Category: Airline Problems

Can JetBlue really refuse to let my cat fly home from vacation?!

By Michelle Couch-Friedman Updated on:

Flying with your cat internationally can be complicated — especially when an airline changes its pet policy mid-trip.

Yekis Fortunato found out just how complicated after flying JetBlue to the Dominican Republic with her 19-year-old cat, Foxxy. Shockingly, soon after arrival, the airline summarily canceled the feline’s return flight. The reason? JetBlue’s updated policy prohibiting any pets from flying to or from the island on its aircraft.

Now Fortunato is begging the Elliott Advocacy team to ask JetBlue to let her beloved cat fly home as scheduled.

Can we get JetBlue to change its mind? Or will Foxxy be forced to become a permanent resident of the Dominican Republic?

If you take $158,000 in jewelry on a flight and it goes missing, who pays?

By Michelle Couch-Friedman Updated on:

Traveling with $158,000 worth of anything is a risky endeavor. Rose Cohen found out just how risky when all her high-value jewelry went missing during her recent JetBlue flight.

She believes an organized crime ring targeted her, ultimately forcing her to gate-check the bag that contained the jewelry. Her theory? This move allowed the thieves to help themselves to her gems before the flight even took off.

Now she wants to know who is going to pay for her loss.

Unfortunately, she’s not going to like the answer.

When JetBlue lies about its new carry-on baggage policy, it’ll cost you

By Christopher Elliott Updated on:

When Gail Murphy reserved a JetBlue flight from Burlington, Vt., to Orlando last March, she thought she could bring a carry-on bag with her at no extra cost. The reason: JetBlue said so.

She thought wrong.

Murphy had to shell out another $35 for her rollaboard because, in her words, “JetBlue lied.” And after reviewing her case, I think she may be right.

How did a simple passport mistake end in a $17,766 travel disaster?

By Michelle Couch-Friedman Updated on:

Ted Kelley says his wife made a simple passport mistake last year that snowballed into a $17,766 travel disaster.

The couple had never heard of the Schengen area or its passport requirements for U.S. citizens. But when they tried to check in for their business class flight to Italy, a Lufthansa representative quickly explained the facts. Kelley’s wife’s passport didn’t have the required 90-days validity from their return date, and the airline denied boarding to the couple. 

Why did Orbitz cancel my flight, leaving me with a $3,400 bill?

By Michelle Couch-Friedman Updated on:

What if a booking agent made a mistake and canceled your return flight home from vacation, leaving you stranded abroad?

During a pandemic. Thousands of miles from home.

That’s what Aruna Krishnamurthy says happened to her last January. She was attempting to come home from India when she discovered Orbitz had inexplicably canceled her flight. That error cost her $3,400 — and hours of stress and anxiety.

Now she wants Orbitz to pay for the high-priced walk-up flight it forced her to buy to get home. But hold on — Orbitz says Krishnamurthy actually canceled the flight, and it doesn’t intend to pay for her mistake.

Can we figure out what’s going on here?

This passport mistake will ruin your vacation every time

By Michelle Couch-Friedman Updated on:

Prior to the current global pandemic, Trevor Seamon made a devastating passport mistake and it ruined his family’s dream vacation. In all the preparation for the journey to Italy, he neglected to check the validity of their passports. That error led the Seamons to arrive at the airport with passports expiring within 90 days — invalid for travel. Denied boarding, they missed their eagerly anticipated trip and ended up right back home at the end of the day.

Seamon believes Air France is responsible for this passport mistake, and he wants our team to negotiate a refund. But is the airline responsible for the family’s ruined vacation? (Last updated July 20)

Can you fly without a mask if you have a doctor’s note?

By Michelle Couch-Friedman Updated on:

Can you fly without a mask at this stage of the pandemic if you have a doctor’s note? Since late last summer, the blunt answer from most airlines is no. Katheryn Stueckle’s son can’t physically tolerate a face covering, but she has no problem with American Airlines’ updated mask requirements. However, she would like a refund for the flight she purchased before the airline changed the policy.

American Airlines says she purchased the flight after it eliminated medical exemptions to the mask requirement. As a result, it denied the refund.

Can we help? (Last updated April 22)

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