Why should a relationship split scupper Frisco plans?

Q Last autumn, my daughter booked a package for a week in San Francisco with her partner in June 2019. The flights are with Virgin Atlantic and the whole package cost just under £2,300. We paid for the holiday as a 21st birthday present. Unfortunately, through no fault of hers, she and her partner have split up. Her best friend has said she will now go with her. We contacted the agent at the beginning of April to ask that one of the names be changed and of course, we are prepared to pay any administration fee. They are saying that Virgin Atlantic will not allow a name change as it is not unforeseen circumstances. I have tried to get some sense by contacting ABTA and through the Resolver website but to no avail. Any advice?

Name withheld

A Sorry to hear about your daughter’s most unfortunate circumstances.

The Package Travel Regulations generally allow for name changes for a nominal fee (typically £50) on holidays with charter flights. But if scheduled services, as with these flights, are involved, then the situation usually gets cloudier. British Airways Holidays allows them, while anything to do with Virgin Atlantic is, in my experience, difficult to unravel. The airline says bluntly: “You will not be able to transfer your ticket to another person by completely changing the name, as tickets can’t be transferred. You’ll need to buy a new ticket.”

In order not to waste the trip, I suggest your daughter finds a male friend who will travel with her. He will need to change his name by deed poll to that of the ex-boyfriend and obtain a new passport in that name. In the time available that should be feasible.

After the trip, he can reverse the process. The total cost should be around £200 (and he will end up with a new passport in his real name). But compared with the cost of the trip that is minimal. And yes, it does make a mockery of rules that airlines often pretend are down to “security”.

Every day, our travel correspondent, Simon Calder, tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder