Can “nightmare ending” to a Continental ticket purchase be fixed?

When Dimple Kelley used a service called Bill Me Later to book a Continental Airlines ticket for her son, Brian, she never imagined she’d be fighting with the payment company’s collection department half a year later. But then, no one can see a nightmare ending like this coming until it’s too late.

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Ticket refund on “hold” while travel agency squabbles with airline

Patience is a virtue. Particularly if you’re waiting for an airline ticket refund.

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What’s new on Elliott: Help me Uncle Sam, hotels get desperate for good reviews and squabbling over a refund [Brought to you by Competitours - Amazing Race for Regular People]

Can the government really help travelers? Plus, hotels would do anything for a good review and a customer is left high and dry in Antigua.

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US Airways fined $40,000 for failing to disclose full airfares

In yet another sign that the Transportation Department is serious about protecting the rights of consumers, the government this morning fined US Airways $40,000 for failing to disclose the full price consumers must pay for air transportation.
“When consumers shop for air travel, they have a right to know how much they will have to pay,” [...]

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Best price loophole leaves Antigua visitor high and dry

After Craig Simpson booked a six-night stay at the Cocos Hotel on Antigua, he wondered if the $312 rate was the lowest available. It’s a good thing Expedia offers a “Best Price Guarantee” so you customers like him can “always book your trip with confidence.” The identical room was $293 a night through the hotel’s Web site.

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Busted! How to ensure your luggage survives a trip

One minute I was rolling my carry-on bag along the concourse floor at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The next, I was arguing with a useless box on wheels — and dreading what would happen to my back if I had to carry it.

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What hotels will resort to for a good review

Oh, the things hotels will do for a good review. It’s not enough to ask guests for a write-up on a popular site such as TripAdvisor or Yelp after they’ve checked out. Lately, some innkeepers have been pressuring their customers to say positive things online — in extreme cases, even before they’ve checked in.

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Forget this volunteer vacation — let’s go to Vegas!

Ellie Capers’ 12th-grade class has plans to volunteer at a marine lab in Baja, Mexico, when the swine flu outbreak forces them to cancel their trip. Their airline offers them another option: a vacation in Las Vegas. Are they stuck with a trip to Sin City? Or did their airline fail to help them?

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What to do when an airline doesn’t follow its own rules

Can you force an airline to follow its own rules? Phil and Margaret Warker wanted to know after a disastrous return flight from Nassau to Washington via Miami. US Airways blamed the weather and offered them a $100 flight voucher for the trouble.

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What’s new on Elliott: JFK’s curse, airlines that don’t follow their rules and Dave Carroll strikes again [Brought to you by Competitours - Amazing Race for Regular People]

Is JFK cursed? Plus, what to do when an airline doesn’t follow its own rules and Dave Carroll strikes again.

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A picture is worth a thousand words — if you’re renting a car, make that $1,444.61

This is Kathyria Padilla’s rental car. When she returned it to Avis last April, she took a few snapshots of the vehicle, just in case. Good thing she did.

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Dave Carroll strikes again: “United needs to change in a big way”

He’s back! United Breaks Guitars’ Dave Carroll late yesterday released the third in his trilogy of United-themed songs. It’s a nice little bluegrass tune. Here are details on the making of the song.

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Palm Coast Travel gets more company as regulators crack down on Cruises R Us, Atlantis International

Florida regulators this morning cracked down on two more travel agencies as part of their expanding investigation into illegal travel insurance. It brings the total number of companies charged with selling fake travel insurance to seven since January. More enforcement actions are believed to be on the way.

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Veteran frequent flier stripped of 46,000 AAdvantage miles — are they gone forever?

American Airlines knows how to contact Mary Ann Hall. And it does. Often. She gets fare sale notices and credit card pitches from the airline regularly, which doesn’t surprise her — she’s been an AAdvantage member since almost the very beginning.

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What’s new on Elliott: upgrade your next vacation, airfares that vanish in a click, and Palm Coast’s claims [Brought to you by Competitours - Amazing Race for Regular People]

Upgrade your next vacation. Plus, airfares that vanish in a click and Palm Coast’s claims.

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