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Man legally changes name to avoid high Ryainair fees!

Hugh JboobsHugh Jboobs Posts: 15,316
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in General Discussion #1
This made me chuckle. :D

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/ryanair/11653738/Ryanair-booking-error-man-claims-it-was-cheaper-to-change-his-name.html
A man who discovered his Ryanair flight ticket had been booked under the wrong surname has claimed it was cheaper for him to change his name by deed poll than pay the admin fee to have the error corrected.

Adam West (nee Armstrong), 19, had a flight to Ibiza booked for him by his girlfriend’s stepdad, according to The Sun. The name on the booking turned out to be incorrect however as her stepdad used the surname Adam had given himself on Facebook, which, being a fan of Batman, was Adam West.

When Adam realised the mistake he calculated it would cost him £220 to get his actual surname, which was Armstrong, added to the ticket.

Instead, he opted to change his surname to West, via deed poll, a service which is free. He then ordered himself a new passport to reflect the name change, which cost him £103.

Ryanair always seem to be in the news for imposing high fees for stuff like this....yet apparently their business doesn't seem to suffer!

Has this guy "beaten the system" or is he an idiot?

Comments

  • SchmiznurfSchmiznurf Posts: 4,434
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    #2
    He hasn't beaten any system, but his girlfriends step dad should have paid the change of name considering it was his cock up.
  • duckyluckyduckylucky Posts: 13,852
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    #3
    He would have most likely been able to book a new ticket cheaper than that anyway
  • sarahj1986sarahj1986 Posts: 11,305
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    #4
    Surely the step dad should have double checked names/date of birth etc for definite before booking?!
  • rumpleteazerrumpleteazer Posts: 5,746
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    #5
    I think the girlfriends step father should have paid, but for all we know the stepdad could only just afford the original tickets. Adam certainly came up with an inventive solution, I'll give him that :D
  • VulpesVulpes Posts: 1,504
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    #6
    Since when has deed poll been free? Whenever I've looked into it it's been about £30.
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    #7
    All that effort just to save £117.
  • rumpleteazerrumpleteazer Posts: 5,746
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    #8
    Takae wrote: »
    All that effort just to save £117.

    It's a lot of money for some people, I know I wouldn't have that lying around if something like this happened.
  • R_KneeR_Knee Posts: 479
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    #9
    This is travel writer Simon Calder's standard tip for this situation
  • Ethel_FredEthel_Fred Posts: 34,127
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    #10
    Idiot - Ryanair, unlike most airlines, will correct mistakes for free. Its only when someone tries to change the booking to another person that they charge

    Most airlines would only give you the choice of buying a new ticket no matter how small the error
  • TakaeTakae Posts: 13,555
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    #11
    rumpleteazer wrote: »
    It's a lot of money for some people, I know I wouldn't have that lying around if something like this happened.

    Although his girlfriend's step-father might be paying for the flight, he'd still have to have some money to spend during his holiday. So it's likely that he can afford it.
  • walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,907
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    #12
    Vulpes wrote: »
    Since when has deed poll been free? Whenever I've looked into it it's been about £30.

    It's not free. The article is wrong. It's £30ish with some discount if you are on benefits but certainly not free.
  • walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,907
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    #13
    Come to think of it, a new passport isnt £103 either so the article is very wrong.
  • timboytimboy Posts: 30,094
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    #14
    walterwhite wrote: »
    Come to think of it, a new passport isnt £103 either so the article is very wrong.

    There are several items that cost £103.

    https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently
  • SaturnVSaturnV Posts: 11,519
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    #15
    There was a similar case recently where a guy couldn't get a refund on a holiday after his fiancee dumped him so he advertised a free holiday (with him) to a woman with the same name.
  • walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,907
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    #16
    timboy wrote: »
    There are several items that cost £103.

    https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

    Fair enough if he did that then, I stand corrected.

    The article is still wrong though.
  • dosanjh1dosanjh1 Posts: 8,727
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    #17
    Takae wrote: »
    All that effort just to save £117.

    All that effort for an anecdote.
  • walterwhitewalterwhite Posts: 56,907
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    #18
    Ethel_Fred wrote: »
    Idiot - Ryanair, unlike most airlines, will correct mistakes for free. Its only when someone tries to change the booking to another person that they charge

    Most airlines would only give you the choice of buying a new ticket no matter how small the error

    I'm fairly sure he would have asked this question before he decided to change his name.
  • Philip WalesPhilip Wales Posts: 6,373
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    #19
    Trouble is, is he then going to change it back again, thus incurring another charge for a new passport?
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