Thai Vietjet - Drama

[Cadan]

Took the flight with the family to Phuket. 2 adults 2 children. Made a typo mistake with the name of my 9 years old son 9. Had to buy an entire new ticket. The inflexibility is just madness in times where the industry and most already suffering they take advantage. So disappointed that I won’t book them again. In the 21st century where all is online we can’t do a quick online modification ??? 
 

anyway be wary 

[fangless]

Bit of a dramatic heading!

I was expecting reports of engine fires and or airline related disasters, not some bureaucratic cock up report.

[4MyEgo]

8 minutes ago, Cadan said:

The inflexibility is just madness in times where the industry and most already suffering they take advantage. So disappointed that I won’t book them again.

 

I wouldn't let them get away with it, write them a letter with the ticket and copy of kids name details, e.g. passport, ID Card and tell them that as the system failed to provide access for you to edit the name, you feel a refund would be greatly appreciated.

 

Wait for the reply, if they say no, then follow up letter advising them that you will then have no option to lodge a complaint with the ombudsman and advise family and friends to avoid the airline in future due to it's inflexibility.

 

I made the same error a while back, different airline, called them straight away and they sorted it, so I suppose it depends on who you are dealing with, perhaps someone in management or customer relations will see the light.

 

Don't get angry, get even, i.e. don't be a pushover.

 

 

[tonray]

15 minutes ago, Cadan said:

Took the flight with the family to Phuket. 2 adults 2 children. Made a typo mistake with the name of my 9 years old son 9. Had to buy an entire new ticket. The inflexibility is just madness in times where the industry and most already suffering they take advantage. So disappointed that I won’t book them again. In the 21st century where all is online we can’t do a quick online modification ??? 
 

anyway be wary 

The rules are usually put in place by national governments and not the airlines...specifically so people like terrorists cannot exploit the system and board planes using false identities. I once made the mistake (and this was way before 9-11) of subbing for a colleague who could not make a work trip...I simply boarded the plane with his ticket..back them nobody really checked IDs...during the flight they questioned me as to my name...and detained me upon arrival pending further questioning before letting me off.....

Edited November 26, 2020 by tonray

[soi3eddie]

 

Many airlines will now give 24-48 hours after booking to cancel erroneous bookings with no fees. Some airlines will also allow obvious and simple typo changes for no fee. The original reason for no name changes was to stop the buying of tickets at low prices and then selling the ticket onwards to a different person later to make a profit.

 

I agree that if a simple typo then any airline should be required to make the change. Most check-in or airport staff are not authorised to use discretion and are obliged to follow "rules" to the letter. No thinking or common sense involved. I wonder whether the OP escalated this to the airline duty manager at the time? Has the OP subsequently contact the airline's head office or customer support? I personally wouldn't blame a specific airline for this but it is mostly an industry standard.

 

Edited November 26, 2020 by soi3eddie

[2long]

Thai VietJet is a budget airline and is strict for several things, including weighing hand luggage. I have used them and will again next week.

Whenever booking flights, always double check before hitting 'confirm'. And if it's your own kids' names, there should be no excuse. My Thai wife's name is spelled differently on her ID card and passport, so when booking domestic flights I use her ID spelling and her passport spelling for international flights.

This is your error, but worth pursuing.

Years ago I booked Air Asia for the whole family and we arrived at Don Meaung to fly to Bali at 5am only to find out my 4.5 year old daughter had 5 months and 2 weeks left on her passport. They wouldn't let her on the plane. But I chased the airline up afterwards and got a decent refund. This was my error but the first ever booking in their system after they had changed and I didn't need to enter all the expiry dates like in the past.

[chuang]

Blame yourself not the airline.

[ab1594]

I had the same thing last year with another local budget airline and on showing the ground staff my child's ID card and the obvious spelling mistake they said no problem and we went on our flight. I would try the email approach and see what happens.

[tomazbodner]

Lesson of the day: Dyslexic people pay double

[scorecard]

20 hours ago, 2long said:

Thai VietJet is a budget airline and is strict for several things, including weighing hand luggage. I have used them and will again next week.

Whenever booking flights, always double check before hitting 'confirm'. And if it's your own kids' names, there should be no excuse. My Thai wife's name is spelled differently on her ID card and passport, so when booking domestic flights I use her ID spelling and her passport spelling for international flights.

This is your error, but worth pursuing.

Years ago I booked Air Asia for the whole family and we arrived at Don Meaung to fly to Bali at 5am only to find out my 4.5 year old daughter had 5 months and 2 weeks left on her passport. They wouldn't let her on the plane. But I chased the airline up afterwards and got a decent refund. This was my error but the first ever booking in their system after they had changed and I didn't need to enter all the expiry dates like in the past.

 The twist, several years back my son booked himself, wife and 3 kids on Thai smile to Bkk. He made one error with one name, noticed when he got the confirmation e.mail.

 

He called ThaiSmile and asked to correct the name spelling.

 

Response 'You need to to take all the documents and the birth certificate of the passenger with the wrong spelling to the TG office at Sanam Luang (near the grand palace) and they will correct it.

 

He objected and said 'that means I have to do 2 return flights- one to get the correction and then the actual flight with family' Response 'yes that's correct'

 

He also mentioned that his daughters name on her birth certificate  is written in Thai' and not in English. Response 'Well that's the policy, so you can't change the ticket'.

 

Running out of time he booked and paid for another ticket for his daughter. 

[Will27]

22 hours ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

I wouldn't let them get away with it, write them a letter with the ticket and copy of kids name details, e.g. passport, ID Card and tell them that as the system failed to provide access for you to edit the name, you feel a refund would be greatly appreciated.

 

Wait for the reply, if they say no, then follow up letter advising them that you will then have no option to lodge a complaint with the ombudsman and advise family and friends to avoid the airline in future due to it's inflexibility.

 

I made the same error a while back, different airline, called them straight away and they sorted it, so I suppose it depends on who you are dealing with, perhaps someone in management or customer relations will see the light.

 

Don't get angry, get even, i.e. don't be a pushover.

 

 

Cannot agree with you here.

Unfortunately the error was self inflicted.

 

They're  a budget airline, you aren't going to get the same customer service

would with one of the more established higher priced airlines.

 

You always take your chances with budget airlines.

 

It's not about being a pushover, he was wrong.

 

[ChakaKhan]

THIS...Vietjet is VERY sneaky as Ive come to use them to jump to CNX when I arrive in Swampy without leaving airport so its handy and cheap...planes look just like air asia, hate the outfits they wear tho...lol

 

Ive read MANY articles about these typos and how they wont give you a break, even about how you put your name in website as its tricky, seemingly on purpose...also they try to sneak fees and upgrades onto you

 

Is cheap and decent once you get past these, and the total FINAL costs(bait n switch), so buyer beware..careful

[ChakaKhan]

21 hours ago, 2long said:

always double check before hitting 'confirm'

Agreed, esp with them....I always am the last one on, and then sit where ever I want..they never seem to care, as i snatch the ones up front with more leg room....the flight I take is usually the latest one so pretty empty plane

[bkk6060]

I only use VJ now for domestic.

Easy inexpensive online changes, never been late, professional services.

 

Sorry OP, sounds like your issue they simply have regulations to follow.

[DFPhuket]

If the airline offers web or mobile check-in and you don't have checked luggage, you should do that. You can bypass the check-in counter and go straight thru security and the gate. The first time the airline will compare your passport and boarding pass is as you're boarding and they are less likely to hold up the queue and are more likely to let you board at that point.  

[lagavulin1]

On 11/26/2020 at 8:41 AM, tonray said:

The rules are usually put in place by national governments and not the airlines...specifically so people like terrorists cannot exploit the system and board planes using false identities. I once made the mistake (and this was way before 9-11) of subbing for a colleague who could not make a work trip...I simply boarded the plane with his ticket..back them nobody really checked IDs...during the flight they questioned me as to my name...and detained me upon arrival pending further questioning before letting me off.....

Tonray is correct. The ability for every Tom, Dick or Harry to manipulate tickets, addresses and Bank details must be controlled. 

I made an error with Air Asia but quickly resolved it. The difference? I checked my documents before flying. 

The lack of ability for airline staff to make changes at airports is another discussion. 

[4MyEgo]

4 hours ago, Will27 said:

Cannot agree with you here.

Unfortunately the error was self inflicted.

 

They're  a budget airline, you aren't going to get the same customer service

would with one of the more established higher priced airlines.

 

You always take your chances with budget airlines.

 

It's not about being a pushover, he was wrong.

 

 

I understand where you are coming from, being a budget airline shouldn't allow them the right to rip people off, suffice to say if one wanted to pursue the matter to court which everyone knows, especially the airline, that it wouldn't be worth, one could argue that the airline didn't suffer any losses due to the innocent mistake and a refund should be forthcoming, and perhaps advise the airlines to make their systems more user friendly so that one could edit their ticket if a small typo/mistake was made (same name) as opposed making the customer pay again, as it's nothing short of robbery IMO. 

 

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, DFPhuket said:

If the airline offers web or mobile check-in and you don't have checked luggage, you should do that. You can bypass the check-in counter and go straight thru security and the gate. The first time the airline will compare your passport and boarding pass is as you're boarding and they are less likely to hold up the queue and are more likely to let you board at that point.  

 But of course hoping that the staff at the boarding gate check the photo to ensure you are he person in the photo and the name on the ID is the same as the boarding pass.

[hotchilli]

On 11/26/2020 at 9:02 AM, soi3eddie said:

I agree that if a simple typo then any airline should be required to make the change. Most check-in or airport staff are not authorised to use discretion and are obliged to follow "rules" to the letter. No thinking or common sense involved. I wonder whether the OP escalated this to the airline duty manager at the time? Has the OP subsequently contact the airline's head office or customer support? I personally wouldn't blame a specific airline for this but it is mostly an industry standard

Correct, check-in staff have to follow company regulations, they have no authority to make those changes.

 

[NanLaew]

54 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

 

I understand where you are coming from, being a budget airline shouldn't allow them the right to rip people off, suffice to say if one wanted to pursue the matter to court which everyone knows, especially the airline, that it wouldn't be worth, one could argue that the airline didn't suffer any losses due to the innocent mistake and a refund should be forthcoming, and perhaps advise the airlines to make their systems more user friendly so that one could edit their ticket if a small typo/mistake was made (same name) as opposed making the customer pay again, as it's nothing short of robbery IMO. 

 

A couple of times in my global roaming, the travel agents used by my clients have been imprecise with spelling my name. The first time, when they used the short form for my christian name, I was denied boarding out of Brazil with a full-fare ticket flying business class. Had to stay an extra night and catch the same flight the following day after the ticket was reissued with my ticket name matching the name in my passport. The second time, when my surname was misspelled, I spotted the error when they sent me the flight details a few days before departing from Singapore. I pointed out the mistake and maybe a couple of hours later, a completely new eticket had been issued with my surname spelled correctly. Both times the travel agency had to re-issue the ticket and eat the cost for their mistakes including extra accommodation, etc..

 

It is IATA that makes the rules regarding name changes regardless if it's a full-service airline or LCC. If you are doing the booking yourself, you assume all the risk.

Edited November 27, 2020 by NanLaew

[natway09]

Did you check your tickets after booking or they picked it up on check in ?

[CNXBKKMAN]

Quiz question. Which airline is this? 

 

 They have a unnecessarily punitive name spelling policy. 

 They have flown to the wrong destination.

 The wheels have fallen off during take off/landing.

 They have landed on the wrong runway.

 Have the stalled both engines during a flight.

 They have been under special government supervision for safety incidents. 

 and on and on...

 

 

[2long]

But these buggers have just changed my flight for next Sunday, causing a headache and expense... ????????