Elliott Advocacy is a nonprofit organization that mediates cases between consumers and businesses. These are commentary articles that detail our efforts and provide educational information for consumers.
Looking for ways to relieve stress at the airport? No worries. I have some ideas.The next time you feel stressed out at the airport, look up. If you’re lucky, you’ll see painted clouds, or a wall of vines and orchids, and you’ll hear the sounds of songbirds.
Marcus DeGruttola says United Airlines’ mistake didn’t just cost him $1,550. It also left him and his wife, Holly, stuck in Africa. He needs some help unraveling a very complicated case and getting a refund.
From impossibly long lines to intrusive searches by humorless agents, today’s airport screening process is a hassle for many fliers.But the screenings of tomorrow could be unlike anything you can imagine — fast, easy, and maybe even friendly. At least that’s the assessment of experts.
What’s the difference between a “glitch” and a “mistake”? For Patricia Alexander, who booked the wrong date for her husband’s flight, it’s the difference between a $996 refund and the silent treatment.
Travel companies love to keep your money, even when they’re not supposed to. If you don’t believe me, ask Melina Jose, who was supposed to fly from Paris to Orlando, Florida, recently.
Joan Johnson-Roegner needs to cancel her Groupon Getaway. Her tour operator, Reward Travel China, suggests the terms of her vacation are flexible. So why is she stuck with an unusable tour — and is there anything my fearless crew of advocates can do to help her?
Why do frequent travelers pack their own pillows?
“Because I don’t like putting my face on something that has been used for God knows what,” says Paula Miller, a retired teacher who lives in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. “I have an aversion to any pillow that isn’t mine. I would much rather give up the space of one outfit in order to get a good night’s sleep.”
Be honest – you stopped playing the airline upgrade game a long time ago.
And for good reason. Airlines demanded way too much in exchange for a slightly more comfortable seat: unquestioning brand loyalty, an encyclopedic knowledge of their arcane and constantly changing loyalty program rules, or a briefcase full of cash.
Peter Burke just wanted to go surfing in Mexico. But Aeromexico’s baggage handlers had other plans for him. After collecting $300 from him to ship his surfboard, Aeromexico lost his equipment.
Now Burke just wants a baggage refund. But does he deserve one?
When Heather Kay had second thoughts about the reservation she’d made at the Hotel Ryumeikan Tokyo through Orbitz, she looked at the clock. Sure enough, she had a few hours left to cancel her reservation, since the deadline was in her local time.
Or was it?
