[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

Probably no airline--in the world--will allow you to use someone else's ticket without you first paying some kind of service charge. As unfair as it may seem, it doesn't matter even if you paid for the ticket.

Few airlines in North America will allow a "name change" to a ticket. Jet Blue is one of the few that DO allow it--and even then it's a round-about process. If you were in the same situation with Jet Blue, you would first have to agree to forfeit $100 out of the value of your son's ticket. The remaining balance would be transfered to what amounts to a "store credit." On Jet Blue that "store credit" may then be transferred to ANYONE.

European airlines seem more lenient on name changes. Air Berlin (which offers service from the USA) WILL allow a name change anytime prior to departure (on the first flight.) However, the change can only be done over the phone, not on-line. Also, there is probably a service change.

Again, as stated by myself and others: A FULLY REFUNDABLE ticket will keep you out of these problems.

Perhaps, someday, people will be able to get SOME of their money refunded on "non-refundable" tickets. To pay $1,000+, and never be able to get ANY of that money back is, I agree, extreme. I'm sure a $100 service charge would more than compensate airlines for processing refunds.