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.
If you think flying with a baby is easy, maybe you didn’t hear about Krupa Patel Bala. She recently traveled from Sydney to San Francisco on United Airlines with her husband and 8-month-old son. And the experience was anything but easy.
If you had a ticket on Delta Air Lines a few weeks ago, maybe your flight was delayed several hours. You better get used to it. Flight delays because of a “technology issue” are becoming the new normal for air travelers.
Maybe you’ve never heard of tolling system interoperability, but you know what it is. If you’re not sure, try driving from Washington to Miami with your E-ZPass transponder suction-cupped to the dashboard of your car.
What happens when you lose your phone while traveling? On a recent trip to London, Logan Abbott’s phone disappeared. Although he’s one of thousands of travelers whose gadgets go missing on the road, his story is remarkable.
A troubling new report about hotel resort fees suggests mandatory room surcharges are spreading faster than a summer wildfire. It’s sure to stoke the anger of travelers, many of whom are being burned by these nonnegotiable extras when they check out.
Before something goes wrong on your next trip, consider taking a little expert travel advice from a guy who specializes in something-goes-wrong scenarios. That guy is Curt Richardson, who founded OtterBox, a manufacturer of protective cases for phones and tablet computers.
Airline tickets are more complicated and confusing than ever. Do they also need warning labels? Maybe.
When Lynn Culver stays at a hotel, she helps herself to the soaps and shampoos in her room. If housekeeping replaces the items, she takes the new ones, too.
Culver, a retired attorney from Lumberton, N.J., believes her room rate covers the amenities.
“But some of my fellow travelers consider this stealing,” she says. “Can you please settle a dispute among friends?”
Businesses lie to customers. And in an anything-goes, laissez-faire regulatory environment such as this one, the falsehoods are starting to pile up.
Fuel is expensive, but the tricks travelers use to find the cheapest gas have remained constant for years. They include favorite apps such as GasBuddy, plus common-sense strategies like avoiding service stations on busy highways.
