One way ticket to USA - Aer Lingus check-in desk

Tim131

Hi all

My wife has a ticket in her maiden name that can't be changed. Now she has her Mexican passport with the maiden name but her us passport has her married name so can't check in with it.

Will she have bother flying on a one way ticket to the us on her Mexican passport at the Aer Lingus checkin desk???

Immigration isn't an issue as she has a US passport!

Just from the aer lingus end of things would this be a problem?

Phoned Aer Lingus and they were as helpful as you would expect - phone the US Embassy - ok phone the US Embassy and ask them about Aer Lingus policy. I explained my wife wil show her US passport to them at the border; she will just show the mexican one as her maiden name is in it and matches the ticket.

Thanks

Tim

surpy

I don't think the airline staff have any interest in your immigration status. They'll be interested in your ticketed status.

McWotever

Bring a copy of the marriage certificate as proof of marriage. Probably won't be needed but better to be looking at it than for it.

Tim131

Thanks lads, yeah had planned on brining the marriage cert.

I only ask as the last time we flew one way to the UK from Ireland, the lady at the Aer Lingus desk asked her for proof of onward travel (which we had, back to the US) - I dont know if that was EU regulations or Aer Lingus regulations.

But thanks for the replies, really dont want to get turned away at the airport!!

Tim

Noxegon

It might be worth applying for an ESTA on the Mexican passport...

vevo

Check in online and only ones you need to explain to are US immigration and if she has US passport, there should be no problem

Tim131

vevo wrote: »

Check in online and only ones you need to explain to are US immigration and if she has US passport, there should be no problem

Oh sweet I never thought of that! that's a really good point!

I booked them using my British Airways airmiles, so I am hoping I just check in on BA.com

Thanks to everyone for the replies

therecklessone

As far as I know all US citizens including those with dual citizenship are required to use a U.S. passport to enter/leave the country. Remember that you will complete CBP formalities in Dublin before you depart.

One thing that might be awkward is the requirement to provide Advance Passenger Information through the Aer Lingus website, they say that you must input your full name as is on your passport, it's just not clear if that is the Mexican one or the U.S. one in your wife's case.

Tim131

therecklessone wrote: »

As far as I know all US citizens including those with dual citizenship are required to use a U.S. passport to enter/leave the country. Remember that you will complete CBP formalities in Dublin before you depart.

One thing that might be awkward is the requirement to provide Advance Passenger Information through the Aer Lingus website, they say that you must input your full name as is on your passport, it's just not clear if that is the Mexican one or the U.S. one in your wife's case.

Yeah as far as I see it, she will go through the immigration with her US passport and get waved on, it is illegal for them to refuse entry to a US citizen... I just forsee and issue with an Aer Lingus staff member asking for proof of onward travel, as she is a Mexican citizen with no visa or green card, I wonder if we just explained the situation they'd say go on!

Also, I dont know if anyone knows, as we booked the flights through BA and our Airmiles, do we check-in through BA, I don't think we would do it on Aer Lingus' website?

Thanks again.

surpy

You'll check in with whoever is operating the flight usually

Tim131

surpy wrote: »

You'll check in with whoever is operating the flight usually

Yeah but I am wondering about online?

Ah I might give Aer Lingus a ring tomorrow, its just such a feckin ordeal...

circular flexing

Is it Aer Lingus to the US, or is it Aer Lingus to London then onwards with BA?

Tim131

circular flexing wrote: »

Is it Aer Lingus to the US, or is it Aer Lingus to London then onwards with BA?

It is DUB direct to BOS - its a completely Aer Lingus run flight, not even codeshared with BA - so thats why I am doubting about being able to check in online.

BA had my wifes maiden name, told us to book and assured us we could change it later on, turns out they cant cos its an Aer Lingus ticket, Aer Lingus say they can't as its a BA ticket.

Really happy I got the two flights for about 100 quid but jesus they're making me work for it haha

andy_g

Moved to Travel Forum. Travel Charter now applies.

Tim131

sugarman wrote: »

Why not just bring and use both?

Check in and travel on the Mexican one, then once arrived hand customs the us one?

Hi

Yeah thats what we planned on doing, however we were just worried that the check-in desk would require proof of a visa or onward travel, as she would essentially, in their eyes, be travelling to the US without a visa - I hope they would just understand our situation - but have found in the past Aer Lingus to be rather inflexible.

Thanks

zagmund

You *have* proof of eligibility to enter the US - she has a US passport.

She is travelling without a visa, but she doesn't need one because she has a US passport.

At the end of the day, if you are at the EI check-in desk you present both passports - unless they are going to say that one of them is invalid then you have the necessary paperwork.

z

Tim131

zagmund wrote: »

You *have* proof of eligibility to enter the US - she has a US passport.

She is travelling without a visa, but she doesn't need one because she has a US passport.

At the end of the day, if you are at the EI check-in desk you present both passports - unless they are going to say that one of them is invalid then you have the necessary paperwork.

z

This is exactly what I was thinking...

So her ticket it is the maiden name, so is her Mexican passport

Her proof of eligibility is her US passport, which is in her married name

I am sure there will be confusion, so as someone suggested I will bring the marriage cert too... I just hope Aer Lingus dont make a song and dance about it.

Thanks all for the input.

zagmund

To be honest, the marriage cert proves nothing conclusively. I'm not saying it won't keep some process droid happy, but all it says is that John Doe married Maria Smith. It doesn't prove that you are *that* John or she is *that* Maria. The only authentication that it has is the two signatures. Meanwhile her US passport has her signature, her photo and her name. If it's enough to keep the US border folks happy then it ought to be enough to keep the EI folks happy.

z