Seeking Advice, Please

I am in the USA and plan to buy a ticket for a friend to travel from the UK
to the USA. The airline I checked with said I should make the reservation
and give my friend the confirmation number. Since it will be an e-ticket my
friend can go to the airport, and using the confirmation number, check-in
for the flight. My friend's passport is current. Seems almost too simple
as I wanted to do this several years ago, using paper tickets, and it was a
hassle. Am I overlooking something?

Thanks for any help.

On May 20, 3:57*pm, "Newby" wrote:
I am in the USA and plan to buy a ticket for a friend to travel from the UK
to the USA. *The airline I checked with said I should make the reservation
and give my friend the confirmation number. *Since it will be an e-ticket my
friend can go to the airport, and using the confirmation number, check-in
for the flight. *My friend's passport is current. *Seems almost too simple
as I wanted to do this several years ago, using paper tickets, and it was a
hassle. *Am I overlooking something?

Thanks for any help.

Hi,
You're not missing anything. I've traveled internationally using
confirmation numbers for several years. There is one caution!
Occasionally, airlines will ask for the credit card used when
purchasing the ticket. Why? I don't know. This could be a potential
problem for both of you. You both should check with the airlines here
in the US and the UK, and explain your concern. Check with the
airlines you're flying - not the travel agent. Cheers.

"Newby" wrote in message
maker...
I am in the USA and plan to buy a ticket for a friend to travel from the UK
to the USA. The airline I checked with said I should make the reservation
and give my friend the confirmation number. Since it will be an e-ticket
my
friend can go to the airport, and using the confirmation number, check-in
for the flight. My friend's passport is current. Seems almost too simple
as I wanted to do this several years ago, using paper tickets, and it was
a
hassle. Am I overlooking something?

Thanks for any help.


Generally correct, but note that some airlines (United comes to mind)
require the passenger be able to present the credit card used to purchase
the ticket. Make sure that this will be adequate by calling the airline
reservations number and asking.

"Newby" wrote in message
maker...
I am in the USA and plan to buy a ticket for a friend to travel from the UK
to the USA. The airline I checked with said I should make the reservation
and give my friend the confirmation number. Since it will be an e-ticket
my
friend can go to the airport, and using the confirmation number, check-in
for the flight. My friend's passport is current. Seems almost too simple
as I wanted to do this several years ago, using paper tickets, and it was
a
hassle. Am I overlooking something?

Thanks for any help.



US immigration will want to see a copy of the electronic ticket. They
certainly asked me for mine the last time I travelled to the US (I have a UK
Passport). The airline will e-mail that to you, your job is to e-mail it
to your friend. Make sure you send the correct document, it's the one with
all the terms and conditions attached and (somewhere) the ticket number.

As others have said airlines do ask for the paying credit card. However,
they are quite aware that people do what you're proposing so there are
procedures in place. It's worth checking to make sure the airline knows
your friend will not have your card with them and what other documents
he/she must carry.

In message , at 21:23:06 on Wed, 20
May 2009, Jeff Hacker remarked:
note that some airlines (United comes to mind) require the passenger be
able to present the credit card used to purchase the ticket.

I've been almost caught out by this on BA. When flying overseas I don't
generally carry every single card with me, and the time I was asked it
was just luck I happened to have the right one.
--
Roland Perry

In message
, at
16:35:15 on Wed, 20 May 2009, remarked:
There is one caution! Occasionally, airlines will ask for the credit
card used when purchasing the ticket. Why? I don't know.

They would claim that it reduces fraud. I've never really understood
what kind of scammer would turn up at the airport having identified
himself sufficiently to satisfy Homeland Security, to use a ticket he'd
bought with a stolen card (and more than that, before the real
cardholder had reported the fraud, at which point the airline would
simply cancel the ticket).
--
Roland Perry

In message , at 07:13:02 on
Thu, 21 May 2009, Graham Harrison
remarked:
US immigration will want to see a copy of the electronic ticket.

And don't forget to remind your friend about the ESTA scheme (they won't
get nagged about it by the airline if you've done the booking).

http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/

(Actually, if ESTA is working properly, that could potentially over-ride
the need for carrying the e-ticket because they can check with the
airline that the traveller has the required return ticket, but things
never seem to be co-ordinated that sensibly).

Airlines sometimes want to see the e-ticket too. I find this is somewhat
random! As well as somewhat of a contradiction in terms.
--
Roland Perry

"Roland Perry" wrote in message
...
In message , at 07:13:02 on Thu,
21 May 2009, Graham Harrison
remarked:
US immigration will want to see a copy of the electronic ticket.

And don't forget to remind your friend about the ESTA scheme (they won't
get nagged about it by the airline if you've done the booking).

http://cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/esta/

(Actually, if ESTA is working properly, that could potentially over-ride
the need for carrying the e-ticket because they can check with the airline
that the traveller has the required return ticket, but things never seem
to be co-ordinated that sensibly).

Airlines sometimes want to see the e-ticket too. I find this is somewhat
random! As well as somewhat of a contradiction in terms.
--
Roland Perry

I had completed ESTA when I last entered the USA. He still asked for my
ticket (and the hotel confirmation as well!).

Now here's another point. Make sure that the name you book the ticket in
is the same as the name in the passport. You may know your friend as
"Bill" but his passport will almost certainly then say "William". You may
also find that as part of the booking process you are asked for the passport
number, place and date of issue. That was certainly the case when I used
to do this sort of thing for a friend coming from the USA to the UK. And,
while I think about it, there was never an issue with the credit card when I
used to do that.

As for staff asking for tickets I can remember my first flight with BA on an
ET. Having had some involvement with the BA project team in rolling out
the use of ET to the UK trade I knew that the instruction to BA check in
staff at the time was not to ask for the ticket copy. Didn't stop him
asking for the ticket but when I pointed out it was an ET there was a short
pause and then everything carried on without a hitch (and without any need
to present the ET). The critical issue is to identify the passenger and
flight. Provided that can be done it should not be necessary to present
the ET at check in. However, as I say, you MUST carry it with you for
immigration.

Roland Perry wrote:
In message
, at
16:35:15 on Wed, 20 May 2009, remarked:
There is one caution! Occasionally, airlines will ask for the credit
card used when purchasing the ticket. Why? I don't know.

They would claim that it reduces fraud. I've never really understood
what kind of scammer would turn up at the airport having identified
himself sufficiently to satisfy Homeland Security, to use a ticket he'd
bought with a stolen card (and more than that, before the real
cardholder had reported the fraud, at which point the airline would
simply cancel the ticket).

When I paid for a hotel room for a tenant in a rental property I own
(during termite tenting) the hotel had a form I had to send to them that
allowed them to check into the hotel even though someone else paid for
the room. Maybe the airlines have something similar.

For automated boarding passes on most airlines you just need the
reservation number or some other identifying information (FF #), or you
can print them out in advance, and they never ask for any verification
that you were the one that bought the ticket.

In message , at 09:25:38 on
Thu, 21 May 2009, SMS remarked:
For automated boarding passes on most airlines you just need the
reservation number or some other identifying information (FF #), or you
can print them out in advance, and they never ask for any verification
that you were the one that bought the ticket.

You may never have been asked, but some of us have.
--
Roland Perry