If the passenger’s name was entered incorrectly on an airline ticket, Brazil’s ANAC rule is more favorable to travelers than many people assume: the carrier must correct an error in the passenger’s given name, surname or suffix without charging a fee, provided the request is made by the time of check-in. The correction cannot, however, be used to transfer the ticket to another person. On international flights involving different operators on the same itinerary — the situation the rule treats as interline travel — correction costs may be passed on to the passenger.
There is another important caveat: if the error was caused by the airline itself, the interline exception does not allow that cost to be passed on to the passenger. These rules appear in Article 8 of ANAC Resolution No. 400/2016 and are also reflected in ANAC’s Enforcement Elements Compendium.
What ANAC requires airlines to correct at no cost
Article 8 addresses errors in the passenger’s given name, surname or suffix. The decisive point is that this is about correcting the identity of the same person, not replacing the traveler. The airline ticket remains personal and non-transferable after the correction.
In practice, when you notice a misspelling, an incorrectly entered surname or another name detail that does not match the document you will use to travel, ask for the correction as soon as possible and state exactly how the name should appear in the reservation. The rule does not create a closed list of “minor” and “major” errors; it separates correction of an error from a change of passenger.
Misspelling, passenger replacement and international travel: what changes
| Situation | Main rule | Deadline to request | Can there be a charge? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name error involving the same person on a domestic flight | The carrier must correct the error without turning the ticket into a ticket for someone else. | By the time of check-in. | No, under Article 8. |
| Name error involving the same person on an international flight without different operators | The general correction rule in Article 8 applies. | By the time of check-in. | The general rule is correction at no cost. |
| International flight involving different operators (interline) | The correction is still possible, but the rule allows correction costs to be passed on. | By the time of check-in under the general rule. | Yes, correction costs may be passed on. |
| Error caused by the carrier on an international interline itinerary | The exception allowing the cost to be passed on does not apply. | Request the correction as soon as you notice the problem. | The cost should not be passed on under that exception. |
| Request to place another person in the original passenger’s seat | This is not a simple name correction: the ticket remains personal and non-transferable. | It is not resolved under Article 8’s correction rule. | The applicable contract terms for cancellation, refund or a new ticket apply, depending on the case. |
Where international travel changes the rule
The key detail is to distinguish “international flight” from “international flight involving different operators.” Resolution No. 400 does not say that every name correction on an international ticket may be charged. Paragraph 2 of Article 8 specifically addresses international travel involving different operators, known as interline travel.
This can happen, for example, when a single trip includes segments operated by different airlines. In that setup, reservation, ticketing and validation systems between carriers may require additional procedures, and the rule allows the related correction costs to be passed on to the passenger. If the error was caused by the carrier, Paragraph 3 removes that possibility.
Do not check in before resolving the issue if there is still time
The rule places on the passenger the responsibility to request the correction by the time of check-in. So, if you notice the error before checking in online or at the airport, the safer course is to contact the airline first and ask it to register the correction request.
If you have already checked in, you should still contact the airline immediately, especially if departure is close, but Article 8 uses check-in as the deadline for the request covered by this specific obligation. Do not assume the issue will be fixed automatically at the gate.
What to send the airline and what evidence to keep
To reduce back-and-forth, provide the booking reference, ticket number when available, the name shown on the ticket and the correct name exactly as it appears on the document you will use for travel. For international trips, use the passport or other document accepted for the destination as your reference.
It is also prudent to keep:
- the ticket receipt and original itinerary;
- a screenshot of the reservation showing the incorrect name;
- the document showing the correct spelling;
- the support protocol number, date and channel;
- written confirmation that the correction was completed;
- the receipt and breakdown of any charge, especially on an international itinerary involving different operators.
This record helps show what you requested, when you requested it and whether any charge was actually related to the interline exception.
If the airline wants to charge you, ask two questions
First, confirm whether the itinerary really involves different operators on an international flight. Second, ask what specific correction cost is being passed on. A generic “passenger change” fee deserves scrutiny when the request is only to correct the identification of the same person.
If the airline acknowledges that it caused the error, keep that acknowledgment in writing: in that situation, Paragraph 3 of Article 8 says the interline charging exception does not apply.
If you cannot resolve it with the airline
ANAC’s current guidance is to contact the airline’s own support channels first. If that is not enough, passengers can file a complaint through ANAC Passageiro. The platform states that the airline has up to 10 calendar days to respond and recommends including information such as airline support protocol numbers, ticket number and flight date. The official complaint service is also described on gov.br.
In your complaint, state clearly that you are asking to correct the name of the same passenger, indicate when the request was made in relation to check-in and, if there was a charge, explain whether the itinerary is domestic, international with one operator or international with different operators. That distinction is exactly what determines whether ANAC’s exception applies.
In short
A name error does not automatically mean you need to buy another ticket. Under Resolution No. 400, the airline must correct an error in the passenger’s given name, surname or suffix at no cost when the request is made by check-in and the traveler remains the same person. The main exception is an international flight involving different operators, where correction costs may be passed on — unless the carrier itself caused the error. The best protection is to request the correction early, avoid checking in before the issue is resolved and keep all support records.
