Blackmail at the check-in by Jet2.Com

tenchy

My name is David John Smith and that's what appears on my passport. However, I'm known as John Smith - always have been. In 30 years of travelling by air I've appeared as SMITHJ or SMITH MRJOHN on the boarding pass - no problems. I recently booked to fly with Jet2.Com and gave my name as John Smith and printed out my boarding pass. On arriving at check-in I was informed that the name of my printed boarding pass did not match that on my passport and I would have to pay £56 to change the booking (£27.50 for outbound and same for return trip). To me this is just sheer blackmail, given that you've no alternative but to pay up under these circumstances. Furthermore my wife (Helen Jane Smith) travelled as Helen Smith (not Helen Jane Smith) no problem, so it isn't as if they wasnt the FULL name on the boarding pass.

My questions; I can't find anything in Jet2.Com T&Cs stating that you must use your FIRST name on your passport when making a booking, so what are my chances of getting a refund? Also, if they won't refund the scandalous charge would the Office of Fair Trading be interested, given that the administative effort on the part of Jet2.Com to change the booking was absolutely minimal?

casevlloyds

I'd say your chances of getting a refund are less than zero.

You were not blackmailed, you made a mistake when booking your ticket and had to pay the appropriate fee for that mistake to be rectified.

Your name is David Smith, NOT John Smith, so why would you book a ticket in the name of John Smith??

richardw

casevlloyds wrote: »

Your name is David Smith, NOT John Smith, so why would you book a ticket in the name of John Smith??

But Jet2 don't know you, which is why they want your first and last name as your passport.
It is a bit much to charge you so much though.

casevlloyds

Taken from Jet2's website -

Identification

What identification do I need to travel?

In order to ensure compliance with Immigration and other governmental authorities Jet2.com customers are required to travel with a valid passport, and any necessary visas where required, on all international flights. Please note that if your photographic ID is damaged in any way it may not be accepted. It is important that your passport or other travel identification documentation is valid and matches the name(s) on your reservation for travel on all flights, including UK domestic flights.


Agreed £56.00 is quite steep, just think yourself lucky you wern't travelling on one of the airlines that does not allow name changes - you would have had to purchase a new ticket entirely!

dixie_dean_2

Blackmail, deffo. Outrageous! Write to your MP.

tenchy

casevlloyds wrote: »

I'd say your chances of getting a refund are less than zero.

You were not blackmailed, you made a mistake when booking your ticket and had to pay the appropriate fee for that mistake to be rectified.

Your name is David Smith, NOT John Smith, so why would you book a ticket in the name of John Smith??

No refund? I think you're probably correct. You seem quite knowledgeable about these matters so can you explain why this "mistake" has never been a problem in the past (30 years of flying) including with Jet2.Con? And what do you reckon about the OFT, given the disproportionality of the fine for my "mistake"?

alanrowell

Over the past few years - since someone decided that flying a plane into a building was a good idea - the rules on who and who not can fly have been increasingly tightened.

These days ALL airlines are required to ensure that the forename & surname on the passport matches the boarding card.

So your wife is OK because it says "helen smith" on her passport and she is booked under "helen smith", you aren't because your passport says "david smith" and not the name you booked under - ie "john smith"



BTW you forgot to put "rip off" in the title

casevlloyds

I have no idea why it has never been picked up before - perhaps you've just been lucky up until now.

I have no idea what the OFT's stance would be on this matter to be honest. As the charge was not a fine as such but an administration charge made for someone to ammend the booking and issue you with new documentation I wouldn't imagine they would be too interested.

The admin fees are clearly shown as part of the T's&C's or the airline and you agreed to them at the time of booking so I don't think you would have any recourse I'm afraid.

It is more common that you might think though and I have encountered this before. One of my clients was booked onto a flight to New York with a non-changeable, non-refundable ticket which was booked by a member of their extended family. They rang me to say the name that it had been booked in was the name he was know by but they hadn't ever know it was not his given name that appeared on his passport. The airline in question would not budge and a new ticket had to be purchased.

Needless to say I know always ask for the "name as it appears on the passport"!!!

tenchy

alanrowell wrote: »

Over the past few years - since someone decided that flying a plane into a building was a good idea - the rules on who and who not can fly have been increasingly tightened.

These days ALL airlines are required to ensure that the forename & surname on the passport matches the boarding card.

So your wife is OK because it says "helen smith" on her passport and she is booked under "helen smith", you aren't because your passport says "david smith" and not the name you booked under - ie "john smith"



BTW you forgot to put "rip off" in the title

So would that be first forename even if I'm actaully known by my second forename, which also appears on my passport? Have you a reference for this assertion?

No, I think Jet2.Con spied an opportunity to rip me off (term used as requested) and did so. Actually I prefer "blackmail" to describe their tactics because they know I had to pay up even if the charge was £1000! Of course they are the ultimate losers 'cos if they don't refund their ill-gotten gains I won't be flying with them again and I'll brief against them as rigorously as I possibly can to ensure friends, family and as many other people as I can influence also stay away.

hieveryone

If jet2.com really wanted to 'rip you off', they could easily have made you purchase a new ticket at a much greater cost.

A mans name could be 'Gerard', but everyone calls him 'Gerry' - makes no difference to the check in person when they see his passport has the full and proper name. I don't see any difference in your case, except you realise you have made a mistake and want a rant about it.

tenchy

hieveryone wrote: »

If jet2.com really wanted to 'rip you off', they could easily have made you purchase a new ticket at a much greater cost.

A mans name could be 'Gerard', but everyone calls him 'Gerry' - makes no difference to the check in person when they see his passport has the full and proper name. I don't see any difference in your case, except you realise you have made a mistake and want a rant about it.

I do wish people would read posts before commenting on them.