Playing Scrabble With Airlines Is A Costly Endeavour

(I’m booking a flight for a friend to come to visit me in August 2019. There’s a convention that we both are interested in. This happens after I book the flight.)

Friend: “Uh… my last name is incorrect. It is missing an E at the end.”

Me: “Crap!”

(I immediately call the number it gives me to fix it with.)

Rep: “In order to fix everything, you will need to get the flight cancelled and rebooked.”

Me: “But I do not want to lose the tickets and wait for ten business days for a refund. It’s one letter… Let me talk to a supervisor, please. Nothing against you. I just want this fixed.”

Rep: “Please hold, and I will tell you now that they will give you the same advice.”

Me: “Not a problem.”

(I’m put on hold for twenty minutes. I finally get someone, but it sounds like the same person as before.)

Supervisor: “My agent told me you need a name changed, correct?”

Me: “No. Just adding one simple letter to the end.”

Supervisor: “Okay, well, as she told you, best to just cancel and get refunded.”

Me: “Can you call the airlines and talk to them?”

Supervisor: “I’ll see what I can do. Please hold.”

(More minutes of waiting only for her to return with this masterpiece:)

Supervisor: “They told me it will be almost a hundred dollars to add the E.”

Me: “Seriously?! One letter for a hundred dollars? Just leave it the way it is. I’ll figure it out later!”

(I hung up at the point and my friend decided to call. I just hope the name gets fixed!)