The Biggest Mistakes People Make With Their Boarding Passes

The airport can be a hassle even if you’ve been there a hundred times. From “gatexiety” to limited time for goodbye hugs to the fear of losing your luggage to worrying about wearing the “right” outfit for an efficient security experience, there are plenty of reasons you might feel stressed.

Hiccups and mishaps can happen regardless of how prepared you are, and it’s probably not healthy to spend too much time stressing about a flight. Still, staying informed about best practices and learning from common mistakes can help you navigate the experience with less nervousness.

HuffPost has already discussed the biggest mistake people make with their passports. Now, let’s turn to airport workers for a lesson in what not to do with your boarding pass.

Airport experts agree that when it comes to boarding passes, the most common mistake is for passengers to fail to check the information on it. What do you need to know? Is everything correct? Does your pass match your other materials?

“If there is any mismatch, you will not be able to get through security and not be able to board your flight until the mismatch is resolved,” said Dan Bubb, a former airline pilot and associate professor at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas who has expertise in commercial aviation.

Anda Iepure, a deputy handling manager and former check-in agent at Menzies Aviation, has seen this, too — particularly with names being spelled incorrectly or incompletely. Some names aren’t updated, either: People may type in a maiden name or their partner’s last name even though it’s inconsistent with their other documentation.

For what it’s worth, the point of the nitpicking isn’t to annoy you, as tedious as it may seem. Iepure explained it’s a safety and security issue, and that the fix doesn’t have to be a huge thing.

“This is a simple and possible process if they show up on time at the airport and ask for support at the check-in counters,” she said. “The major problem is if they go straight to the boarding gate and try somehow to board the flight with the wrong name on the boarding pass.”

It’s also important to know the time, gate and other info on your boarding pass ― but don’t forget, it’s subject to change.

“Airlines and airports frequently make last-minute changes to gate assignments, terminals and boarding times,” said Duke Armitage, airline pilot and founder of Aviamonde.

David Rimmer ― the CEO…