British Airways flight name change ... PLEASE HELP!

Sarah2682

Can someone please help!

I am in a very tricky situation where I have just bought a house, and have a horrible feeling the company I work for is about to go bust! About 10 months ago I booked a holiday to Vegas with a friend, but obviously now with the prospect of redundancy looming I need to save every single penny I have just in case. My friends boyfriend is more than willing to take my place, however I have just found out that BA has a strict no name change policy. The cost to simply not go and book another flight for my friends boyfriend would be £950 (my friend understandably would not want to fly on her own) ... loads more than the total cost of the holiday, so sadly that is not an option. Has anyone ever had any success with a complete name change for British Airways, and/or is there a way round this problem? Also, any advice from anyone who works for BA would be greatly appreciated. Thanks )

ferf1223

really sorry, but I don't think you're going to find a way around it...the most discounted fares which most of us buy are normally those with the most restrictions.

If you've already paid for it, I'd just go and stick with the lower-cost food options (there are TONS), spend time at the pool and seeing the sites. If the option is paying more, it seems silly.

As someone who had a 6 month period of redundancy last year and went to Vegas during that period I can say that it's a pretty good place to go to kind of forget the job-related woes.

You can do Vegas super cheap if you need to - maybe have a look at the Vegas thread on the overseas travel forum for inspiration and everyone there will give you all kinds of hints and tips if you want.

Sarah2682

I actually went to vegas last year and loved it so much I just had to book again!

Although I will obviously budget if there is no other option, I really don't want to ruin my friends holiday (we were planning a decadent one) and managing to get the price of the holiday back (from my friends boyfriend) would be an absolute winner!

ferf1223

I can understand that you don't want to ruin your friend's holiday, but there are loads of ways to have a good time without spending a huge amount. I can see how selling the holiday on would be your best case, but if the only option is paying more to NOT go, then I'd say go. And anyway, if she's really a friend, she'll understand and you can spend time researching Vegas on a budget - you may be surprised what you can find. Some things might be a bit difficult to do on a budget (like clubs, spas, big shows) but most everything else you can find a way to be relatively decadent without breaking the bank.

Sarah2682

Last time we managed to blag entry into clubs with free drinks on offer ... so we'll have to do that lots this time too!

If anyone on here works for BA however, any information on their internal policy would be greatly appreciated!

Caz3121

have you checked your travel insurance to see if covers redundancy (however this will only come into play if it happens not if you just choose not to go) This would only help with your fare though and not enable your friends boyfriend to get a cheaper fare than is currently available

I do agree with others name changes (apart from on charter flights/package holidays) are normally cost prohibitive even if possible, this is in place to stop people buying up all the cheap tickets then selling them on closer to the time (eg if you paid £400 and now £950 then you could sell on for £800 make a big profit and someone else makes a saving)

malkie76

Sarah2682 wrote: »

If anyone on here works for BA however, any information on their internal policy would be greatly appreciated!

As far as I am aware there are no BA lurkers here. There are a few posters over at flyertalk who do work for BA (pilots, crew, groundstaff and IT/booking folks), however their answer will be exactly the same as is published on BA's website site (which you are already aware of).

There is no 'way round it' - it's a hard and fast rule for a good reason.

As others suggested above, your travel insurance in the event of redundancy is the best option.

Incapuppy

Sarah2682 wrote: »

(my friend understandably would not want to fly on her own)

Not even if there was a considerable saving to be had by flying separately with another airline? Have you explored this option?