Flying to Britain in January 2010

Adventures in leisure travel, thanks to our tax dollars and the good people of TSA.

On the one hand, my wife and I can hardly wait. We have not been on vacation in more than 18 months and it has been nearly that long since we last laid of foot on Albion’s hallowed ground.  And there’s the added benefit that we’ll get to see friends we haven’t seen in nearly ten years as well as family that we last saw in October.

On the other hand, there is all the fun that the Christmas Day escapades have brought us.

I’m always nervous about air travel.  No, I’m not nervous that something will happen to an airplane–that is out of my control.  What I am nervous about is that I would leave something undone that would delay or hinder my next flight like not getting to the airport in time.

With the changes that TSA has made regarding ticketing names and names on identification must match exactly, I made a phone call to British Airways to make sure everything was in order with our tickets.  Thank goodness I checked because they were not.  Since both my daughter and I go by our middle names, our tickets originally had our first initial followed by middle name on the ticket.  Apparently, this would not have been sufficient.

I spoke with a kind customer service representative (it’s shocking, by the way, to speak to a BA CSR and they have an American accent) who heard my concern, checked with her supervisor, and corrected the names on our tickets.  And catch this–they did it for free.

While I was on the phone with them, I asked whether the current stipulations that many report about nothing in laps during last hour of flight would effect our travel (i.e., would I need to secure a seat for my daughter).  She reassured me that, currently no, I do not have to.  But she also said to check BA’s website every few days as requirements are changing frequently.

Here’s hoping the need for all the extra procedures ends soon, and that I seem to have all my ducks in a row.