Maybe there’s simply the COBOL equivalent of the following somewhere:

  if len(first) + len(second) + len(last) <= MAX_LEN_ON_TICKET:
    first_name_on_ticket = first + second

I asked a checkin agent to fix it but they said it will start rejecting my ID if they change it at all.

I don't remember the precise details, but some airline website's password had restrictions at one point that made it super-obvious that they were internally converting alphanumeric passwords to digits based on the US telephone key mapping.

I remember thinking at the time it might ultimately have been due to SABRE (because I believe that's literally one of the oldest computer system still in use), and screen-scraping some telephone menu system depressingly seems like something someone would do for expediency.

I wouldn't be surprised if a system like that also mangles names.

> Usernames and passwords containing letters need to be translated to numbers to enter them in a Fidelity phone system (like FAST, or if you call a representative). Use your telephone keypad to convert the letters to numbers. There is no case sensitivity. Substitute an asterisk (*) for all special characters. https://www.fidelity.com/customer-service/need-help-logging-...

This is completely normal for official documents in Germany and it makes sense for us.

Technically we do not have first, second or any other numbered names. Our given names form a set in the mathematical sense and any one is equally valuable. This comes from the tradition of given names being given by godmothers and godfathers and we wouldn't want to get into the issue to ever have to value one of them over another. At least this has been the case in some parts of Germany and has influenced the official regulations for names.

Of course the names have to be put into an order on your ID and to keep things simple banks, schools, authorities, etc. ask you to use that order on their documents.

Traditionally, official documents just used the surname with "Herr" or "Frau" but nowadays they often use just the given name in first position on your ID.

If never heard of a "First Second" case with one exception:

Given names can be connected with a dash. In this case the order is fixed and the whole unit is treated like a single name. While in principle arbitrary names can be combined there are certain very common combinations, like "Hans-Peter", "Karl-Heinz" or "Franz-Xaver". If you happen to be named "Hans Peter" (without dash) it's likely that they assume the dash and will call you "Hans Peter" or "Hans-Peter" all the time.

There is a very mild version of that in the US -- lower likelihood of blind assumption, but still present: when a set of two given names starts with "Mary" or ends with "Ann/Anne". Examples include "Mary Jane", "Mary Kate", "Jo Ann", and of course "Mary Ann". Some have simply merged into single names like "Maryanne" and "Joanne" more recently. There are probably others.

Of course, and I mildly apologize for my case of Whataboutism because I actually described the reverse. They're taking the rules too literally and are using the thing they need for official documents everywhere (their marketing/status emails).

I'm just just kinda puzzled why they'd think it's a good user experience, especially for people who are not just not used to reading their government id name but actually uncomfortable (i.e. pending name change).