Fraudulent Blu Express middle name scam
Jun 24, 2019, 4:43 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3
Fraudulent Blu Express middle name scam
Hey guys,
Recently flew Santorini to Rome with Blu Express (low budget version of Blue Panorama). Has anyone flown with them before and been a victim of their middle name scam?
Basically I booked my flight with them a few months ago when they operated their old outdated website. The website asked me for my first name and last name (there was no field to input my middle name so I left it out). But when I got to the airport the check-in lady insisted I had to go pay a 50 euro name change fee because my middle name was not on the booking. I tried to explain to her that their website never asked for a middle name but it fell on deaf ears as the airline has no representation at the airport and she didn't work for the airline.
So I had to go to the Swissport desk and pay the 50 euro name change fee. I checked their website and noticed that they have now launched a new modern website which does now ask for the passengers middle name. She told me it was launched on the 8th of April, just 4 days after I made my booking using their old website.
She said though the airline is aware of this, they (Swissport) are still instructed by the airline to still deny boarding unless the passengers pay the 50 euro fee (there was a queue of 20 other passengers in the same situation as me). She said they have been doing this for over 2 years. I had a quick google for the airlines name plus the word fraud/scam which confirms this as you can find loads of various facebook/twitter groups and petitions with thousands of other passengers that have fallen for this scam.
We were told to try to contact the airline in FCO to reclaim the fee, but arrive into Rome they had no representation at this airport either... I've emailed them to raise the issue and they just copied and pasted a standard reply referring to their condition of carriage which states middle name has to be on the booking. But they failed to answer my follow up question about where in the booking process I am supposed to supply the middle name if there is no field for it. I can't telepathically tell them my middle name and even if I called them up 10 seconds after making the booking they would probably still charge me a 50 euro name change fee to add my middle name onto the booking.
I've contacted the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) about it as well as the ECC (European Consumer Centre), although I am still waiting to hear back from both.
may also contact my credit card provider for a reverse charge because even though I paid the 50 euros, they just charged my card and gave me a receipt to say I had paid 50 euros. They never actually changed the name on my booking and when they printed out my boarding card it still did not have my middle name on it. So I might try to argue that they charged me for a service they never provided.
I dont really care about the 50 euros to be honest. Its mostly a matter of principal and because I was shocked at how many other passengers were held hostage too at the airport. The Swissport lady says this happens for all their flights every week, so they must be scamming thousands of passengers per year.
In one way i was lucky. A American couple in the queue with me had booked via Priceline. They had supplied their middle names to Prlceline but Priceline had not passed it on to the airline. Even though they could show their Priceline booking had the their middle name the airline wouldn't budge. And I think because they had booked it after the new website was launched (even though they used priceline and not the airlines website) they were forced to pay 399 euros each. I suspect the airline just cancelled their original ticket and resold it back to them at full price.
Anyone else come across this disgraceful airline before? Has anyone else fallen for their tricks and had any luck at claiming their money back (or more importantly reported them to the appropriate authorities?).
Recently flew Santorini to Rome with Blu Express (low budget version of Blue Panorama). Has anyone flown with them before and been a victim of their middle name scam?
Basically I booked my flight with them a few months ago when they operated their old outdated website. The website asked me for my first name and last name (there was no field to input my middle name so I left it out). But when I got to the airport the check-in lady insisted I had to go pay a 50 euro name change fee because my middle name was not on the booking. I tried to explain to her that their website never asked for a middle name but it fell on deaf ears as the airline has no representation at the airport and she didn't work for the airline.
So I had to go to the Swissport desk and pay the 50 euro name change fee. I checked their website and noticed that they have now launched a new modern website which does now ask for the passengers middle name. She told me it was launched on the 8th of April, just 4 days after I made my booking using their old website.
She said though the airline is aware of this, they (Swissport) are still instructed by the airline to still deny boarding unless the passengers pay the 50 euro fee (there was a queue of 20 other passengers in the same situation as me). She said they have been doing this for over 2 years. I had a quick google for the airlines name plus the word fraud/scam which confirms this as you can find loads of various facebook/twitter groups and petitions with thousands of other passengers that have fallen for this scam.
We were told to try to contact the airline in FCO to reclaim the fee, but arrive into Rome they had no representation at this airport either... I've emailed them to raise the issue and they just copied and pasted a standard reply referring to their condition of carriage which states middle name has to be on the booking. But they failed to answer my follow up question about where in the booking process I am supposed to supply the middle name if there is no field for it. I can't telepathically tell them my middle name and even if I called them up 10 seconds after making the booking they would probably still charge me a 50 euro name change fee to add my middle name onto the booking.
I've contacted the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) about it as well as the ECC (European Consumer Centre), although I am still waiting to hear back from both.
may also contact my credit card provider for a reverse charge because even though I paid the 50 euros, they just charged my card and gave me a receipt to say I had paid 50 euros. They never actually changed the name on my booking and when they printed out my boarding card it still did not have my middle name on it. So I might try to argue that they charged me for a service they never provided.
I dont really care about the 50 euros to be honest. Its mostly a matter of principal and because I was shocked at how many other passengers were held hostage too at the airport. The Swissport lady says this happens for all their flights every week, so they must be scamming thousands of passengers per year.
In one way i was lucky. A American couple in the queue with me had booked via Priceline. They had supplied their middle names to Prlceline but Priceline had not passed it on to the airline. Even though they could show their Priceline booking had the their middle name the airline wouldn't budge. And I think because they had booked it after the new website was launched (even though they used priceline and not the airlines website) they were forced to pay 399 euros each. I suspect the airline just cancelled their original ticket and resold it back to them at full price.
Anyone else come across this disgraceful airline before? Has anyone else fallen for their tricks and had any luck at claiming their money back (or more importantly reported them to the appropriate authorities?).
Jun 24, 2019, 7:53 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
Programs: AA EXP >4 MM, Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,881
Hey guys,
Recently flew Santorini to Rome with Blu Express (low budget version of Blue Panorama). Has anyone flown with them before and been a victim of their middle name scam?
Basically I booked my flight with them a few months ago when they operated their old outdated website. The website asked me for my first name and last name (there was no field to input my middle name so I left it out). But when I got to the airport the check-in lady insisted I had to go pay a 50 euro name change fee because my middle name was not on the booking. I tried to explain to her that their website never asked for a middle name but it fell on deaf ears as the airline has no representation at the airport and she didn't work for the airline.
So I had to go to the Swissport desk and pay the 50 euro name change fee. I checked their website and noticed that they have now launched a new modern website which does now ask for the passengers middle name. She told me it was launched on the 8th of April, just 4 days after I made my booking using their old website.
She said though the airline is aware of this, they (Swissport) are still instructed by the airline to still deny boarding unless the passengers pay the 50 euro fee (there was a queue of 20 other passengers in the same situation as me). She said they have been doing this for over 2 years. I had a quick google for the airlines name plus the word fraud/scam which confirms this as you can find loads of various facebook/twitter groups and petitions with thousands of other passengers that have fallen for this scam.
We were told to try to contact the airline in FCO to reclaim the fee, but arrive into Rome they had no representation at this airport either... I've emailed them to raise the issue and they just copied and pasted a standard reply referring to their condition of carriage which states middle name has to be on the booking. But they failed to answer my follow up question about where in the booking process I am supposed to supply the middle name if there is no field for it. I can't telepathically tell them my middle name and even if I called them up 10 seconds after making the booking they would probably still charge me a 50 euro name change fee to add my middle name onto the booking.
I've contacted the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) about it as well as the ECC (European Consumer Centre), although I am still waiting to hear back from both.
may also contact my credit card provider for a reverse charge because even though I paid the 50 euros, they just charged my card and gave me a receipt to say I had paid 50 euros. They never actually changed the name on my booking and when they printed out my boarding card it still did not have my middle name on it. So I might try to argue that they charged me for a service they never provided.
I dont really care about the 50 euros to be honest. Its mostly a matter of principal and because I was shocked at how many other passengers were held hostage too at the airport. The Swissport lady says this happens for all their flights every week, so they must be scamming thousands of passengers per year.
In one way i was lucky. A American couple in the queue with me had booked via Priceline. They had supplied their middle names to Prlceline but Priceline had not passed it on to the airline. Even though they could show their Priceline booking had the their middle name the airline wouldn't budge. And I think because they had booked it after the new website was launched (even though they used priceline and not the airlines website) they were forced to pay 399 euros each. I suspect the airline just cancelled their original ticket and resold it back to them at full price.
Anyone else come across this disgraceful airline before? Has anyone else fallen for their tricks and had any luck at claiming their money back (or more importantly reported them to the appropriate authorities?).
Recently flew Santorini to Rome with Blu Express (low budget version of Blue Panorama). Has anyone flown with them before and been a victim of their middle name scam?
Basically I booked my flight with them a few months ago when they operated their old outdated website. The website asked me for my first name and last name (there was no field to input my middle name so I left it out). But when I got to the airport the check-in lady insisted I had to go pay a 50 euro name change fee because my middle name was not on the booking. I tried to explain to her that their website never asked for a middle name but it fell on deaf ears as the airline has no representation at the airport and she didn't work for the airline.
So I had to go to the Swissport desk and pay the 50 euro name change fee. I checked their website and noticed that they have now launched a new modern website which does now ask for the passengers middle name. She told me it was launched on the 8th of April, just 4 days after I made my booking using their old website.
She said though the airline is aware of this, they (Swissport) are still instructed by the airline to still deny boarding unless the passengers pay the 50 euro fee (there was a queue of 20 other passengers in the same situation as me). She said they have been doing this for over 2 years. I had a quick google for the airlines name plus the word fraud/scam which confirms this as you can find loads of various facebook/twitter groups and petitions with thousands of other passengers that have fallen for this scam.
We were told to try to contact the airline in FCO to reclaim the fee, but arrive into Rome they had no representation at this airport either... I've emailed them to raise the issue and they just copied and pasted a standard reply referring to their condition of carriage which states middle name has to be on the booking. But they failed to answer my follow up question about where in the booking process I am supposed to supply the middle name if there is no field for it. I can't telepathically tell them my middle name and even if I called them up 10 seconds after making the booking they would probably still charge me a 50 euro name change fee to add my middle name onto the booking.
I've contacted the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) about it as well as the ECC (European Consumer Centre), although I am still waiting to hear back from both.
may also contact my credit card provider for a reverse charge because even though I paid the 50 euros, they just charged my card and gave me a receipt to say I had paid 50 euros. They never actually changed the name on my booking and when they printed out my boarding card it still did not have my middle name on it. So I might try to argue that they charged me for a service they never provided.
I dont really care about the 50 euros to be honest. Its mostly a matter of principal and because I was shocked at how many other passengers were held hostage too at the airport. The Swissport lady says this happens for all their flights every week, so they must be scamming thousands of passengers per year.
In one way i was lucky. A American couple in the queue with me had booked via Priceline. They had supplied their middle names to Prlceline but Priceline had not passed it on to the airline. Even though they could show their Priceline booking had the their middle name the airline wouldn't budge. And I think because they had booked it after the new website was launched (even though they used priceline and not the airlines website) they were forced to pay 399 euros each. I suspect the airline just cancelled their original ticket and resold it back to them at full price.
Anyone else come across this disgraceful airline before? Has anyone else fallen for their tricks and had any luck at claiming their money back (or more importantly reported them to the appropriate authorities?).
Jun 25, 2019, 11:15 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SFO, VCE
Programs: AA EXP >4 MM, Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,881
Hey guys,
Recently flew Santorini to Rome with Blu Express (low budget version of Blue Panorama). Has anyone flown with them before and been a victim of their middle name scam?
Basically I booked my flight with them a few months ago when they operated their old outdated website. The website asked me for my first name and last name (there was no field to input my middle name so I left it out). But when I got to the airport the check-in lady insisted I had to go pay a 50 euro name change fee because my middle name was not on the booking. I tried to explain to her that their website never asked for a middle name but it fell on deaf ears as the airline has no representation at the airport and she didn't work for the airline.
So I had to go to the Swissport desk and pay the 50 euro name change fee. I checked their website and noticed that they have now launched a new modern website which does now ask for the passengers middle name. She told me it was launched on the 8th of April, just 4 days after I made my booking using their old website.
She said though the airline is aware of this, they (Swissport) are still instructed by the airline to still deny boarding unless the passengers pay the 50 euro fee (there was a queue of 20 other passengers in the same situation as me). She said they have been doing this for over 2 years. I had a quick google for the airlines name plus the word fraud/scam which confirms this as you can find loads of various facebook/twitter groups and petitions with thousands of other passengers that have fallen for this scam.
We were told to try to contact the airline in FCO to reclaim the fee, but arrive into Rome they had no representation at this airport either... I've emailed them to raise the issue and they just copied and pasted a standard reply referring to their condition of carriage which states middle name has to be on the booking. But they failed to answer my follow up question about where in the booking process I am supposed to supply the middle name if there is no field for it. I can't telepathically tell them my middle name and even if I called them up 10 seconds after making the booking they would probably still charge me a 50 euro name change fee to add my middle name onto the booking.
I've contacted the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) about it as well as the ECC (European Consumer Centre), although I am still waiting to hear back from both.
may also contact my credit card provider for a reverse charge because even though I paid the 50 euros, they just charged my card and gave me a receipt to say I had paid 50 euros. They never actually changed the name on my booking and when they printed out my boarding card it still did not have my middle name on it. So I might try to argue that they charged me for a service they never provided.
I dont really care about the 50 euros to be honest. Its mostly a matter of principal and because I was shocked at how many other passengers were held hostage too at the airport. The Swissport lady says this happens for all their flights every week, so they must be scamming thousands of passengers per year.
In one way i was lucky. A American couple in the queue with me had booked via Priceline. They had supplied their middle names to Prlceline but Priceline had not passed it on to the airline. Even though they could show their Priceline booking had the their middle name the airline wouldn't budge. And I think because they had booked it after the new website was launched (even though they used priceline and not the airlines website) they were forced to pay 399 euros each. I suspect the airline just cancelled their original ticket and resold it back to them at full price.
Anyone else come across this disgraceful airline before? Has anyone else fallen for their tricks and had any luck at claiming their money back (or more importantly reported them to the appropriate authorities?).
Recently flew Santorini to Rome with Blu Express (low budget version of Blue Panorama). Has anyone flown with them before and been a victim of their middle name scam?
Basically I booked my flight with them a few months ago when they operated their old outdated website. The website asked me for my first name and last name (there was no field to input my middle name so I left it out). But when I got to the airport the check-in lady insisted I had to go pay a 50 euro name change fee because my middle name was not on the booking. I tried to explain to her that their website never asked for a middle name but it fell on deaf ears as the airline has no representation at the airport and she didn't work for the airline.
So I had to go to the Swissport desk and pay the 50 euro name change fee. I checked their website and noticed that they have now launched a new modern website which does now ask for the passengers middle name. She told me it was launched on the 8th of April, just 4 days after I made my booking using their old website.
She said though the airline is aware of this, they (Swissport) are still instructed by the airline to still deny boarding unless the passengers pay the 50 euro fee (there was a queue of 20 other passengers in the same situation as me). She said they have been doing this for over 2 years. I had a quick google for the airlines name plus the word fraud/scam which confirms this as you can find loads of various facebook/twitter groups and petitions with thousands of other passengers that have fallen for this scam.
We were told to try to contact the airline in FCO to reclaim the fee, but arrive into Rome they had no representation at this airport either... I've emailed them to raise the issue and they just copied and pasted a standard reply referring to their condition of carriage which states middle name has to be on the booking. But they failed to answer my follow up question about where in the booking process I am supposed to supply the middle name if there is no field for it. I can't telepathically tell them my middle name and even if I called them up 10 seconds after making the booking they would probably still charge me a 50 euro name change fee to add my middle name onto the booking.
I've contacted the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) about it as well as the ECC (European Consumer Centre), although I am still waiting to hear back from both.
may also contact my credit card provider for a reverse charge because even though I paid the 50 euros, they just charged my card and gave me a receipt to say I had paid 50 euros. They never actually changed the name on my booking and when they printed out my boarding card it still did not have my middle name on it. So I might try to argue that they charged me for a service they never provided.
I dont really care about the 50 euros to be honest. Its mostly a matter of principal and because I was shocked at how many other passengers were held hostage too at the airport. The Swissport lady says this happens for all their flights every week, so they must be scamming thousands of passengers per year.
In one way i was lucky. A American couple in the queue with me had booked via Priceline. They had supplied their middle names to Prlceline but Priceline had not passed it on to the airline. Even though they could show their Priceline booking had the their middle name the airline wouldn't budge. And I think because they had booked it after the new website was launched (even though they used priceline and not the airlines website) they were forced to pay 399 euros each. I suspect the airline just cancelled their original ticket and resold it back to them at full price.
Anyone else come across this disgraceful airline before? Has anyone else fallen for their tricks and had any luck at claiming their money back (or more importantly reported them to the appropriate authorities?).
Jun 25, 2019, 1:26 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: BA Gold, TP Silver
Posts: 888
At least in my home country the passport will include all names, whether you want it to or not.
Jun 25, 2019, 1:29 pm
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,176
I wouldn't get hung up on your middle name not appearing on the actual BP. Mine certainly dosen't and in fact my first name gets cut-off as well so even I would fail a strict 'full name must be on the boarding pass' test.
Yes I would try a chargeback with your CC.
Which country are you based in as you could try their airline regulator as well as the Italian one? I'd also try the Greek regulator as well since that is where your flight was from.
Does one of your national newspapers have a consumer or travel writer? if so contact them. They may not intervene on your behalf but they could write something on airlines acting in bad faith in this way. They hate being embarrassed in this way.
Yes I would try a chargeback with your CC.
Which country are you based in as you could try their airline regulator as well as the Italian one? I'd also try the Greek regulator as well since that is where your flight was from.
Does one of your national newspapers have a consumer or travel writer? if so contact them. They may not intervene on your behalf but they could write something on airlines acting in bad faith in this way. They hate being embarrassed in this way.
Jun 25, 2019, 2:18 pm
#7
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,649
It is quite frequent to find posts on FT blaming airlines for all sorts of problems and accusing them unfairly of bad service. However, in this case the description 'scammers' looks entirely justified. I cannot think of another airline that cares about the middle name. Indeed on Turkish which I use a lot, adding the middle name can cause problems crediting miles so I never do and fly with no problems. Credit card charge back must be the right way to go here. I wonder if someone refused to pay, whether they could claim for IDB and EU261 compensation? Or maybe the EUR50 charge will magically disappear if you ask about your rights under EU261.
Jun 25, 2019, 3:02 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,751
Jun 28, 2019, 4:41 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3
Hey guys, sorry for the late reply. Had a few busy days.
Of course, but the point of my complaint is that the booking form only asks for First and Surname. So I wouldn’t expect most people to think “hey, lets append my middle name to my first name to be on the safe side”.
Had the form asked for a middle name, or made it clear (as it does on the airlines new website) that you are supposed to enter your first + middle name, then I would have done so.
Thanks, I filed a claim with Amex so I will see what they come back with.
I did think exactly like you, if I wasn't on holiday with the girlfriend I would have just refused to pay and claim EU261 compensation for denied boarding.
Wow, that is great news! That has made my day! I am so happy that the authorities have already taken action! Ironically they were fined 9 days before my flight and they still continue with their practises! I will certainly forward these articles to the airline, the ECC and ENAC.
Had the form asked for a middle name, or made it clear (as it does on the airlines new website) that you are supposed to enter your first + middle name, then I would have done so.
I wouldn't get hung up on your middle name not appearing on the actual BP. Mine certainly dosen't and in fact my first name gets cut-off as well so even I would fail a strict 'full name must be on the boarding pass' test.
Yes I would try a chargeback with your CC.
Which country are you based in as you could try their airline regulator as well as the Italian one? I'd also try the Greek regulator as well since that is where your flight was from.
Does one of your national newspapers have a consumer or travel writer? if so contact them. They may not intervene on your behalf but they could write something on airlines acting in bad faith in this way. They hate being embarrassed in this way.
Yes I would try a chargeback with your CC.
Which country are you based in as you could try their airline regulator as well as the Italian one? I'd also try the Greek regulator as well since that is where your flight was from.
Does one of your national newspapers have a consumer or travel writer? if so contact them. They may not intervene on your behalf but they could write something on airlines acting in bad faith in this way. They hate being embarrassed in this way.
It is quite frequent to find posts on FT blaming airlines for all sorts of problems and accusing them unfairly of bad service. However, in this case the description 'scammers' looks entirely justified. I cannot think of another airline that cares about the middle name. Indeed on Turkish which I use a lot, adding the middle name can cause problems crediting miles so I never do and fly with no problems. Credit card charge back must be the right way to go here. I wonder if someone refused to pay, whether they could claim for IDB and EU261 compensation? Or maybe the EUR50 charge will magically disappear if you ask about your rights under EU261.
I did think exactly like you, if I wasn't on holiday with the girlfriend I would have just refused to pay and claim EU261 compensation for denied boarding.
Wow, that is great news! That has made my day! I am so happy that the authorities have already taken action! Ironically they were fined 9 days before my flight and they still continue with their practises! I will certainly forward these articles to the airline, the ECC and ENAC.
Jul 4, 2019, 11:31 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 2
Middle Name
Just had the same today. They then gave me a ticket without my middle name! I am seething with anger sitting on my flight (delayed!). Any feedback on how to deal with this? Interestingly, they pretended the card machine was working and made us pay cash. No choice in the circumstances.
Thanks,
Freddie
Thanks,
Freddie
Jul 4, 2019, 11:45 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 3
Just had the same today. They then gave me a ticket without my middle name! I am seething with anger sitting on my flight (delayed!). Any feedback on how to deal with this? Interestingly, they pretended the card machine was working and made us pay cash. No choice in the circumstances.
Thanks,
Freddie
Thanks,
Freddie
So I was able to reverse the charge on my Amex. Told Amex I had been charged for a service I never received.
You can email the airline but I’ve heard no one who has been successful in getting them to refund it.
I can give you the contact details for the various authorities you can complain to. Won’t get your money back but hopefully add pressure for them to act to one day shutdown this mafia run airline
Jul 7, 2019, 4:45 am
#14
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 2
Sorry mate, if you paid by cash you’ll be out of luck. I got the same thing, charge for a name change and then they never even change the name on the ticket.
So I was able to reverse the charge on my Amex. Told Amex I had been charged for a service I never received.
You can email the airline but I’ve heard no one who has been successful in getting them to refund it.
I can give you the contact details for the various authorities you can complain to. Won’t get your money back but hopefully add pressure for them to act to one day shutdown this mafia run airline
Many thanks,
Freddie
Jul 7, 2019, 10:56 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: M&S Elite+
Posts: 3,649
Just had the same today. They then gave me a ticket without my middle name! I am seething with anger sitting on my flight (delayed!). Any feedback on how to deal with this? Interestingly, they pretended the card machine was working and made us pay cash. No choice in the circumstances.
Thanks,
Freddie
Thanks,
Freddie