Air NZ said a name change would cost $4000 - then reconsidered when Stuff asked questions

Saturday, 27 December 2025

Alicia Tomchuk, left, with her nieces, from left, Rayah McNeil, Avie Tomchuk and Brae Lynn Tomchuk Gassner.

Solving stuff is our project to help solve our readers’ problems and answer their questions. You can read about the project here and submit ideas at the end of this story.

The problem

Alicia Tomchuk booked a dream reunion, only to have it nearly ruined by airlines’ refusal to correct a “simple” name mistake.

The 38-year-old Tauranga woman had spent months saving to bring her two nieces, aged 19 and 21, for their first visit since she moved from Canada to New Zealand a decade ago.

But the 2026 reunion came to a halt when she spotted that part of a double-barrelled surname was missing on one ticket.

Tomchuk booked the flights directly through the Air New Zealand website on November 1, paying $2700 return for each ticket.

On December 13, while arranging travel insurance, she noticed one niece’s passport listed two surnames, “Tomchuk” and “Gassner”, but the ticket showed only one.

She immediately contacted Air NZ expecting a quick fix, but instead found herself sent in circles.

An old photo of Alicia Tomchuk, left, with her nieces Rayah McNeil and Brae Lynn Tomchuk Gassner.

Air NZ told her a correction may not be possible because the itinerary included a codeshare flight with WestJet and she needed to check with that airline.

Tomchuk contacted WestJet the same day, only to be told the change had to be handled by Air NZ.

So back to Air NZ she went, to then learn the name could not be changed at all because two airlines were involved.

Her only options were to cancel the ticket or rebook at current prices, she was told.

By then, the same flight was priced at about $4000 - $1300 more than she had already paid.

After spending the whole day dealing with two airlines, Tomchuk contacted Stuff on the night of December 13.

“I was told I had to cancel my niece’s flight and rebook. No refund. Close to $3000 down the toilet. I am so gutted,” the distraught aunt said.

“I admit this was a big oversight, but people make mistakes. It should be okay.”

At that point she hadn’t told her nieces about the problem.

Alicia Tomchuk says she’s worried how many people might give up and lose thousands of dollars.

“It would break their hearts. This has been my absolute dream to bring them out here. I don’t have children so these girls mean so much to me,” she said.

“I’m crushed at the thought of having to pay another $4000. That’s almost double what I paid. I just can’t afford that,” Tomchuk said, breaking down on the phone.

A breakthrough

Stuff reached out to Air New Zealand on December 15.

The next day, the airline told Stuff it would support Tomchuk directly to resolve the issue “as a gesture of goodwill”.

Air NZ offered her two options - a full refund or placing the booking in credit to reuse towards a new booking with the correct name.

“Unfortunately, with both options, fares will be subject to current availability,” the airline said in an email to Tomchuk.

She pushed back, asking why she was being forced to pay extra when she could find no policies on Air New Zealand’s website restricting name changes for multi-airline bookings.

“It is very close to 2026, and to not have a system in a digital world to edit a booking is hard to believe,” she told Stuff.

“I appreciate the offer to refund the ticket, but the price increase from $2700 to $4000 is an unfair penalty. Rebooking the same seat on the same flight wouldn’t incur additional costs for Air NZ, and it seems this situation primarily benefits them.”

On December 17, Tomchuk said she received a call from an Air New Zealand staff member, who confirmed that WestJet had also been contacted.

Later that day, an email arrived in her inbox confirming the airlines had corrected the name on the booking.

“Both our Air New Zealand team and the WestJet team were able to correct the name on the ticket. You should have received an updated e-ticket,” the email said.

Why did it take a media spotlight to unlock a solution?

After the name correction was made, Stuff asked Air New Zealand why it took a media inquiry for the issue to be resolved.

Air NZ said name corrections are reviewed “on a case-by-case basis”.

“Making name corrections is more complex when another airline is involved as our team needs to work with them and their systems to make the correction,” a spokesperson said.

WestJet confirmed it co-ordinated with Air NZ to resolve the issue and apologised for the inconvenience.

“In this case, where the ticket being issued was on the stock of Air New Zealand, advance changes or updates are best completed by the airline with whom the initial booking was made,” a WestJet spokesperson said.

So what’s been solved?

Tomchuk’s niece can now travel to New Zealand on the same ticket.

But she says she’s worried how many people might simply give up and lose thousands of dollars.

“One simple mistake shouldn’t have meant I was on the hook for cancelling a non-refundable ticket and paying an extra $4000,” she said.

“I’m very thankful Air New Zealand reconsidered my case and I hope this example helps change their policies because situations like this could have devastating outcomes for other families and individuals.”