Has anyone fixed 1 letter typo in surname? Air China/Gotogate issue

Hi everyone,

I have quite a stressful situation and I would like to ask if anyone has experienced something similar.

I booked a ticket through Gotogate with Air China.

Route: an international flight from Europe to China, followed by a connecting flight to Japan (same ticket / single booking, connecting itinerary).

The issue: there is a small typo in my surname — one extra letter at the end

(Bujnowski → Bujnowskk). My first name is correct, and all other details match my passport exactly.

Gotogate is claiming that it cannot be corrected and that I would need to buy a new ticket, which would cost around 19,000 PLN extra — which seems completely unreasonable for such a minor mistake.

I have already contacted Air China and I am waiting for their response.

My question is:

Has anyone actually experienced something similar (1-letter typo in last name) and:

• were you able to fly despite the mistake • did you manage to fix it before the flight • or did you have issues at check-in / denied boarding 

Any real experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Details:

• Date: 16.05.2025 • Route: Warsaw (WAW) → Beijing (PEK) → Japan • Flight 1: CA738 (Warsaw → Beijing) • Flight 2: CA181 (Beijing → Japan) • Airline: Air China • Booking purchased through: Gotogate