When Christine Rehak cancels her cruise after her husband’s death, she assumes her travel insurance will reimburse her vacation. But she’s wrong. Is she going to be stuck with a credit voucher she’ll never use?
The Travel Troubleshooter (Tribune Media Services)
A weekly advice column that fixes your travel problems. This feature has been nationally syndicated by Tribune Media Services since 2006.
When Jonathan Govias tries to transfer 6,000 points from one frequent flier program to another, they go missing. No one is willing to help him recover the missing miles. Are they gone for good?
When Todd Ramsdell’s wife rents a car from Budget, she’s told insurance is required. But it isn’t, and now she wants her money back. Why isn’t Budget budging?
Greg Melgares is a patient guy. But even his patience has limits. The refund from Southwest Airlines he’s been promised for a year still hasn’t arrived. Will the airline ever pay him?
Jay Middour’s flight to the Bahamas never happens because of a code-sharing disaster. His vacation is ruined and the airline still has his money. Can this trip be saved?
Although Anthony Braxton cancels his hotel more than 24 hours before he checks in, the property charges a one-night penalty, anyway. Can’t Hotels.com help him get a refund?
David Ludt’s flight to Strasbourg is delayed because of a mechanical problem and then canceled because of weather. Now Air France is refusing his ticket refund request. Is he out of luck?
Catherine Markland assumes her travel insurance policy will cover her canceled tour. But it doesn’t. Can her trip be saved?
American Airlines promises Tracy Wilkinson a bereavement discount in the form of a refund after her grandfather dies. But now it isn’t even responding to her inquiries. Why the radio silence?
Carla Stewart believes she’s flying from Madrid to Cancun on Air Europa, and that her luggage fee is 60 Euros per bag. She’s wrong on both counts, and has to spend 500 Euros to transport her luggage on another airline. Who is responsible?
David Battas exits his first-class train halfway through the trip after numerous problems and decides to fly to his destination. He wants a refund from Amtrak. But is he entitled to one?
Carrie Finegan’s rental car has a dent on it, and the company wants her to pay for the repair. But did she do it, or was the dent on the car before she rented it? Why doesn’t the company seem to care?
Bayard Allmond is told his rental car won’t come with an extra driver fee for his wife, but when he gets his bill, he finds the surcharge, anyway. Is there any way to get his car rental company to make good on its promise?
Michael Burz books two tickets with CheapOair — tickets that it confirms repeatedly. Now the online agency says he has no tickets, and wants him to buy new ones. Is that his only option?
Jeri Kellerman’s visit to Washington does not go as planned. There’s a power outage at her hotel, and she spends the night in darkness and freezing cold. Now she’s only being offered 50 percent off her room. Is she owed more?
When Mary Dampier returns her rental car to Alamo, she believes it is undamaged. But the company begs to differ, and now it is threatening to refer the case to a collection agency. Is there any hope?
Anna Johnson is unhappy with her Hotwire hotel room. Her problem: The site isn’t consistent with its star ratings, and now she’s stuck with a room at a property she didn’t want. Is she entitled to a refund?
Ground transfers are supposedly included in Robert Brown’s Viking River Cruise. But he supposes wrong, and now he’s being asked to pay extra for them. Is that right?
Lenore Davies books one night at an Econo Lodge by phone. She’s charged for two. Now, neither her hotel nor her credit card will help her. Is she out of luck?
