Traveling with British Airways is often a seamless and stress-free experience, but sometimes mistakes happen when booking your flight—whether it’s a minor spelling error, a change in your name, or an incorrect passenger detail. One question that frequently arises is whether British Airways provides a name change policy for tickets and how passengers can rectify such issues.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through the British Airways name change policy, what it covers, and how you can manage any name corrections on your tickets to ensure smooth travel.

What is British Airways Name Change Policy?

British Airways generally offers a name change policy for certain types of changes to your booking, but with some restrictions. While they allow minor name corrections, a full name change may not be as straightforward. It’s important to note that there is no direct provision for transferring a ticket to another passenger; however, name corrections (for small errors) are possible under specific conditions.

Here’s what you need to know about the British Airways name change policy:

1. Minor Name Corrections

If you notice that a passenger’s name is misspelled or has a small error, British Airways allows name corrections. These are usually possible when the mistake is related to minor spelling errors or variations (such as an incorrect middle name or a transposed letter in the first or last name).

For example, if your name was mistakenly typed as “Jon” instead of “John,” British Airways will typically allow you to correct this type of error without any major issues.

Key Points on Minor Corrections:

• Minor changes to the first name, last name, or middle name are generally allowed.
• You will need to provide documentation (passport or ID) to support the correction.
• Name changes are easier to manage if done early—ideally as soon as you notice the mistake.

2. Major Name Changes (Full Name Change)

A full name change—where you wish to change a passenger’s first or last name completely—is not allowed on most British Airways tickets. British Airways does not typically allow a ticket transfer from one person to another. If you’ve made a significant error, you may need to cancel and rebook the flight under the correct name.

This means if you accidentally booked a ticket under someone else’s name or the name was drastically incorrect, you might be required to cancel the existing booking and purchase a new ticket. In some cases, you may be able to get a refund (subject to the fare conditions) for the canceled ticket, though cancellation fees may apply.

Key Points on Major Name Changes:

• Full name changes are not allowed; ticket transfers are not possible.
• If a major name change is required, you may need to cancel and rebook the flight.
• Cancellations may be subject to fees or fare rules based on the type of ticket.

3. How to Apply for a British Airways Name Change