flight name change charges

honsow

I have recently paid for a holiday for friends with the understanding that I would be paid back. Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstance one of my friends can't go, but another friend said he would paid to take his place. I telephoned the holiday company to change the name expecting that there would be n admin charge of about £30, but was shocked to here it would be £130. I have done some research and have found that flight companies regularly charge £30 to £150 to change names. I think this is a stupid amount of money for some small admin and think it should be stopped.

jpsartre

Well, you're entitled to your opinion. Most airlines won't allow name changes at all, would you prefer that?

photome

If there was no charge, there would be nothing stopping me buying up every cheap seat on a flight and then selling on at a profit

Bob_the_Saver

photome wrote: »

If there was no charge, there would be nothing stopping me buying up every cheap seat on a flight and then selling on at a profit

Unless I beat you to it.

jpsartre

photome wrote: »

If there was no charge, there would be nothing stopping me buying up every cheap seat on a flight and then selling on at a profit

Not really true as every airline I know of that allows name changes also requires that you pay any difference in fare between the new and old ticket. So you'd not make a profit reselling.

AHAR

jpsartre wrote: »

Not really true as every airline I know of that allows name changes also requires that you pay any difference in fare between the new and old ticket. So you'd not make a profit reselling.

But

photome wrote: »

If there was no charge

you could.

Caz3121

which airline is the flight with?

If one that allows name changes then the fee will be listed in the ts&cs
If it is one that doesn't then the extra fee could be the cost of a new flight

_Andy_

honsow wrote: »

I have recently paid for a holiday for friends with the understanding that I would be paid back. Unfortunately due to unforeseen circumstance one of my friends can't go, but another friend said he would paid to take his place. I telephoned the holiday company to change the name expecting that there would be n admin charge of about £30, but was shocked to here it would be £130. I have done some research and have found that flight companies regularly charge £30 to £150 to change names. I think this is a stupid amount of money for some small admin and think it should be stopped.

Choose a flexible fare then - presumably you'd be happy to pay more for this?

opinions4u

I think this is a stupid amount of money for some small admin and think it should be stopped

I don't want to have to pay more for my holiday just because you've got indecisive friends.

richardw

The OP did say 'holiday company', not 'airline', wanting to make the charge.

In the past package holiday companies did charge smaller name change fees, but these have risen significantly because additional fee revenues have become very important revenue streams.

jpsartre

AHAR wrote: »

But

photome wrote: »

If there was no charge, there would be nothing stopping me buying up every cheap seat on a flight and then selling on at a profit

you could.

Maybe we are talking past each other. I assumed the OP was talking about the change fee imposed by some airlines, not the (potential) increase in fare. The latter is enough to prevent anyone from making a profit reselling tickets.

Of course, if you could change the name on a ticket without ever paying *any* additional money the system would be ripe for abuse. But I can't believe the OP was suggesting that?