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Special Characters in Last Names

DApostrophe
Explorer C

Please Southwest, can you add special characters to your system? My ID does not match my ticket without an apostrophe. It’s usually fine but…when websites etc say in BOLD CAPS that your name must exactly match your ticket, but it literally can’t, it causes anxiety. It also won’t allow global entry and TSA pre check to work. Your Global Entry must match your ID exactly- with an apostrophe. Therefore you can never use your TSA pre check at Southwest. Which seems a very small thing, but it is still frustrating and I feel in this day and age the software should allow for the cultural diversity in the world. 

 

Thank you for considering!

 

Equality for Character Last Names! 🙂 

3 REPLIES 3

Re: Special Characters in Last Names

dfwskier
Aviator A

Since this is a customer forum, you likely won't get anything changed here.

 

My suggestion is to send SW an e-mail. Click on Contact Us (below) to proceed.

Re: Special Characters in Last Names

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@DApostrophe wrote:

Please Southwest, can you add special characters to your system? My ID does not match my ticket without an apostrophe. It’s usually fine but…when websites etc say in BOLD CAPS that your name must exactly match your ticket, but it literally can’t, it causes anxiety. It also won’t allow global entry and TSA pre check to work. Your Global Entry must match your ID exactly- with an apostrophe. Therefore you can never use your TSA pre check at Southwest. Which seems a very small thing, but it is still frustrating and I feel in this day and age the software should allow for the cultural diversity in the world. 

 

Thank you for considering!

 

Equality for Character Last Names! 🙂 


Have you verified this in practice or just from what the websites say? It is possible that it will work without the apostrophe in your booking.

 

https://community.southwest.com/t5/Check-In-Boarding/TSA-Pre-Check/td-p/81019

 

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: Special Characters in Last Names

floridaguy
Aviator C

The problem is going to be where this all ends.

 

Soon you will have someone approach Southwest and their first name is "**^&$$#@("  They will insist that the system allow their name.  Then what?

 

Most systems that I have seen omit non-alphabet characters but allow a space bar.  The standard is not likely to be changed anytime soon.

 

If it does, I want to add emoji and characters to my name.