Welcome to Flyer Talk.

Not only will they not let you change the name on the ticket from one person to another, they won't let you change the name even if it is the same passenger.

You have to have your legal name on your airline tickets, exactly as on your passport or other photo ID.

I have heard of people who accidentally enter a nickname into the name field, click "Purchase", then suddenly realize they entered "Bob" when their legal name is "Robert". These people don't get a break, either. They have to pay to cancel the ticket and get it reissued with the correct name.

It is not a question of just paying adminstrative costs to change a ticket from Mr Smith to Mr Jones.

The issue is that, in the past, ticket brokers would purchase lots of low cost tickets well in advance of the flight, then sell the tickets at higher prices in competition with the airlines. They would "simply" call and say that Mr Jones is flying instead of Mr Smith. Mr Jones then pays the higher price to the ticket broker.

Thus: High-prices tickets are sold for the flight, but the profit went to the ticket brokers, not the airline.

The airlines all said "No more". After various governments started requiring ID in order to fly, the airlines ceased to change ticket names on request. The passenger name on the ticket when it's purchased is the passenger that flies, unless the ticket is refunded.

Oh, but you say, I need a ticket that can be changed. OK, says the airline, we can offer you full price fully refundable, fully transferable tickets at a premium price. If you don't need fully refundable, fully transferable tickets, and prefer to pay a discounted price, you can get non-refundable, non-transferable tickets for much less. Just don't expect a refund or transfer to a different passenger.

Finally, honestly, since I purchase airline tickets by the airline rules and have had to pay change fees from time to time, I would REALLY HATE to see someone else get away without having to pay a change fee.