I just booked a ticket for my father's wife through Lessno on KLM/NWA. I used her nickname, not her name, and now Lessno says I have to buy a new ticket because of that. They suggested contacting NWA, but I can't get through on the phone. Help! How can I avoid buying a new ticket? Does she have to legally change her name?
Dawn
Posted by
Canberra, ACT, Australia
115 posts
With the new security measures they usually dont allow you to change the names. As a travel agent we had to make sure that all of the names were spelt correctly - if they werent then we had to pay for a new ticket for them out of our own commission.
From my experience, I think that you will need to buy a new ticket.
But maybe someone else here will know of a loophole...
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23267 posts
Welcome to the new world of inflexibility, rigid security that makes no sense, and screw the passenager. You only hope is to be beg and plead at both levels.
Posted by
OP
Spokane, WA, U.S.
3 posts
I'm thinking about asking my dad's wife to legally change her name to the nickname on the airline ticket! I mean, the cost would be maybe $130 for a court paper and new passport, versus $800 + for new airline ticket.
Posted by
Northern, Italy
208 posts
Even if your ticket says nonrefundable you should be able to cancel the ticket. You will get an airline credit for the ticket less a fee. Some airlines it is as low as $75 and others it is as high as $300 (I think it was on a Business class that I payed $300 to change a ticket to Europe). Then you can rebook the ticket and just pay the amount it cost for the fee. If is one of the lower fees it would be worth it. I gave the credit to my cousin in one instance so, the name doesn't have to be the same. That is something to ask once you get ahold of the airlines. Don't tell them it is because of a name thing. Just ask if you can give the credit to someone else.
Good luck.
Posted by
victoria, Canada
11507 posts
You booked an airline ticket and used a NICKNAME,. I have heard of everything now.
I hope you can get the ticket changed, but wow, I have never heard of such an big mistake being made. Heres hoping you can just cancel with a large penalty instead of the whole ticket price.
Posted by
Spokane, WA
470 posts
You might try contacting Chris Elliott at www.elliott.org. He is a travel troubleshooter and helps people with problems like yours. If you google - "Wrong name on airline ticket", it comes up with a situation almost identical to yours that he helped. I assume that by nickname, you went something like Kathy instead of Katherine.
Posted by
OP
Spokane, WA, U.S.
3 posts
Re: nickname. Oh gosh, yes, nothing like "champ," or anything. I'm talking Kathe (what she goes by), versus "Kathleen" (legal name).
Here's the response I just got from Lessno:
We would like to clarify some of the issues regarding airline tickets (especially tickets for international flights). The names on the ticket must match the name in the traveler's ID. Furthermore, in general airlines do not allow name changes. Since they cannot change the names on their tickets the travel agencies cannot do it as well. You may try to travel with the ticket the way it is but we cannot guarantee that Mrs. Picket will not encounter any problems at the airport.
We may still try to get a waiver from the airline to change the name of ticket through our consolidator agency. This is the agency which has issued you ticket and which has negotiated this special lower fare with the airline. However, they have a fixed fee of $100 for ticket changes (date changes) and they would charge you their