BMI Baby - What a rip-off!

pdc83

I was recently charged £244 for a name change whilst checking in at Notting east midlands Airport. The name change was for a first name and NOT for a surname.

The duty manager at the time could not justify this excessive charge and could only call it an administration fee! All the lady did at the desk was change two letters on a first name and print out a new boarding pass.

I was absolutely disgusted with them as you can imagine.

Does anybody have any thoughts on this matter? I would expect a full refund for this ridiculous charge!!

bezzza

I hate seeing the words RIP-OFF in a thread title as it often means that people have failed to adhere to the airlines terms and conditions but...........

I have quickly scanned bmi baby's t&c's for a name change http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/faqs/changes_and_cancellations/name_changes.aspx where it clearly states that name changes need to be done via reservation centre at least 2 hours before departure - charges will be made including the flight cost difference (even if it is the same flight) so I ASSUME (I'm not saying I'm right but this is my viewpoint) that they charged the name change fee PLUS the difference in flight price and maybe even reprinting boarding pass fee. If I have quoted from the incorrect terms can somebody please point me in the right direction?

However, I am wondering who made the spelling mistake - did you book online or was it an agent? Was it a mistake worth changing? Did it really make any difference to the pronounciation of the name as I know most airlines just let missed/duplicated letters go eg Tracy for Tracey, Jemma for Gemma etc.

EDIT: It would appear that names do need to match specifically to the passport/ID presented http://www.bmibaby.com/bmibaby/faqs/changes_and_cancellations/name_matches.aspx so unfortunately in this case and for next time make sure passenger information matches passport.

As always, if I am wrong in my information somebody please correct me - better that the OP gets the correct information.

pdc83

The name is a Russian name. There are different ways of spelling the name, it was written in the translated form and not how it appears in passport, but pronounced exactly the same!

malkie76

If you didn't like the T&C you shouldn't have bought tickets with that airline.

Name change charges are extremely simple - it's to prevent speculators buying all of the cheapest tickets on a plane then selling them on at a profit closer to the departure date.

No airline differentiates between people with genuine reasons for a name change and speculators looking to make a few quid for nothing.

melb

change the record ...

glenderg

melb wrote: »

change the record ...

The needle's stuck

Heliflyguy

The only record thats stuck here seems to be the one that doesnt understand the difference between a name change and a name correction, some airlines charge only £30 to do a name correction (normally up to 3 letters denotes a name correction) some would do it for free.
I think the OP has been wrongly charged for a name change and a ticket reissue, what they can do about it now I do not know.

Heliflyguy

malkie76 wrote: »

If you didn't like the T&C you shouldn't have bought tickets with that airline.

Name change charges are extremely simple - it's to prevent speculators buying all of the cheapest tickets on a plane then selling them on at a profit closer to the departure date.

No airline differentiates between people with genuine reasons for a name change and speculators looking to make a few quid for nothing.

Thats not right, if you knew anything about airline reservation systems you would know why (as I have pointed out to you before)

dmg24

Heliflyguy wrote: »

Thats a complete load of b******ks, if you knew anything about airline reservation systems you would know why (as I have pointed out to you before)

You are very rude, and malkie76's information is correct.

Heliflyguy

dmg24 wrote: »

You are very rude, and malkie76's information is correct.

I am when I see rubbish written, so maybe you would like to explain why it is correct and how its done.
For most airlines name changes are not even allowed.

pdc83

I would just like to point out that it was indeed a name correction and not a full name change. More over, if an airline such as Ukrainian International charge £15 for a correction (a friend recently did this), then why do and how can an outfit such as BMI Baby charge £244? It's just simply wrong and a disgrace.

I'm quite clearly not somebody who is going to buy tickets in bulk and then flog them. I was just a pax going on holiday. Also, why did they try and charge me excess baggage when I was clearly under the max limit by 2KG? It's simple, they are only trying to profit on people, nothing else.

Secondly, on the return leg flying from Nice, why did the French not care a jot about any of BMI's T&C's? It makes me ashamed to be English when we have clowns operating companies in this country.