One small letter one large $80.00 charge

[AdMEL]

A similar thing happened to me recently - booked MEL-CNS return for a friend and myself on TT (less than half price of VA - $166 each all up, return, including exit row seats, so too cheap to pass up) and realised after I'd booked and paid I'd incorrectly spelt friend's surname (left out a letter). Rang TT a few hours after I'd booked and got straight through without any hold time, explained my mistake, CSR put me on hold for a minute and came back and said that since I'd called soon after booking they'd correct the name and waive the usual change fee. Great service. Though I don't agree with change fee applying for what is clearly a mistake, not a name change. I have since discovered that I also provided incorrect birth date for friend (I had it incorrectly stored in my phone), so hopefully that won't cause an issue checking in!

 

[Robert K]

was your threat to never book qantas again even half serious?

 

[ftm]

Domestically, the name isn't as closely checked as it is internationally. Online check in, kiosks etc all mean you won't see a person until the gate.

Have you ever seen them check your ID?

 

[JohnK]

That is a hefty fee for such a small mistake.

If they use OLCI is the name likely to be checked against ID?

 

[Ansett]

was your threat to never book qantas again even half serious?

At the time yes because I was shocked at the lack of helpfullness and couldnt care less attitude.

 

[Ansett]

That is a hefty fee for such a small mistake.

If they use OLCI is the name likely to be checked against ID?

Hi John that is exactly what I will do for them both.

 

[Robert Qld]

Was it done in the same day? QF has a policy (can't remember if it's written or unwritten) that if you wring up before midnight the day of booking they can amend the ticket fee free.

Nope, prob a good week later. Getting the FF# out of him actually was kinda a pain! Lol

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Booked a flight Mel to Syd for Mrs Ansett and friend using her frequent flyer number and it seems that my typing skills were less than perfect and and instead of typing EL...... I typed EK...... and have just noticed the error so rang Plat line to advise about it so that they could corect it, and thay have advised that they will Charge me $80.00 to change that one letter.

I should note that we booked the flights 3 days ago at a cost of $79.00. So should I pay the fee? Or should she just turn up at the airport after having checked in online?

What would you do and do you think it would be unreasonable to expect Qantas to make the change free of charge given Mrs Ansett is gold and I am WP?

One letter isn't going to make any difference travelling domestically so don't worry about paying the fee & having the eticket re-issued. Seeing as though the booking still accepted her ffn, is the spelling mistake of "EK" instead of "EL" towards the end of the surname and not the first three letters?

You can do OLCI for them both then Mrs Ansett can simply scan her SG card at the boarding gate & grab the print out. Her friend (unless she is PS or above & has a ff card with the chip in it) can just ask for a reprint of her boarding pass at the gate or do it herself at one of the kiosks which are usually located right outside the QP's.

Hi Mermaid the booking is registered and showing up on her Frequent Flyer MMB so shouldnt be an issue re crediting points one hopes. Hopefully won't be in trouble now with Mrs Ansett as jumped in and upgraded them both to J class on the way home

If the booking is showing up in her MMB then the points should credits so the booking must have accepted her ffn despite the name being slightly misspelt. Mrs Ansett upgrading the return sector is another good reason not to mess with the ticketing side of things just in case it stuffs up the points upgrade & isn't rectified.

As a check in / gate agent, I would not deny a pax boarding for such a discrepancy. All customer service personnel at the airport can change it, if necessary, with a few key strokes and without a supervisors permission.

Not for all carriers, maybe if you work for a LCC you can as their systems are different in that they don't physically issue an eticket the pnr just shows as being paid so it's easy to change the name.

If you tried to change the name in an Amadeus pnr after eticket issuance the system would say "name does not match eticket". The only people who are authorised to do it would be the staff at the sales/ticket counter as they would have to re-issue the eticket after actioning the name change then there's the chance you could be asked for the service fee. It's not necessary to change the name anyway as they can just travel as is.

 

[Ansett]

Hi Oz

Thank you for such a comprehensive and informative reply.

The mistake was in the first 3 letters of her forename ie EKE instrad of ELE. We have decided to just go ahead with out the name change and deal with it should it become an issue