Belgian Test-Aankoop/Achats, a non-profit organization is taking legal action against ten airlines who attempt to charge customers upwards of €160 to correct mistyped names on a plane ticket
“Many airlines require passengers to pay fees, sometimes very high, to be able to change a typo of their names when booking. For Test Purchases, this practice is illegal. The consumer organization has sent a letter of formal notice to 10 airlines asking them to stop this practice in the fortnight.” Said Test-Aankoop in a press statement.
“Airlines sometimes force passengers to incur very high costs to correct a typo in their (sur)name when booking a flight,” says Simon November of Test-Aankoop/Achats
“Many airlines provide for the possibility to correct typos but passengers have to pay a certain amount. Brussels Airlines (€25 to change up to two characters), Emirates Airline (€30), TAP Air Portugal (€25 to change up to three characters) and Ryanair (€115 online or €160 at the airport).”
“We have sent a formal notice to ten airlines requesting that this practice be terminated within 15 days, otherwise we will bring the matter before court.”
British Airways will even demand you to pay the fare difference if the price of the ticket has increased from when you originally made your initial booking.
“And those who do not pay the extra charge will not fly,” Simon November warns.
