Attention Elizabeth Gallagher: Canadian looking to give airline tickets to someone with the same name as his ex

If you’re a Canadian named Elizabeth Gallagher, there may be an early Christmas present waiting for you.

Thanks to the archaic policies of the airline industry that makes adjusting flight reservations either expensive or impossible, and his recent separation from a former girlfriend, Jordan Axani is searching for someone who can put several flights on a round-the-world trip to use, no strings attached.

The only issue is that one set of airline tickets is reserved under the name of his ex-girlfriend, and it seems it has to stay that way.

"My hope in the whole thing is to find somebody who maybe wasn’t able to travel to far-off places, or hasn’t had the opportunity yet, who can put it to good use," Axani told Yahoo Canada News in a telephone interview on Monday.

"It’s a ticket around the world and if it goes to waste it would be a shame."

Axani launched his search for the fortuitously-named stranger on the social media site Reddit this weekend, saying the ticket will only work if they have the same name as his ex-girlfriend.

His post reads:

Axani notes that the deal he got when he purchased the tickets several months ago plays into his decision not to bother fighting against three different airlines and their outdated reservation policies. The set of five flights was purchased through a discount offer on Priceline for a few thousand dollars, he said.

He says he doesn’t want anything in return – not companionship, romance or monetary exchange. If you want to travel with him, that would be fun. And if you want to travel on your own, that’s fine. Enjoy your trip.

“If someone contacted me and were able to use the ticket and wanted to use the ticket and do their own thing, I think that’s totally great,” he said.

“Life has a really interesting way of throwing curve balls sometimes, and what might otherwise be a crappy situation – wasting a ticket, travelling alone – sure it will be great to see the world but it would be a sadder story. If someone can use the ticket then this has the ability to turn into something really positive.”

The vacation runs from late December to early January and includes stops in Milan, Paris, Bangkok and New Dehli.

In his post, he says these are the only requirements (more or less) to claiming the ticket:

1. Be sane, smart and (hopefully) interesting.

2. Have always wanted to travel, but maybe haven’t had the opportunity or cash to see much of the world.

3. Be named Elizabeth Gallagher and have a Canadian passport.

4. Be ready for a rather spontaneous life experience that will, one day, be an epic story that you’ll tell your kids.

5. Pay it forward. I’ve been lucky in life and this is me giving back to the universe. Do something similar someday.

Axani described himself as an easygoing guy who enjoys the spontaneity of life.

And while Axani’s joie de vivre is commendable, and worth celebrating in this cynical time, this is also a shining example of the bureaucratic brick walls that tend to appear when dealing with the airline industry.

While swapping flight reservations was once a simple process, it now tends to be either impossible or, at best, expensive.

Just last month, Australian Aurore Lassus posted a similar request on Reddit after breaking up with her boyfriend, Andrew Grant.

"I am serious. This isn’t a joke. If my ex saw this he would think I’m crazy when in reality I just want to go overseas to see my family for the first time and explore Europe with a like-minded person. It would be a lost opportunity going by myself since it’s all booked for two and cancelling it would be a big loss for me," she wrote at the time.

Lassus has been contacted by a few people named Andrew Grant, and a few people willing to change their names, but with the trip set for November 26, there was no confirmation a match had been made.

In that case, the tickets were booked through Flightcentre, which flatly states, “You cannot change the name on an airline ticket or give the ticket to someone else to use.”

Other airlines or travel agencies have their own policies. Priceline, which Axani used to book his flights, says it depends on the type of ticket and booking you have purchased.

Axani told Yahoo Canada News the flights were spread across three different airlines, all of which had a zero-tolerance policy for name changes. Even purchasing insurance didn’t allow him the ability to change the name attached to the tickets. He could only make adjustments if he was able to present a marriage certificate, a divorce certificate or a death certificate.

“There is really nothing that can be done. It is incredible that in 2014 some of these airlines are so archaic,” he said. “It is really crazy to me that no modification, even with just cause, would be allowed.”

In Canada, there has actually been a recent shift toward making it easier to change reservations. Air Canada updated their policy in March, making name changes free for “Latitude” tickets – which are more expensive to purchase in the first place.

Changing the name on Air Canada “flex” tickets now costs $60, and any discount “Tango” ticket can be changed for $100, as long as it is flying inside Canada. Westjet charges similar fees for name changes.

But rules are harsher elsewhere. For example, Agean Airlines refused to transfer tickets on “principle.” And Delta Airlines prohibits all name changes or ticket transfers. Some airlines even limit name changes in the event of clerical error - such as accidental misspelling of a last name.

As for Axani’s trip, so far he says he hasn’t received calls from any Elizabeth Gallaghers. But his post has generated a great deal of public interest.

"A lot of people have messaged saying they know somebody and they’ll make a connection, so it is definitely spreading through social channels," he said. "But nothing just yet."