This was published 8 years ago
Ryanair booking error: Man changes name to Adam West to avoid name change fee on ticket
By Natalie Paris
Adam Armstrong's Ryanair ticket was booked under the incorrect name of Adam West.Credit: Facebook
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 and buy a new passport 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 "West".
When Adam realised the mistake he calculated it would cost him £220 ($A441) to get his actual surname, which was Armstrong, added to the ticket.
Adam West as Batman with Robin in the old 1960s television series.Credit: Getty Images
Instead, he opted to change his surname to West, via deed poll, a service which is free. He then ordered himself a new passport to reflect the name change, which cost him £103 ($A206).
He and his girlfriend now expect to fly with Ryanair to Ibiza as planned next week.
Ryanair said its fee to change the name on a ticket is only £110 ($A220) per booking. Mr West thought that he would have to pay this twice as his girlfriend was on the same booking. However, Ryanair said that as there were two separate bookings, this would not have been the case.
"Customers are asked to ensure that the details they enter at the time of booking are correct before completing their booking and we offer a 24 hour 'grace period' to correct minor booking errors," a spokesman for the budget airline said.
"A name change fee is charged in order to discourage and prevent unauthorised online travel agents from 'screenscraping' Ryanair's cheapest fares and reselling them on to unwitting consumers at hugely inflated costs."
He added that the airline has reduced a number of fees recently, as part of its attempt to appear more customer-friendly.
The airline unveiled its new "customer-friendly" ethos 18 months ago, cutting its airport check-in fee, which applies to anyone who forgets to check in online before their flight, from £70 per person per flight to £45, and its missed departure fee from £110 to £100.
It has also reduced the cost of checking in some sporting equipment. Previously, a flat rate of £50 applied to all items. Now travelling with skis (£40), golf bags (£30) and small sports bags (£30) will cost a little less. Bikes (£60), however, will cost more.
Ryanair's website was also simplified, reducing the number clicks required to book a flight and the number of "opt-outs" customers must navigate their way around.
But the airline still faces criticism for using an exchange rate of £1= €1 when calculating its fees and charges. This means Britons still pay more than their European counterparts.
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