Travelers booking flights with Malaysia Airlines & AirAsia will now need to be more careful when entering their names, as both airlines have updated their booking systems to match international travel standards.
Malaysia Airlines: Follow the Passport Exactly
Malaysia Airlines now requires passengers to enter their names exactly as shown in the machine-readable zone (MRZ) of their passports that’s the section at the bottom of the passport photo page with two lines of letters, numbers, and symbols.
This includes names with “Bin”, “Binti”, or “Anak”, which are common in Malaysian naming conventions. The move is meant to reduce issues during check-in and immigration, especially for those whose passport names follow a Western-style format.
Important: The airline has confirmed that existing bookings will not be affected by this change. Only new bookings moving forward must follow the new guideline.
AirAsia: Clear Given Name & Family Name Format
AirAsia has introduced a clearer format that separates “Given Name” and “Family Name” during booking. This aims to accommodate a wide range of naming conventions found across Asia, including Malaysian, Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Thai, and Vietnamese names.
By standardising the name format, the airline hopes to improve booking accuracy and avoid confusion that can cause delays at the airport.
What You Should Do Before Booking with Malaysia Airlines & AirAsia
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Check your passport’s MRZ and enter your name exactly as shown.
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Separate given and family names correctly, especially when booking with AirAsia.
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Double-check your ticket details after booking to avoid last-minute issues.
These updates are part of both airlines’ efforts to improve travel efficiency and reduce identity verification issues at the airport.
For full guidelines, visit the airlines’ official websites: