I paid for tickets on the wrong airline
Laurie Spear’s travel agent tells her she’s booked on American Airlines. But it turns out she’s on British Airways and that leads to all kinds of problems. Who’s responsible, and how does she fix it?
Commentary
Elliott Advocacy is a nonprofit organization that mediates cases between consumers and businesses. These are commentary articles that detail our efforts and provide educational information for consumers.
Who’s responsible for this bump in my bumper?
Chris Benzinger has a problem with National Car Rental. The company sent him a surprise repair bill, but it isn’t telling him what he did to deserve it.
Disney promised me fireworks! Where are the fireworks?
It may sound insignificant, but to Mona Ogden, the fireworks at Disneyland are a big deal. She even spent $900 to upgrade into a “club-level” room at the Disneyland Hotel on a recent visit because they promised “a view of the Disneyland Park fireworks show from above with in-house soundtrack.”
Secret TSA memo explains differences between medical devices and weapons of mass destruction
Remember when the TSA accidentally published its passenger screening manual online a few years ago? Well, in light of this week’s events, which call into question the agency’s basic operating procedures, I’m not waiting around for it to do that again (although it probably will).
Why doesn’t travel insurance cover dad’s illness?
When Jessica Kamzik’s father was diagnosed with stomach cancer last summer, there was no question about what she had to do. Dad’s prognosis was “grave” — the doctors said he probably wouldn’t make it to the holidays — and, “as any loving daughter would do, I immediately cancelled our vacation to stay closer to him,” she says.
Why can’t I transit through London?
Mita Upadhyay has a “Catch-22” problem with a visa, but British Airways wants $500 to fix it. Is that good customer service — or a hard lesson learned about having the right paperwork?
Smoked out of my suite on the Carnival Miracle
Andrew Besterman’s eight-day cruise to the Bahamas on the Carnival Miracle was something short of divine. For the duration of the journey, he was annoyed by the odor of cigarette smoke which seeped into his mini-suite from the cabin next door.
Bitten by bugs on my Delta Air Lines flight to New York
Patricia Sweeney says she suffered multiple bug bites on a recent Delta Air Lines flight from Atlanta to New York. “The bites were most likely bed bugs or fleas,” she says. “I had a severe reaction to them and developed an infection.”
Do travelers need new federal protections?
It’s not your imagination. Congress seems to be paying closer attention to travelers’ welfare.
American Airlines charges sailor a fee for flight change
“I’m hoping you can help my son with a situation,” Brad Lessem wrote to me a few days ago.