First her flight is canceled. Then she misses another flight after her bus breaks down. Finally, Rebecca Canter decides to cancel her Australia tour. But her tour operator refuses her request for a refund. Can it do that?
From the category archives:
The Travel Troubleshooter
Nallan Chari’s flight is canceled, but his online agency is dragging its feet on a refund. The reason? The airlines involved, including Continental Airlines and Jet Airways, haven’t sent the money to the agency yet. How much longer should Chari wait?
Julianna Lipschutz cancels her British Airways flight when her father falls ill. He eventually dies, and Lipschutz is left with the hope that the airline will refund her nonrefundable ticket. But a year later, there’s still no refund. Is the airline going to keep her money?
When Ed Boston books a two-star hotel in Flint, Mich., he expects a reliable property with minimal amenities — not the dump he ends up in. He asks his online travel agency if he can change hotels, and it says “no.” What now?
Question: I’ve been saving my Delta Air Lines frequent flier miles for many, many years to take my wife on a 20th anniversary trip this year. I received all of my statements by regular mail. A few months ago, I asked the airline for a PIN number so I could look at my account online, [...]
He books a refundable rate at the Holiday Inn, but when Harvey Kaplan’s hotel changes its name and his card is charged early, it refuses to adjust his rate to a cheaper, prepaid price. Now his charge card has sided with the property. Is he stuck with the bill?
Elaine Farkas cancels her hotel room in Sedona, Ariz., but her credit card is charged for the night. Now her online travel agency claims she was a “no show” and refuses to refund any of the money. Is Farkas out of luck?
Vanessa Thompson checks into what she thinks is an all-inclusive hotel before her cruise. Then she discovers she doesn’t have a reservation. When she’s allowed in, she discovers there’s nothing all-inclusive about her room. Is she entitled to a refund?
Nancy Giese books an overnight tour to Chichen Itza, but when she arrives in Cancun, she’s told she only has reservations for a day trip. Now her tour operator is refusing to refund the difference between the tours. Is there anything she can do?
When Sarah Paynter’s honeymoon flight is delayed by two days, she buys a ticket on another carrier with the promise of a refund from her first airline. But now that the honeymoon is over, there’s no sign of the money. What now?
Terry Capps finds a $28 a night room rate at a Westin hotel in Orlando. Turns out the hotel made a mistake, and that the real price is $289 a night. What now? Should the resort honor the original price or can it change the rate and force Capps to pay?
Tracey Brown Osborne finds a mysterious charge on her American Express bill that turns out to be a repair bill for a rental car tire — a tire she says she never damaged. When her charge card sides with her in the dispute, her car rental company threatens to take her to court. What should she do?
When I think of great customer service, I remember Alamo.
Llouellynde Orahood’s flight from Los Angeles to Dallas has all the makings of a trip from hell, including weather delays, cancellations and almost-missed flights. What could be worse? Having to pay again for the same tickets. Now, neither the airlines nor her online travel agency is willing to help her recover the money she should have never had to spend. Is there any hope for a refund?
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