Booking mistake leads to £9,000 flight ticket charge

A business owner from Worthing, West Sussex, is facing a major financial issue with his flight booking to China. Alex Coombes, 39, paid £2,100 for a ticket but made a small mistake by misspelling a colleague's last name. The airline, China Eastern Airlines, now wants him to pay about £9,000 for a new ticket. Mr. Coombes and his colleague, Damian Wilkins, were planning to attend a hospitality expo in Shanghai. After booking their flights, Mr. Coombes noticed the spelling error. He thought it would be an easy fix, but it has caused him weeks of stress and high costs. Despite spending hours trying to resolve the issue with American Express Travel Agency and China Eastern Airlines, he has gotten nowhere. The only solution offered was to cancel the original ticket and buy a new one at a much higher price. Current flights are now four times what he initially paid. Mr. Coombes described the situation as "outrageous." He's frustrated by the lack of support from both companies. He even suggested that changing his colleague's name by deed poll might be easier. The restaurant owner has spent significant time on the phone trying to resolve the problem but has faced challenges reaching someone who can assist. He feels trapped between the two companies, neither of which is willing to take responsibility. Mr. Coombes acknowledged his mistake but believes the penalty is excessive. He wants only to correct the spelling of his colleague's name. He hopes no one else has to face a similar experience.