A series of unexpected delays leaves Australia-bound Gai Skramstad stranded in Los Angeles without luggage for a day. United Airlines pays for her hotel and offers a $100 voucher, but she wants more for losing a day of her vacation. What is she entitled to?
August 2006
During the last few days I’ve been bombarded — no pun intended — by questions about air travel and the latest terror threat. Instead of answering them all individually, I thought I would just do a blog posting.
I believe in looking my best — especially when I’m on the road. It isn’t always easy. A few years ago, I flew from Cannes, France, to Los Angeles for the American Cinematheque Awards. The trip takes almost an entire day because of all the stopovers.
It is surprising to hear the travel industry’s talking heads pontificate about how the thwarted terrorist attacks of 8/10 have permanently changed the way we fly. It’s especially baffling to me because as far as I can tell, few of these experts have been anywhere near an airport since the Transportation Security Administration clamped down on carry-on liquids and gels. Fewer still have flown.
I’m flying from Orlando to Newark, N.J., tomorrow. Great timing, with the latest terror threat. Fortunately, NPR asked me to write a story for its Web site about what to expect when you fly, and it actually has helped me feel a little better about tomorrow’s trip.
There’s nothing wrong with rewarding a chief executive for a job well done. But news that US Airways’ CEO Doug Parker sold 270,000 shares of company stock for a total of $9 million — a move criticized yesterday by the carrier’s unions — raises some important questions.
Daniel Chin pays in full for his package tour of the Baltics, which includes a $200 fuel surcharge. At least that’s what he thinks. Now he’s being presented with another fuel surcharge for $120. Can his tour operator do that? And what kind of recourse does he have when his vacation just gets more and more expensive?
Next time you rent a car, take a closer look at the license plate. Is the registration sticker current? If not, be sure you ask for a different car — or at least a new sticker. Lila Davis wishes she had.
Like most business travelers, I love getting things free. I started collecting frequent-flier miles for the free flights. I make regular trips to the Caribbean to sell swimwear and get inspiration for future designs, and have accumulated enough points along the way for Platinum status with American Airlines. But sometimes I end up with much [...]
The movie Snakes on a Plane, in which a time-release crate of over 500 snakes of various sizes are brought on board a flight from Hawaii to California, opens Aug. 18. A preposterous premise, you say? Nonsense! If you’re a frequent flier, you’ve probably considered sending Samuel L. Jackson’s an idea or two for a sequel. I have.
Who can ever forget the infamous Northwest Airlines incident in which hundreds of passengers were trapped on a tarmac for hours in a blizzard? (You can read the full transcript of the 1999 Congressional testimony in which airline executives hem and haw their way through tough questions on the disaster by their elected representatives.) Yes, Northwest will always have its blizzard. But will United Airlines have its … heatwave?
The law is finally catching up to hotels that add surprise surcharges to their guests’ bills. Wyndham has announced it will quote an all-inclusive price for its hotel rooms nationwide, after agreeing to a $2.3 million settlement with Florida’s state attorney general.
If you’re concerned that your Northwest Airlines flight will be disrupted by a strike, stop worrying. Will a work stoppage happen? Maybe.
Here’s a question that must be keeping the folks at Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Carlyle Group, and Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity (plus half the underwriting department at Goldman, Sachs & Co.) awake at night: is anyone besides Avery Johnson paying attention to the Hertz initial public offering?
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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