Amadeus Lesson 10: How to Change Passenger Name in PNR

A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Correcting Names in Amadeus GDS

Welcome to Lesson 10 of our Amadeus Course for Beginners. By now you’ve mastered the entire booking cycle — from flight search to ticketing. But what happens when a passenger’s name is spelled wrong, or when a customer needs a genuine name change after booking? This is one of the most sensitive operations in Amadeus because airlines have strict rules about it. In this lesson, we’ll show you how to change or correct a passenger name in a PNR, explain the difference between a correction and a real name change, and highlight the rules you must follow — with a full video demonstration at the end.

Why Is This So Delicate?

Airlines treat passenger names as the core identifier of a booking. Changing a name after ticketing is often prohibited — because a ticket is issued to a specific person and cannot simply be transferred. There are only two valid scenarios: fixing a typo (a name correction) or handling a legal name change (a reissue or refund). Mixing up the two can lead to ADMs, denied boarding, or the loss of the entire ticket value.

Scenario 1: Before Ticketing (Name Correction)

If the PNR has not yet been ticketed, correcting a name is straightforward. You cancel the wrong name element and add a new one:

This command cancels element number 1 (which is the passenger name in most cases). Then you add the correct name:

• XE1 – Cancel the wrong name element (line 1)
• NM1… – Add the corrected name
• Always verify the line number before cancelling — the element number depends on the PNR’s structure

Scenario 2: After Ticketing (Reissue or Refund)

Once a ticket has been issued, most airlines will not allow a simple name change. In this case, you must follow one of these paths:

• Minor correction: Some airlines allow a small correction (e.g., one letter) with a fee. You must contact the airline directly and request approval.
• Full name change: Treated as a refund + new booking. The original ticket is refunded according to the fare rules, and a new ticket is issued for the correct passenger.
• Legal name change: Marriage or court order documents may be required. Refund usually follows the fare rules.

Step 3: How to Redisplay the PNR After a Change

After modifying the name, always redisplay and save the PNR with the ER command:

The system will then show the updated PNR with the corrected passenger name in place. Double-check that the ticket number (if present) still aligns with the correct name — any mismatch will cause problems at check-in.

The Rules You Must Never Break

Three golden rules apply to every name change in Amadeus:

• Never replace one passenger with another — this is strictly prohibited and treated as fraud.
• Always match the passport — the corrected name must match the passenger’s travel document exactly.
• Never guess about fees — call the airline if unsure. Guessing can result in an ADM.

Common Mistakes Beginners Make

The most frequent errors when handling name changes include: deleting the wrong element with XE (always verify the line number), attempting a name change on a ticketed PNR without contacting the airline, forgetting to reissue the ticket after a name correction (causing mismatch between PNR and ticket), confusing name correction with name change, and not documenting the change in the PNR remarks. Another serious mistake is doing a name change without the passenger’s written confirmation — if a dispute arises, you’ll have no proof of authorization.

Video Lesson

Watch the practical, step-by-step walkthrough in the video below:

Conclusion

Changing a passenger name in Amadeus is simple before ticketing (using XE to cancel and NM to re-add) but becomes complex after ticketing, where airline rules, penalties, and possibly a full refund/reissue come into play. Always check the fare rules, confirm with the airline when in doubt, and document every change in the PNR. In the next lesson, we’ll cover schedule changes — how to handle airline-initiated modifications and protect your passenger’s booking.