Always Check Your Tickets

In the past month, I have had 2 airline tickets cancelled on me. The worse part, I was never notified that the tickets were cancelled. The only way I found out was that I tried to pick my seats and an error message appeared.

In both instances, the tickets were cancelled automatically by the airline's system. The reason for the cancellation? 

My name! My legal name is J David.

No, the J does not stand for anything.

YES, my parents named me an one letter.

The problem lies in that most computer systems don't allow you to input one letter, as a first name. Typically, you get an error like this.

Similarly, if I input "J David" in as my first name, I get a similar error as above. The computer system does not like spaces in the first name.

For most of my life, I have just put in "JD" as my first name. The problem is that I don't have legal identification with "JD" anymore.

What was the name that got both of my tickets cancelled?

No space. No period.

Supposedly, computer systems doesn't like that either.

What is the purpose of this post besides me bitching?

A friendly reminder to always check on your tickets before the day of departure. We rely to heavily on technology and slowly that technology is working against us. In my case, discriminating me  because my parents named me an initial by cancelling my ticket.

As of now, one ticket has been fixed and another in the process of being fixed. The airline is balking at reinstating the ticket for two reasons:

1)They don't believing my name is J

2) it was a massive fare mistake. 

Why don't I get DOT protections? The ticket starts and ends outside of the United States. :(

Again, always confirm your plane tickets!

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