Admin charges for booking amendments

Johno115

Hi I recently booked a surprise trip to st Andrews for my partner and a friend and booked flights from east mids to Edinburgh. Unfortunately I did not know his friend had another first name and so had to amendment the booking name to be the same as his passport. I understood there would be a charge as per the terms and conditions. However I contact the booking firm and was told it's cheaper to buy a new ticket and that the charge for an amendment would be £212. Two tickets and return only cost me £350!!!! I cannot believe this is anything more than profits via another route. I asked for a breakdown of costs and was told the admin fee was £45 plus the difference in fares between initial booking and the change I checked and this amounted to £5. So why was the charge £212 I still do not have a satisfactory answer and have had to book another ticket. Is this an accepted practice in the airlines and more to the point should the public accept it? Thought please.

Caz3121

assuming this is bmibaby, the name change fee is £40 per flight, so £80 for a return
If they are quoting £212, this implies that the fare difference is £132 which does not sound right from what you have posted.
Is the name you booked under his middle name and is it on his passport or have you used a nickname. Unfortunately the LCCs are very clear that names must match those on passport but you may stand a better chance of some goodwill if you can show that it is actually the same passenger and you are correcting an error than a completely different passenger

Johno115

Hi yes it's Bmi and I 'm really miffed as I have asked for a breakdown of the costs so I can understand it and not had a reply. I then asked for the address of of the airline and guess what got no reply. I think what they are doing is taking a cut of the charge as there would seem to be three firms involved. The airport direct booking firm, the airline and the firm would you actual pay! I have double checked the difference in cost and on Monday this weekly was just £5. I mentioned this to the customer services and I got a curt '....as previously stated the charge is....' reply. Hardly good customer service. I have not give-up yet though. The misused name was his middle name you are correct. I even sent abta a message to see where could take this and guess what... No reply.

Thanks for your reply

SaveTheEuro

Johno115 wrote: »

Hi I recently booked a surprise trip to st Andrews for my partner and a friend and booked flights from east mids to Edinburgh. Unfortunately I did not know his friend had another first name and so had to amendment the booking name to be the same as his passport. I understood there would be a charge as per the terms and conditions. However I contact the booking firm and was told it's cheaper to buy a new ticket and that the charge for an amendment would be £212. Two tickets and return only cost me £350!!!! I cannot believe this is anything more than profits via another route. I asked for a breakdown of costs and was told the admin fee was £45 plus the difference in fares between initial booking and the change I checked and this amounted to £5. So why was the charge £212 I still do not have a satisfactory answer and have had to book another ticket. Is this an accepted practice in the airlines and more to the point should the public accept it? Thought please.

If the airline is bmibaby you don't need a passport for a UK internal flight. Your friend should try to get a library card or other photo ID in the name on the ticket.

Caz3121

SaveTheEuro wrote: »

If the airline is bmibaby you don't need a passport for a UK internal flight. Your friend should try to get a library card or other photo ID in the name on the ticket.

excellent idea

Does he have a pass for work? I am assuming that will be in the name he is known as
"bmibaby accepts all forms of photographic identification, however passengers must ensure that all personal identification is of a good standard. "

Johno115

Hi just by way of up date to this saga... I have had it confirmed it's £30 for the change - each way! And then the fare change so to prove a point I looked atmy original invoice £340 for two tickets return. Then at the new ticket I was forced to buy's invoice which was £188 now seeing as I only need one ticket changed I see that as£170 for the first fare and£188 for the second a difference of £18 plus £60 so a fee of £78 for the change. Certainly not the 212 I wad originally quoted or the £188 I eventually did pay. Does anyone see it differently am I being unreasonable?

Finally does anyone have an email address for bmi I cannot find this one and have lost the will to live with the booking agent!

Thanks again for all your replies.