Travel earlier in the day if possible 3. Take direct instead of connecting flights, if possible 4. Always have a business and home phone number in your record 7. Far too many people are too casual when booking reservations with regard to names. You WILL have major problems when boarding if the name on your identification does not match the name on your ticket.
Nicknames cause the most problems.
Airlines will not change names with impunity, so get it right at the beginning to avoid problems down the road. Most airlines have very liberal policies regarding groups of 10 or more. The fare booked is usually not any better than the lowest fare for the travel dates in that particular market, but the rules are much more favorable than the normal rules for the non refundable tickets. Final payment is not due until 30 days before departure. Names can be changed with impunity until ticketed.