Being charged for a name change despite the change being due to marriage

Turnip89

I have booked flights through Booking.com, someone on the booking has changed their name due to marriage.

Our flights are with easyjet and Wizz air, and we should be able to change it free of charge because of the change being due to marriage. But Booking.com are trying to charge us £127.67. I have contacted the airlines directly and they say it needs to be done through the agency.

I have contacted the agency and explained this, at first they said they would contact the airlines, and yet now, again, they are still trying to charge me.

I have sent them evidence of the marriage certificate, and have emailed back explaining the situation (AGAIN). Since emailing, I got an email from Booking.com saying I needed to veryfy my email address, when I clicked the link to verify, it instead took me through to a payment page.

How should I proceed with this? And what grounds do I have to avoid having to pay the fee, which should not have to be paid!

Thanks

sammyjammy

Why can't you just fly using your maiden name, its not a requirement.

Ayr_Rage

The airlines may not charge but as you used an agent they can quite rightly charge you to do it if that is included in their Ts and Cs.

Another customer expecting their agent to work for free!

Next time book direct.

Turnip89

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901825#Comment_81901825

Because the name has now changed on the passport

Turnip89

Expect them to work for free? They are charging me the full price of the name change, not just an admin fee for the work

saajan_12

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6657179/being-charged-for-a-name-change-despite-the-change-being-due-to-marriage

we should be able to change it free of charge because of the change being due to marriage

What are you basing this on? An airline or agent can choose to have this policy but as far as I know they don't have to. If one or other did not have this policy, their fee would still be payable.

The alternative would have been to delay changing the name on the passport until any booked travel is completed.

flaneurs_lobster

Changing your name (by marriage or just on a whim) is entirely optional. There are consequences, you've found one.

Just pay the fee.

And next time book direct.

visidigi

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901899#Comment_81901899

The airlines rules and policies are not relevant on an agent booking.

Probably because the Agent wont get the same level of services the airline offers its direct customers. So it may be that booking.com cannot update the name on a booking they made with the ariline.

You can't expect an agent to be the same as the direct sale, they have different policies, costs, limitations.

If booking.com say you have to pay the full fee then that is the booking.com policy which applies to the booking you made with them.

la531983

Lol should have left the passport alone until it ran out, and then renewed it under the new name, exactly what my wife did, we had numerous trips on the passport whilst all hotel/flight bookings were still made in maiden name. Nobody cares.

You have no grounds for anything. The person who made the mistake of changing the name on their passport whilst having live flight bookings needs to cough up.

Undervalued

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901893#Comment_81901893

But that is your choice. Nothing says you have to use a married name. Plenty don't….

born_again

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901899#Comment_81901899

Sadly their admin fee is what it is. Given this will be a Booking.com & GoToGate admin fee as well. As B.com do not book flights. They use 3rd parties.

As others have pointed out, this is where not booking direct falls down & any potential savings go out of the window. Whoever changed their name is going to have to pay up for the change.