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Wizz Air has announced that it is introducing the ability to book anonymous tickets for the second or more person on a single reservation for a fee.
This does not mean that someone can travel without submitting their passenger details prior to departure, but rather it means that when making a reservation for more than one person you only need to add the name of the person making the booking initially. You can then decide to add the other names and travel document details at a later date. The fee for the service is $12 per passenger.
How It Works
The process is simple, all you need to do is start to make a reservation as you would do normally. Once you have selected the flight and you are prompted to add the passenger names, you are only obliged to add the first passenger. Below is an example of a flight from London Luton/LTN to Prague for 4 passengers.
After that, when you scroll down to add the passenger names you have the option of ticking a box that will allow you to add each passenger name later.
You can do this for all the passengers in the group.
The service costs $12/£9.50 per person whom you opt to add at a later date.
Is It Worth It?
Ultimately this is a very handy tool especially if you are traveling with a big group and are the main trip organizer. Booking the cheap flights when they are available and then getting confirmation from everyone who is going is much easier than trying to get firm commitments from the other travelers first.
Booking this way could prove much cheaper in the long run when making a reservation where you have to chop and change travelers’ names since the service to change the name on a ticket costs €45/$54 per person.
One thing to remember is that despite the fact that you can book a ticket this way, you are not able to head to the airport with a group of anonymous tickets. You will have to add the names prior to departure and check in online as normal so that all the usual advance security checks can be completed.
Overall
This is a neat move from Wizz and will make life easier for those organizing a bigger trip where who exactly is traveling is not fully confirmed at the time of making the booking. It will also make it easier to plan surprise trips since you don’t have to enter all the passenger information immediately. Hopefully, this move will prove popular, and other low-cost carriers will start implementing similar schemes.
Source: One Mile At A Time
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It’s interesting ideas like this that force the legacy airlines to rethink about aspects of their service. That has to be a plus.
I like the idea. Hope to see more widespread adoption of this.
This is an interesting idea and one I might actually want to use on a current trip I’m planning. Unfortunately, Wizz Air doesn’t fly to Central America.
Looking at their route map, I can see that they are a very good option toget around Europe for someone who travels light, even if you don’t need to use the anonymous booking feature.
I think it’s a good idea even though particularly interesting for companies more than individuals.
Interesting concept but doesn’t really seem that useful for most people. Travel agents typically have their own deals since they get tickets way far in advance and just have to give the names later, and with large group/family trips the problem is usually how many tickets to get, not who will be going on the trip. May be a step in a really interesting direction though!
love this for surprise trips!
Wow this looks like a very nice feature!
Now I gotta try this myself.
That’s a very interested, and indeed helpful feature for off the cuff bookings.
Red flags are everything I see. I can see that this would be a boon for someone but I’m doubtful that you’d be able to get a refund if the name you add suddenly says no I’m not going. Would they let you change the name again, if that happens?
Most airlines do not let you change names because of the info they have to send off to the government and I’m sure it’s easier if they don’t have to keep reprinting new lists all the time. Manifests have to be updated every time a name changes. If something happens to the flight and you have the wrong manifest issues can occur with contacting the right people.
The info that is sent to get TSA Precheck verified also takes time. I wonder how Wizz is handling that or because they are not a US carrier they don’t have to worry about that?
This would definitely come in handy for those who are booking travel for a large group.
A much needed additional layer of flexibility!
Although this has limited usefulness for me personally, but increased flexibility is always a good thing!
I’m not sure I’d need to use this feature, but can see how it might be convenient for some 🙂
Could be a good idea for all carriers to adopt!
Intersting service. Hopefully it gets adopted.
OTOH, I understand why most airlines don’t do this. It makes it easy for a scalper to buy 8 tickets for himself & 7 “friends” on a hot flight, such as mainland US/ Canada to Hawaii on the Saturday immed. before Christmas!
Never thought about that. I guess people are willing to do anything to make a buck.
I like the idea because “Booking the cheap flights when they are available and then getting confirmation from everyone who is going is much easier than trying to get firm commitments from the other travelers first.” I hate when I’m buying air &or show tickets & people promise to ‘check their work schedule/ social calendar’ when what half of them really mean is ‘NO.’
Or one could be booking tickets for an entire group of colleagues, social club, sports team, etc. where members may join or quit or be fired!
Not sure if I would ever do that.
Seems expensive just to wait to fill in people’s names later. Just saying……..
That is a good idea. We can indicate later who will travel. On the other hand, the company earns income with a new service.
This might be handy on award tickets being booked 330 days out.
Doubt I would ever use it but good to know. Maybe they will start a trend.
doesn’t seem practical to the mass but could be useful for travel agents or groups
this sounds like it could be used by shady characters
Great thought. Hope US airlines will follow.
Just because we’re used to extra fees for changing names… it should NOT be that way. There should be NO CHARGE for a name change… Who cares who the person is. You pay for a seat in a plane. It shouldn’t matter who occupies it until the week before the flight.
Wow! Interesting idea.
It is convenient. Don’t know if I trust a company called Wizz, but hopefully airlines or OTAs will allow this down the road.
This is a really useful idea, especially if booking for large groups.
Interesting idea, I wonder if they maybe lower the cancellation fees if people can’t go on the trip. I know that’s been a big issue for my friends and I in the past.
This is definitely an interesting concept, most won’t even let you change names as tickets aren’t transferable.
Certainly convenient but I wish they hired a professional spellchecker or at least learned how to spell “anonymous” before introducing it.
I’m always the organizer for my large family, so I love this idea!
I personally can’t think of a time when I would know the number of people travelling but not be sure of their names… but I accept this might be useful to some!
I can see the benefits of using this service but it’s certainly something I would only need once in a blue moon, and not something I’d use regularly. By the way, I’ve never even heard of Wizz airlines before!
that is a great improvement, nice that they are thinking about the customer’s needs.
Wow. This is really weird but really rather convenient. Usually airlines charge extortionate fees to let you change names on an airplane ticket.
interesting idea,
I think my initial thought is that I like this idea. But I am still cautious