aristoph

Flying LCY-NCE this weekend, cash ticket booked back in September last year.

Just started to sort out details for check-in and I noticed that I have put my own name TWICE for the reservation, i.e. I am the first and the second passenger. (This must have happened because I chose the name from the drop down list in the HHA - it really shouldn't be possibe to do this on a decent website!)

Just called Gold line and got through to India. First they wanted me to send an email. Then they told me that it's not possible to change the name and my only option is to cancel the entire reservation.

I get that is the rule (albeit I am mightily pissed that ba.com allows you to choose the same passenger twice for a booking). I told him I will wait and call Newcastle tomorrow as I still have the Book With Confidence option to cancel until Sat morning.

Do I have a hope of any different outcome here?

Flying Star

I feel your pain, as did exactly the same on two different bookings. Only noticed by chance a week later when husband couldn't see the booking. I spoke to a lovely gent on the Gold line who got the ok to change the name FOC by a supervisor. In my case, I think the easy was when allowing my browser to autofill, and it then changed both passenger names to mine.

Hopefully you can get the same outcome.

aristoph

Yes exactly, that's what happened to me :-( It really shouldn't let you do that!!

Flying Star

I think it has been changed since, if I remember rightly, those flights were booked around the same time as you did. I was annoyed as hell, as normally I would check everything when the tickets arrive, but alas, the only time I didn't...

KARFA

Is there still reward space? You could split the booking, FTV or cancel one; and make a new booking for your husband.

aristoph

Panic over. Called the US call center and the amazing Joseph (love that guy) immediately offered to change the name. Took him 20 mins for which he was apologetic (!) but he was a lifesaver.

Now the question is a) why ba.com allowed me to choose my own name twice from a drop down and b) why Indian call center couldn't deal with it???

aristoph

The only error in the booking now is that my BAEC number appears next to both of us. As I am Gold and he is bronze I am wondering if I should leave this and I can double dip?

fruitcage

Glad it’s worked out. BA would be wrong to forbid 2 passengers on the same booking with the same name. In many families 2 people have exactly the same first and family names.

aristoph

That wasn’t the issue. I didn’t type in my name twice, I selected myself twice from the drop down and was identified with the same BAEC number for both. That really shouldn’t be possible I feel.

Anonba

You would be surprised how many people give their children the same/similiar names. The indian call centre often see things as black and white issues and apply their interpretation to policies.

davidcamp6

If only you were booked to JFK..."so good they named it........."

gcuk

Pleased it worked out and agree it would be clever for names to drop off the list once selected, but it’s amazing how it’s always entirely the system’s fault and people just can’t acknowledge their own accountability in creating these problems 😉

BertieBadger

In full on CWS de-escalation mode, but is that possibly a tiny bit unfair? I don't think the OP said it was entirely the systems fault, but simply expressed frustration that the system could have been better.

FWIW, I initially had the same reaction, but reflected and changed my mind, and agreed that BA could definitely have done better here, whatever the outcome. Yes, of course we are all responsibile for our inputs, but help to avoid the bad ones is welcome surely?

No offence intended, just reflecting that systems can be built to help us avoid mistakes.

chazman189

BA has a big enough problem building the system that works in the first place

aks120

aks120