American Airlines – name amendment

[Indy500]

Hi folks
Anybody have experience of name amendments on a booking? We have bookings on a AA flight into Philly next year. One of our party made an error when submitting his name [via a travel agent]. He has two middle names and managed to send his first 3 names and missed his surname [!!]. Now he has submitted his passport but they will not amend at any price and the flight will be effectively cancelled. Re-booking will now cost him £750 more as the original booking was a better price. He’s happy to pay reasonable costs but this seems pretty rough. Are there rules that AA are sticking too or are they just being difficult…? Any thoughts?
Indy

[AJA]

Just answered your question that you posted in the British Airways section.

[SamG]

AA is actually one of the more helpful airlines for this

Try calling AA and asking them to take over the ticket – should be $50 so you don’t need to deal with the TA. Then tell them he has another surname that needs to be added. I suspect his reservation will need to be split into it’s own PNR to achieve at least one of these things. Depending if that is considered a minor or major correction there would potentially be another small fee for the correction.

[JDB]

As @SamG says AA should be more helpful, but interposing a travel agent makes things more complicated as GDS systems don’t properly provide for major name changes. It could also be problematic if there are any codeshare flights or other airline flights in the booking.

[ChrisBCN]

Example number 672 of why not to use a travel agent in all but the most extreme circumstances…

[Indy500]

OK, I have spoken to AA who looked at the booking. It isn’t even actually ticketed yet [it’s for May next year and only deposit paid] and there is no obstacle at all to changing it. No charge. Had I booked direct, he would have done it while I waited.

I will have to deal through the TA but something is hinky here.

@ChrisBCN The reason we’re using a TA for the trip this time is there are a lot of elements, tickets, trips that are all wound up in it and exclusive to this agent.

[Indy500]

Update. Not really satisfied and following @SamG, after I rang AA, I wrote to TA and explained that AA insist that changing is no problem and free. Well, well, well. They came back and said AA had now “agreed” to do the change. Hmmmm, maybe the screenshots of the AA chat convinced them. They didn’t get their £750….. It was their flight bookers that were trying it on, not the TA and they have lodged a complaint. Still, all resolved and had official confirmation. As an aside, getting through to AA was a breeze! Thanks for the assist everyone.