Ever change a name on an airline ticket?

[daisy2000]

I know you are not supposed to, but will the airline allow you to? I'm curious because we bought our tickets for Feb 2006. One of the tickets is for my 15 year old DD's friend and if something happens and she can't go (or she and DD are no longer friends, which happens A LOT with teenage girls, believe me) would I be able to change the name on her ticket?

Keeping in mind the nature of teen girls, I would have preferred waiting to buy the tickets closer to our travel date, but its the school vacation week and the flight was practically sold out and the rate was decent.

Anyone had a similar experience?

 

[Brian Noble]

I don't know of any airline that will do this. The closest you can come is to cancel and rebook (and pay associated fees/higher fares).

 

[Lewisc]

SW will let you cancel your reservation and apply 100% of the fare toward a new ticket at the current fare which may be higher than your existing reservation.

I think some of the group fare reservation programs allow for name changes.

 

[Dznypal]

my sisters niece was going to came from NC to WI for a visit last summer.

it turned out she couldnt come so my mom had this ticket. She said we could have the ticket if we wanted to pay the name change fee of $100.

I called the airlines (Midwest) and all I needed was a letter from mom giving permission to change to change the name.

Now this is where it starts getting unreal

I was going in expecting to pay the fee out of my pocket and pay for the other one Wrong!!!

I was told they take the name change fee off the value of the ticket (in this case the ticket was worth $210)
but wait it gets better

the money that was "left over" they used on my other ticket
so the tickets I had booked were $177 each sor for 2 $344

I changed the name and the other 110 went on my other ticket so it cost me a total of $67 for 2 RT on Midwest to go from Milwaukee to Orlando!!!

Im not sure how other ailrines handle this but this is how it was on Midwest

I even asked 3 times just to make sure I understood it right

It really seemed like it was too good to be true. but it was a great deal!!!

good luck with your ticket

 

[daisy2000]

That was a good deal, Dznypal. We're on Delta - hopefully we won't need to make any changes but its good to know we may have that possibility if the need arises. Kids can really mess up my compulsive planning! LOL

 

[KerryCM]

Delta does not allow name changes. I did try this last march when one friend could not go. My DIL works for delta and they wouldn't allow it.

 

[Brian Noble]

I believe the business reason for forbidding this is to prevent the equivalent of "scalpers" who buy popular routes well in advance, and resell them at a profit, but under the then-current fare.