we hope you are right and with many airlines you probably are. But you know the score: "Oh I'm sorry sir, by POLICY of this airline, ANY change has a fee!..."

They COULD assess one just because they can.

Now, this is somewhat different, but something like it happened to an asian friend of mine... and many asians here may recognize this problem:

He is Hong Sik Kim.

His US passport says that name.

He has credit cards in that name.

BUT he goes by Harold Kim. (many Asian Americans do this for 'name-ease' reasons here. Go ask anyone who is Asian that you know. Most would agree.)

He has credit cards in that name. State driver's license in that name...

His employment pays him in that name and on and on.

He booked an international ticket, wasnt thinking about the issue, and realized after booking but well before flying that he should have put in the real first name. He was still him, but clerically it was different. He sent in proof and explained the problem and interestingly, the airline is an Asian carrier that flies regularly in the US.

They did not care. BOOM! $100 change fee.

Strangely enough, regarding the domestic portion of his ticket: personnel dealing with that part of the itinerary did not fault him for the error and gladly changed the name for free. Same airline.

Go figure.