EasyJet lead passenger

davidscot

Hopefully someone might be able to help here. Relations have booked 2 flights with EasyJet leaving late February. Unfortunately due to circumstances one of the passengers can't now travel and they were hoping to switch his booking to their daughter -paying the appropriate fee - anyway when calling to change these details they were informed that as passenger now unable to go is named as lead passenger the details cant be changed at all. They would have to cancel his seat and rebook another. Is there any way round this or has anyone came across this before. I find it strange that other passenger can be changed but not the lead, what's the difference. A call to EasyJet customer services was not much of a help either so can anyone help?

jpsartre

Can you not simply change the passenger online on easyJet's website? The system will quote you the price before you confirm.

Edit: Checked their terms and indeed it looks as if name changes are not allowed for the lead passenger.

Caz3121

I wonder whether they would split the PNR (and make 2 separate bookings)?
Most full service airlines can do this but not sure about LCCs

davidscot

We cannot change the lead passenger name on this booking seemingly. Have just had an email from customer services to confirm this. So basically the options are lose the seat and have to make a new booking for their daughter paying for this seat. Seems very unfair as it was only a quirk of fate that brother in law was put as lead passenger (as it's him who now cannot make it) and not the sister in law. Think from now on it would be best to make separate single bookings to make things easier in these circumstances.

Caz3121

don't get too frustrated until you work out the financial impact of the different options (even though one is not available to you)

examples
original fare paid £120 return
current fare cost £180 return
cost to buy a new ticket without doing name change £180...with some APD refunded for the cancelled ticket

name change on same flights. Within 59 days of travel £45 per flight = £90
fare difference £60...total due £150 (marginally cheaper for name change than new)

original fare £80
current fare £180
name change fees + fare difference = £190 so cheaper to buy new ticket

Worth also pointing out that their Help does not agree with the information you were given
http://www.easyjet.com/en/help/booking/making-a-change
At least one name must stay the same on the booking; otherwise it’ll be treated as a cancellation. If there is only one passenger on the booking the passenger’s name can be changed.
no mention on it being the Lead name

antenna

The problem with seperate bookings is that every booking pays a £7 or so: booking charge...

davidscot

Caz3121 wrote: »

don't get too frustrated until you work out the financial impact of the different options (even though one is not available to you)

examples
original fare paid £120 return
current fare cost £180 return
cost to buy a new ticket without doing name change £180...with some APD refunded for the cancelled ticket

name change on same flights. Within 59 days of travel £45 per flight = £90
fare difference £60...total due £150 (marginally cheaper for name change than new)

original fare £80
current fare £180
name change fees + fare difference = £190 so cheaper to buy new ticket

Worth also pointing out that their Help does not agree with the information you were given
http://www.easyjet.com/en/help/booking/making-a-change
At least one name must stay the same on the booking; otherwise it’ll be treated as a cancellation. If there is only one passenger on the booking the passenger’s name can be changed.
no mention on it being the Lead name

I see what you mean regards the terms and conditions. Suppose I could get them on a technicality here but by the time I probably fought my case here the flight would have been and gone. Methinks Easy Jet have lost future customers over this but it wont bother them in the least

SumJuan

antenna wrote: »

The problem with seperate bookings is that every booking pays a £7 or so: booking charge...

£13 Booking fee with Easy Jet.

jpsartre

davidscot wrote: »

Methinks Easy Jet have lost future customers over this but it wont bother them in the least

Rather than avoiding easyJet in the future you would be better off making sure you know what you're buying. There are many airlines (in fact most of them) that would not allow any ticket to be transferred, not just the ticket of the lead passenger.

davidscot

Yes I know Easy Jet charge booking fee's on seperate flights but in this case they would not have lost around £140. At the time of buying both were able to go but not now, change of circumstances, if they knew that then they would not have booked would they.

ic

davidscot wrote: »

Think from now on it would be best to make separate single bookings to make things easier in these circumstances.

But as you said its a quirk of fate - if you booked everybody individually then you wouldn't be able to change any of the seats!