No name changes at BA?

[leonbrumsack]

Got a bit of a dilemma! Planning a trip to Europe, but one (possible) member of the party needs a visa - which might not be done in time. Ideal solution would be someone else then steps in, but apparently BA don't allow name changes - even for a fee. Anybody know if this is true? I would call the travel agent, but closed now...
Cheers :ok:
Leon

[PAXboy]

For the most part, like all scheduled carriers, do not allow name changes. You might get a change under special circumstances but, if purchased through an agent it is their ticketing rules that you have to get through first, before BA's.

The reason given has usually been that it would allow people to become mini-travel agents and to act as ticket touts. Later, they said it was 'security' and that is what you may find now. Some LoCo carriers now allow this for a fee.

If the name cannot be changed, then the ticket has become a beer mat.

[leonbrumsack]

Cheers, Paxboy. We've not booked yet, are waiting until tomorrow to give the visa-requiring friend the chance to mull it over. I just hope the price doesn't go up overnight now!

[hoofie]

I had to go through all this with my wife's passport (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=160505&highlight=passport)

They only offered the possibility after a lot of pleading etc. and that was just a married surname mix-up. I would have thought the chances of substitution were zero.

Just as well you have not booked it yet

[leonbrumsack]

Well, it's all sorted now - sadly the friend in question won't be joining us for our short break in Prague. Will be my first trip with BA and also my first experience of the B757-200 which everyone always rants about! :)

[Globaliser]

Enjoy the 757, if only for the rarity value! Here's hoping that you get a light load and a high power takeoff.

[leonbrumsack]

Can anybody recommend good seats on either aircraft? Was thinking I might try for 21 & 22AB or JK on the B763 but not sure about the B752. Basically don't want to be the poor bugger who ends up in the window seat with the missing window! :p

[Wannabe Flyboy]

757 - there's a windowless seat around row 13.

Both aircraft - avoid the rear cabin as they have cloth seats and have reduced legroom.

[leonbrumsack]

OK - comments re. seats noted. So to avoid cloth seats, preferably not after row 23 on the B763, going by this:

http://www.britishairways.com/cms/global/images/content/main/172by415/seatplan_767_wt.gif

[Wannabe Flyboy]

That's correct. The seatmaps on ba.com are pretty rubbish though. Euro Traveller may begin well before row 17 depending on the biz load, but will be 2-3-2.

[KiloMIke]

Leon,

Just came back from Prague and had a great time. Not quite as cheap as you may expect but was a beautiful city.

Have you tried booking tickets on CSA?? they are pretty cheap and legroom and service was excellent.

[leonbrumsack]

Have briefly been on a school trip to Prague about 5-6 years ago, but we didn't see much at all.

We were able to get a good deal which included BA flights (£160 for 3 nights accommodation and flights) from LHR, which I thought was pretty good for mid-May. Next best thing would have been from STN with CSA, but terrible flight times (late evening departure, early morning return).

Fingers crossed all should go well and a fun time shall be had by all four of us! :ok:

[KiloMIke]

Soudns like a good price!

For another money saving tip take the bus & metro to your hotel. It cost 12k (25p) as opposed to 480k for a cab. You get the 119 bus from the airport to the metro station and then take the metro to your hotel. I have a map here if you want a copy.

Would also suggest packing some comfortable walking shoes as its very easy to walk about during the day. But perhaps thats jsut me getting old & sensible!

[redfred]

BA can do namechanges and have the facility within amadeus to do it but depends who you speak to and how nice they are.

[ASCIL]

BA can do namechanges and have the facility within amadeus

If this is true, does any one know the procedure as i can't find it in the manual...? :ugh:

:ok:

[rsoman]

If this is true, does any one know the procedure as i can't find it in the manual.
***************

Type HE NU in your system.(on the assumption you have online help). You may get lucky.


Best of luck - my friend - I hope you seriously dont want to create a load of trouble for every one in your office!. There is something called a name change controller facility in Amadeus which will mean that even though for the first 10 seconds you will pride yourself in having done the mischief successfully - in no time you will see that dreaded HX come up on your queues and PNR!

By the way be aware that Amadeus or any other system for example can restrict use of specific entries to specific sign ins or even specific users, so you may not be even able to use what you see on the HE pages.

Half my working life was spent explaining to indignant travel agents why airlines cannot understand their view point that Mickey Mouse had to be substituted by Donald Duck at the last minute for that elusive hard to get over booked flight!

NB : and by the way before BEALINE and his loyal supporters rush to point out any possible mistakes, I was using a Travel Agency Amadeus terminal - not an Airline terminal!