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

saajan_12

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

What is the difference? The 'price' of a name change is precisely an admin fee for the work. It doesn't actually cost more for Jane Smith to go than for Jane Evans to go on the trip.

eskbanker

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

And what grounds do I have to avoid having to pay the fee, which should not have to be paid!

You shouldn't be paying the fee, or rather you should be doing so (as lead booker) and then reclaiming the cost from the person who chose to change their name.

MyRealNameToo

Getting married and having a certificate is kind of neither here nor there, what's more important is if they have changed their passport yet or not.

Most people will plan ahead and look to change their passport between bookings, given you have to pay the price of a new passport some will only do it when their current one expires.

Agents are able to set their own policies on charges, you agree to that when you decide to use them rather than direct with the airline. They can be on top of the airlines, include the airlines or instead of the airlines. There can be a simplicity of having a single policy across all your bookings instead of having to have a different policy for each airline.

Okell

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901925#Comment_81901925

This ^

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81901961#Comment_81901961

And this ^

AIUI one of the consequences of 9/11 was that the name on your airline ticket/booking has to match exactly the name on your passport. If it doesn't, you aren't flying.

There is no legal requirement for a woman* to change her name on marriage and many don't. My wife has never changed her name and for all formal purposes of identification (including passport and driving licence) she is still known by her maiden name.

Although she does sometimes use my name which can cause confusion…

The married woman in this case shouldn't have been so quick to change her passport without considering the ramifications of doing so. She should have just let it expire naturally before changing her name. Or not bothered to change her name at all.

*Men don't have to change their name either although a male work collleague of mine did as his bride had a very old and unusual name and she was the last of the line.

Aylesbury_Duck

How much cheaper was it to go through booking.com compared to booking directly? If you saved £128 or more you're still up on the deal. You appointed an agent to book your flights, so it's understandable that it's the agent that has to deal with the airline.

I'm afraid you're probably wrong. The fee should be paid if that's the condition of your booking with the agent. Have you checked?

DeathByFluffy

You're now learning why saving a few quid via an agent isn't usually worth it.

As long as the charge is within the T&Cs, they can ask for it - it doesn't matter what the airline's T&Cs are as you didn't book through them.

Flugelhorn

Good reason not to change your name on marriage!

screech_78

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

You have no grounds if the terms you agreed to state there is a fee. The airline’s fees (or lack of) are irrelevant if you didn’t book with them directly.

I find it utterly bizarre that people rush to change valid documents straight after marriage. I took my husband’s name but my passport had 6 years left on it. I wasn’t paying to change it so travelled in my maiden name for that 6 years which was perfectly sensible.

sheramber

“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.”

Why do you think you should be to change the name free of charge because it is due to marriage?

Aylesbury_Duck

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81902769#Comment_81902769

I assumed that OP had checked, and that those two airlines permit free changes arising from marriage when the booking was made directly. I'd be surprised, given they're the sort of airlines that would charge you for swapping your parting since your passport photo was taken if they could get away with it.