name, and b) I've always had middle-name last-name on my Amtrak tickets, including one that I was turning in, a ticket issued at that very station.

I didn't make more of a scene because Mrs. Ispolkom was with me, so now I have a ticket that won't earn me AGR points, since the name is wrong.

I chalk this incident up to an officious agent screwing around with me, and will be more careful to buy tickets on-line and use the quik trip machine.

Did the agent put your AGR number on the ticket? If so you should be able to communicate with AGR and have them give you the points, even if after the travel is over.

Others may have more ideas.

 

[uptheirons29]

OK....maybe an unrelated question....I bought my return ticket from Michigan back to So. California last week through the station agent in Fullerton, CA after I have made my reservation through 1-800- USA RAIL. I still haven't bought the ticket from here to MI though. Anywho, my first name is spelled wrong on the ticket even after I showed the agent my AGR ticket and my state ID. Would that be a problem when the conductor or anyone else on the trip ask for my ticket and ID when I get on the train?

 

[the_traveler]

I agree!

If your AGR number is printed on the ticket (as it should be), it will be much easier when you have to contact AGR (because the number and name does not match)! But I don't buy that argument - the "TSA Regulations"!

Unless they do the "random ID checks", it should not matter the name on the ticket! Except once (inside the NOL station - where they checked EVERY passenger's tickets), I have NEVER been asked for ID aboard a train. My name is David, but I've traveled with Marek's name on the ticket a few times without incident (as he doesn't travel that much, but wanted to keep his AGR account active). I doubt I could pass for Susan or Dorothy or Amanda though!

 

[the_traveler]

OK....maybe an unrelated question....I bought my return ticket from Michigan back to So. California last week through the station agent in Fullerton, CA after I have made my reservation through 1-800- USA RAIL. I still haven't bought the ticket from here to MI though. Anywho, my first name is spelled wrong on the ticket even after I showed the agent my AGR ticket and my state ID. Would that be a problem when the conductor or anyone else on the trip ask for my ticket and ID when I get on the train?

No, it shouldn't matter on the train IF you get asked for ID - they can easily tell that "Jmaes" should be "James". But as I stated above, you may not even get asked.

The problem will be with getting AGR credit - because the name on the ticket does not match the name on the AGR account. You would have to contact AGR. But if your travel (with that/those ticket{s}) has not occurred, I would just have those tickets reissued with the correct spelling!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Last weekend I bought a ticket at the depot (I did it in person because I had some unused tickets to turn in). Strangely enough, the agent insisted that I needed to have the new ticket written with my first and last names on it. TSA regulation, he claims.

This sounds a lot like the Secure Flight program, but I have seen no evidence that this applies to Amtrak. The name itself seems to contradict any connection with ground based transportation.

Link: http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/

This was annoying, since a) I've always gone by my middle name, and my AGR account is in my middle name, and b) I've always had middle-name last-name on my Amtrak tickets, including one that I was turning in, a ticket issued at that very station.

In the case of some airlines you're allowed to make a one-time change to your frequent flier details to accommodate this new rule, possibly even changing the name entirely and "gifting" them to someone else. But this change is only allowed once.

I didn't make more of a scene because Mrs. Ispolkom was with me, so now I have a ticket that won't earn me AGR points, since the name is wrong. I chalk this incident up to an officious agent screwing around with me, and will be more careful to buy tickets on-line and use the quik trip machine.

Hmm. I'm not sure what the correct course of action would be if this happens again, but this doesn't appear to be an actual TSA directive based on what I've seen so far.

 

[amamba]

Last weekend I bought a ticket at the depot (I did it in person because I had some unused tickets to turn in). Strangely enough, the agent insisted that I needed to have the new ticket written with my first and last names on it. TSA regulation, he claims.

This sounds a lot like the Secure Flight program, but I have seen no evidence that this applies to Amtrak. The name itself seems to contradict any connection with ground based transportation.

Link: http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/

This was annoying, since a) I've always gone by my middle name, and my AGR account is in my middle name, and b) I've always had middle-name last-name on my Amtrak tickets, including one that I was turning in, a ticket issued at that very station.

In the case of some airlines you're allowed to make a one-time change to your frequent flier details to accommodate this new rule, possibly even changing the name entirely and "gifting" them to someone else. But this change is only allowed once.

I didn't make more of a scene because Mrs. Ispolkom was with me, so now I have a ticket that won't earn me AGR points, since the name is wrong. I chalk this incident up to an officious agent screwing around with me, and will be more careful to buy tickets on-line and use the quik trip machine.

Hmm. I'm not sure what the correct course of action would be if this happens again, but this doesn't appear to be an actual TSA directive based on what I've seen so far.

My first thought was also the "secure flight" initiative. I do think its a best practice to book your travel in your legal name. I would probably go ahead and change your name on your AGR account to your legal first name and then use that for amtrak tickets. It doesn't matter if your legal first name is not what your wife calls you (or anyone else for that matter), but unfortunately it does seem to matter to "the man." Just avoid hassle in the future and make the change to AGR and book in your legal name moving forward.

My H had no problem changing the name on his AGR account - he needed to make it from the nickname to the full name because of some points he was transferring from SPG so that the names matched and it was no problem on the AGR end to change it.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

When I was buying some Silver Meteor tickets the other night they asked for ID's and seemed adamant that we produce something with our legal names. I thought it was kind of odd but since my AGR is already based on my legal name I didn't really think much more about until now. Maybe we're seeing the beginning of a policy change at Amtrak. The only question now is if the TSA is behind it or if that's just a generic unthinking excuse being chosen by the Amtrak staff.

 

[Ispolkom]

My first thought was also the "secure flight" initiative. I do think its a best practice to book your travel in your legal name. I would probably go ahead and change your name on your AGR account to your legal first name and then use that for amtrak tickets. It doesn't matter if your legal first name is not what your wife calls you (or anyone else for that matter), but unfortunately it does seem to matter to "the man." Just avoid hassle in the future and make the change to AGR and book in your legal name moving forward.

My H had no problem changing the name on his AGR account - he needed to make it from the nickname to the full name because of some points he was transferring from SPG so that the names matched and it was no problem on the AGR end to change it.

Amamba, you're sounding a lot like Mrs. Ispolkom, who insists on being the voice of rationality and certainly didn't see why I was making an embarrassing scene about a triviality. So I'm probably in the wrong here, but I'll stubbornly insist that I travel under my legal name. It's what's on my birth certificate, my passport, my mortgage. I just don't use my first name, never have, and after 47 years don't particularly feel the need to change to satisfy some random Amtrak ticket clerk's notion of what my "real name" is. I spent way too much time dealing with Soviet bureaucrats back in the day to put up with that sort of petty tutelage here in Minnesota.

I doubt that there is an actual TSA rule for Amtrak travel because:

a) there's no mention of it on the Amtrak Web site,

b) there's no Amtrak "Do Not Train" list, and

c) in decades of train travel, the few times I've had a conductor ask for ID, he's never cared that I go by my middle name.

Instead, I'm chalking this up to the sort of attitude that gets train photographers hassled.

Even if the name I use does somehow matter to the Man, changing the name on my AGR account is a hassle for me. I always have lots of Amtrak tickets outstanding, and if I have to change the name on my AGR account, I'd have to change those tickets, because it's not easy to get AGR credit if the name on the ticket doesn't match the name on the AGR account.

I find it interesting that airline frequent-flyer programs do handle this problem well. My Delta SkyPesos account is in the name Baker Ispolkom, and has been since the mid 80s, but I can buy a ticket with the TSA-required Able B. Ispolkom on it.

In any case, it looks like those travel plans have changed (one of the reasons I hate having tickets printed out), so I'll be following The Traveler's advice and turning in that ticket. Let's see whether I can get the new ticket with my proper name on it.

 

[amamba]

I have had a HUGE problem with this with the airlines, but maybe its because of the last/maiden name issue and not a first/middle name issue. After I got married it was a huge PITA to change my name with the frequent flier airline programs. They are pretty much the only people who wanted me to mail them copies of my marriage certificate, etc. Credit cards, banks, they had no problem doing it over the phone. It's interesting because my H has also had problems (again, based on using a very common nickname for his given name) and not having that match. I pretty much just opened a new UA FF account becuase I had less than 1000 miles and it was easier to open a new one than to deal with the hassle of changing it.

At the end of the day, more power to you for sticking it to the man!

 

[the_traveler]

maybe its because of the last/maiden name issue

That's why I never got married. I don't want to change my name!

(I like "the_traveler" - I don't want to drop "the"!

That's how it goes for males, right?

)

 

[Devil's Advocate]

A quick call to Amtrak gave no indication of any new policy regarding names. Sounds like it was indeed just a one-off by an overzealous or ill-informed desk clerk. Hopefully that's all it is and the policy itself remains unchanged. I think we all agree that Amtrak's unique status regarding TSA scrutiny is currently seen as a major benefit over flying. Anything that changes or reduces that benefit is liable to reduce demand for Amtrak services. I'm not sure if Amtrak brass know or even care about this indirect convenience but if they start making big changes I presume they'll find out soon enough.

 

[Ryan]

I have had a HUGE problem with this with the airlines, but maybe its because of the last/maiden name issue and not a first/middle name issue. After I got married it was a huge PITA to change my name with the frequent flier airline programs. They are pretty much the only people who wanted me to mail them copies of my marriage certificate, etc. Credit cards, banks, they had no problem doing it over the phone.

This mirror's my new wife's experience when she changed her name over the last few months. Pretty amazing, and glad that it'll be a one time event (and doesn't affect ME!).

 

[Rail Freak]

I have had a HUGE problem with this with the airlines, but maybe its because of the last/maiden name issue and not a first/middle name issue. After I got married it was a huge PITA to change my name with the frequent flier airline programs. They are pretty much the only people who wanted me to mail them copies of my marriage certificate, etc. Credit cards, banks, they had no problem doing it over the phone.

This mirror's my new wife's experience when she changed her name over the last few months. Pretty amazing, and glad that it'll be a one time event (and doesn't affect ME!).

Trust Me, it's gonna affect you!!!!

 

[Ispolkom]

In any case, it looks like those travel plans have changed (one of the reasons I hate having tickets printed out), so I'll be following The Traveler's advice and turning in that ticket. Let's see whether I can get the new ticket with my proper name on it.

I happened to be going to the hardware store near the depot, so I stopped in to change this ticket. There was a different agent, and I had no problem at all getting my proper name on it. Hah! The Man can't keep me down!

 

[Ispolkom]

In any case, it looks like those travel plans have changed (one of the reasons I hate having tickets printed out), so I'll be following The Traveler's advice and turning in that ticket. Let's see whether I can get the new ticket with my proper name on it.

I happened to be going to the hardware store near the depot, so I stopped in to change this ticket. There was a different agent, and I had no problem at all getting my proper name on it. Hah! The Man can't keep me down!

Now I'm all set to travel with books in my checked luggage, and who knows, maybe a typewriter or two.

 

[rvm]

I once bought a ticket from a QuickTrak machine using a pre-paid Visa gift card, and the ticket came out with the name "You/A Gift For". Conductor took the ticket, no problem. This was on train 66.

 

[the_traveler]

I once bought a ticket from a QuickTrak machine using a pre-paid Visa gift card, and the ticket came out with the name "You/A Gift For". Conductor took the ticket, no problem. This was on train 66.

Hey - that's my name too!

We better not have the same AGR number!

 

[Big Iron]

In any case, it looks like those travel plans have changed (one of the reasons I hate having tickets printed out), so I'll be following The Traveler's advice and turning in that ticket. Let's see whether I can get the new ticket with my proper name on it.

I happened to be going to the hardware store near the depot, so I stopped in to change this ticket. There was a different agent, and I had no problem at all getting my proper name on it. Hah! The Man can't keep me down!

Now I'm all set to travel with books in my checked luggage, and who knows, maybe a typewriter or two.

Don't forget your microwave!! Glad it worked out for you, I have a similar problem with my name/nickname. Perhaps Special Agent Lynch is a Ticket Agent in MN now. Working for a large company is is interesting/disturbing to see the individual "interpretation" of policy/procedures. Remember the gentleman in Cali being asked by a telleer to put his fingerprint on a check and he had no arms????