An airline has defended its name change policy today after a customer complained he was charged more than the cost of his holiday to alter the surnames on two tickets.

Iain Savage, 56, reportedly had to pay £328 to change the names on bmibaby tickets from East Midlands Airport to Edinburgh.

He booked four tickets for himself, his girlfriend, Janice Dilks, and her brother and sister-in-law, whom he assumed had the same surname.

When he found out their surname was Smith he told the airline, which said it would alter the names, it was reported.

Mr Savage, from Eastwood, Nottingham, told the Derby Telegraph: "I was speechless when I got the bill. I rang the call centre and said 'you've got to be joking'.

"I thought there had been a mistake, but when I rang back the same call centre, they said it was policy to rebook the flights, which were now more expensive.

"In a nutshell, I have been charged £330 to change two surnames on two flights."

The total cost of the two-day trip, including flights, accommodation and tickets to see England play Scotland in the Six Nations rugby tournament, was only £250 each to begin with, he said.

Bmibaby said customers who make a mistake when booking their flights can contact the airline within 24 hours and the name can be changed free of charge.