Student changes name to avoid Ryanair administration fee

Adam Armstrong alters name by deed poll saving more than £100 on booking charge

A student changed his name by deed poll because it was cheaper than paying a Ryanair fee to correct a booking error.

A mix-up meant Adam Armstrong had been booked to fly to Ibiza under the name of Adam West.

Rather than face a Ryanair administration fee of £220 (€302), Mr Armstrong, from Manchester, changed his name free of charge and then obtained a new passport for £103.

Now he and girlfriend India Lomas (17) will fly to Ibiza as planned next week.

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Mr Armstrong told the Sun that the flight for the couple had been booked by Ms Lomas's stepfather.

He said: "Her stepdad got my name from Facebook but I had put it as Adam West as a joke, because he was the actor who played Batman on TV.

“Ryanair were not helpful at all. We showed them we were not trying to change the person, just the name, but they wouldn’t back down.

“Ryanair pride themselves on being a customer-centric business, it just seems like a joke when they wouldn’t change the name. I just thought it was completely ridiculous. All they needed to do was hit the backspace key on a keyboard and they want to charge me £220?”

Ryanair told him there was a £110 charge for changing the name, but it would have to be paid twice as Ms Lomas was on the same booking.

Most airlines impose a charge if a passenger name needs to be changed.

According to Bob Atkinson at Travelsupermarket.com, the typical fee is £25-£40.

PA (Additional reporting from Guardian service)