The input of an erroneous passenger name at the time of flight booking might lead to some problems since it can be impossible to enter the country with a ticket if your passport has a different name than that on your ticket. Having booked a flight with Singapore Airlines and found out that the name of a passenger was input erroneously, you need to know the difference between a name correction and a name change before making the request.
Singapore Airlines considers a passenger name as one of the essential parts of the ticket. Its Conditions of Carriage says that the ticket issued for the passenger named in the ticket cannot be transferred and the carrier may ask you to show your valid identification.
This guide will cover the main Singapore Airlines name change policy, name corrections, information that may be needed, etc.
Is Name Change Allowed on Singapore Airlines?
There is also a difference between the correction of an existing passenger's name and change of the ticket to an entirely new passenger.
As per the Singapore Airlines NDC information, it does not provide for the possibility of changing names, but it could possibly permit one-off name correction, in case of some specific errors in spelling, such as one-letter mistake. It recommends contacting the local sales office of the airline for further help with this request.
It means that passengers must not expect to change the name on a ticket simply from one person to another.
For instance, the correction of "Jonh" to "John" can be classified as a name correction for the same traveler. But substituting John's name with another person's name will be a different request.
What Is the Difference Between a Name Correction and a Name Change?
Name Correction
Name correction is usually done in the case where the traveler is one person but the passenger data contains errors.
The examples are:
Typographical errors in the name
Incorrect input of the passenger name
One wrong letter
Incorrect spelling of the traveler’s name
Name that should be corrected to fit the traveler’s documents
It should be noted that in the case of Singapore Airlines’ agent information, it involves correcting the passenger name in the event of errors.
Name Change or Passenger Replacement
Change of name involves the replacement of the original traveler with another traveler.
According to Singapore Airlines Conditions of Carriage, a ticket is non-transferable, and the transportation will be made to the passenger whose name is mentioned on the ticket and who can prove his/her identity.
Thus, it is wrong for passengers to believe that they will be able to change the name of the traveler on the ticket.
What Are the Singapore Airlines Name Correction Rules?
Eligibility for name correction may vary depending on various factors including booking, ticket, channel of sale and situation. Singapore Airlines has given their business partners some guidelines for correcting the names when eligible for it. According to their guidelines for agents, name correction is allowed to correct a passenger's name in case the ticket needs to be reissued.
In addition, Singapore Airlines has confirmed that their NDC system might allow for one time name correction for some spelling mistakes.
Can I Correct a Spelling Mistake on a Singapore Airlines Ticket?
A spelling correction may be possible if the passenger is still the same individual.
Take, for instance, the case wherein the name displayed on your passport is Michael Smith but the name on your reservation has a slight spelling mistake. You have to inform the Singapore Airlines or the ticketing agent about the name error on the reservation.
As mentioned in the Singapore Airlines' NDC FAQ, one letter difference is one example of a name correction that can possibly be done.
How Do I Request a Singapore Airlines Name Correction?
1. Check Your Ticket
First, check your e-ticket and reservation confirmation.
Check whether the spelling of the passenger's name matches the one in his passport or any other identification document he will have while traveling. Know what specifically is incorrect.
It helps to understand whether you have:
One letter wrong
A misspelling
An incomplete name
Incorrect format of the name
Another name of the passenger
2. Review Your Booking Conditions
Singapore Airlines informs its customers that the terms and conditions of the fares may differ depending on the fare type chosen. The terms and conditions are displayed when booking tickets online; they are shown together with the e-ticket confirmation and are available under Manage Booking.
By studying the terms and conditions, one gets an understanding of the restrictions of his ticket.
3. Contact Singapore Airlines
However, should the issue not be sorted using any of the above methods, get in touch with Singapore Airlines.
Inform them that you require an amendment to your name and include your booking reference along with the passenger details.
Where the ticket is to be booked through a travel agent, it is advised that the travel agent be approached for ticket servicing.
Is There a Singapore Airlines Name Correction Fee?
Charges can vary according to the nature of the request, the ticket, the channel of booking and the applicable policy.
However, there is a recent development regarding travel agency booking: In January 2025, Singapore Airlines declared that with effect from February 1, 2025, it will abolish its USD 50 charge for name correction of eligible requests made by its trade partners. It said that any non-eligible request should be processed by refunding the wrong ticket and issuing a new one.
Thus, the old online statement that every eligible name correction charge will be USD 50 may not be relevant anymore.
It should be noted that passengers can verify the actual charge for their respective reservations since the agency may have its own service charges.
Can I Change the Ticket to Another Person?
In general, it is not right to assume that your Singapore Airlines ticket can be transferred to another person.
It is clearly stated in Singapore Airlines Conditions of Carriage that the ticket cannot be transferred and the carrier shall give transportation only to the passenger whose name appears in the ticket.
In case you do not plan to travel and you would like someone else to travel on your ticket, contact Singapore Airlines or the original ticketing agent and they will tell you what you can do according to your ticket.
What If My Passport and Ticket Have Different Names?
It is advisable for you to sort out the problem before embarking on your journey if your flight ticket does not agree with your passport or other documents.
According to the Conditions of Carriage of Singapore Airlines, passengers must be in possession of valid identification and a valid flight ticket in the passenger's own name.
There could be problems when you get to the airport in relation to checking in and verifying your documents.
What If I Booked Through a Travel Agent?
In case your Singapore Airlines tickets have been booked via any travel agency, please contact the concerned travel agency which has issued the ticket.
The fare guidelines issued by Singapore Airlines explicitly ask those passengers who have booked their tickets through any travel agency to contact the agency regarding the fares for their ticket.
They might help you in getting your correction done via their booking system or on your behalf from Singapore Airlines.
Can I Correct My Name After Ticket Issuance?
A name correction may occasionally be made following ticketing on a case-by-case basis.
Procedures for performing name corrections and issuing replacement tickets are mentioned in Singapore Airlines' agent materials, although its NDC guidelines suggest that some spellings are eligible for correction.
This does not imply that all name corrections following ticketing will be eligible.
Should the proposed name correction not be eligible, the trade guidance from the airline suggests a refund of the incorrect ticket and creating a new reservation with the right passenger name.
Final Thought
Understanding of the name change policy of Singapore Airlines lies in the distinction between correction of the name and name change.
In case the passenger's name is corrected by Singapore Airlines in case there are some spelling or typing errors in the passenger's name, Singapore Airlines allows it. Current NDC data from Singapore Airlines specifically mentions that Singapore Airlines does not allow changing of the name but at the same time a correction due to a certain type of a spelling