**** to forfeit tickets

I booked tickets and had a wrong surname added on the one set of tickets, now they can't fix the details and suggest that I try board on the flight but they might not take the tickets and then I have to forfeit the tickets? How is it that you are allowed to fix 3 characters for a spelling mistake but can't fix the surname at all? this is a **** to make money and the worst experience from a call centre ever