When Greg Caravelli’s flight to Cancun, Mexico, was cancelled in October because of Hurricane Rina, his tour operator, Apple Vacations, offered a full refund. United Airlines, which was supposed to fly him back home, returned his money. But the airline on which he was flying to Mexico, USA 3000 Airlines, did not.
FARE
Here’s a case that’s been keeping me up at night.
Spirit Airlines’ “$9 Fare Club” is probably one of the most controversial legal travel clubs in the country. Scratch that. It is the most controversial travel club in the country.
Here’s a question I’ve been getting a lot since the beginning of the year: Are the current round of airfare hikes justified?
When you get a fare quote from an airline or online agency, you should expect to pay that price. Right?
How much does your airline ticket really cost? Admit it, you have no idea.
Today’s sweeping rulemaking proposal by the Transportation Department is so enormous, it can’t be analyzed in a single post. But let’s not bury the lede as they say in journalism: The government wants to do us all a big favor by requiring airlines to post a “full price” — including all mandatory fees.
Here’s a deeply troubling trend: Hotels, eager to lift their historically low earnings, are introducing more “nonrefundable” rates. Guests often have no choice but to pay them.
Doris Weller booked a set of roundtrip tickets from Wichita, Kan., to Houston on AirTran recently. Her husband, Lawrence, needed to be in Houston for an important medical treatment. The airline sent her a confirmation. But it wasn’t the kind of confirmation she expected.
As promised, British Airways has begun sending make-good offers to passengers who were affected by last weekend’s fare error. The airline is issuing a $300 voucher off any published retail World Traveller fare from the US to India booked between now and Nov. 12.
If you booked a British Airways ticket from North America to India between 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. last Friday evening, you already know the bad news: Your trip has been canceled.
Here’s a story about an airline doing the wrong thing, then the right thing, and then a confusing thing.
Some things are just too good to be true. Like a British Airways flight to Mumbai for $40, offered briefly yesterday. Such a deal!
I love a good conspiracy theory as much as the next consumer advocate. So when Eric Smith contacted me with evidence he said suggests the airlines are trying to pull a fast one, I paid attention. Better yet, this one’s a 9/11 conspiracy theory.
The Transportation Department has fined three airlines for consumer rule violations, signaling a new “get-tough” approach to the airline industry, if not in practice, then at least in principle.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
I'm on Facebook: Please "like" 
WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM? If you're having trouble with a travel business - any business - and you've reached a dead end, maybe I can help. Send me an