BOARDING PASS Archives

After turbulence forced a change of plans, American Airlines told the Pruchas their return tickets were still valid. But the airline later canceled their flight, forcing them to pay $969. With only boarding passes as proof, they fought a flawed system—and won their money back with help from a travel advocate.

American Airlines canceled my return flight because I missed a leg. But it said I could fly!

October 29, 2025October 6, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

The trouble didn’t start on their flight from Buffalo to Philadelphia, when their 50-seat regional jet got tossed around in the heavy turbulence. It was so violent that Christopher Prucha’s wife begged him not to continue their trip to Wilmington, N.C., and to drive instead.

Despite boarding her KLM flight, Lauren was marked a "no show" and forced to pay $550 for her return. Learn how to dispute erroneous airline charges.

KLM forced me to pay another $550 because I was a “no show.” But I wasn’t!

July 11, 2025July 9, 2025 by Christopher Elliott

Even though Lauren Stokowski has proof that she boarded her KLM flight, the airline insisted she was a no-show and forced her to pay for another ticket to get home. Can KLM fix this problem and refund her money?

Leigh Roberts and her wife purchased an extra seat on a flight from Orlando to Venice, only to find out that United Airlines resold it to another passenger. Despite multiple attempts to get a refund, United initially refused, citing nonrefundable ticket policies. However, a missed boarding pass scan and a lack of proper follow-up led to this costly mistake. After escalating the issue and persistence, United finally agreed to process a refund for the extra seat. This story highlights the importance of ensuring your extra seat is properly scanned.

If you reserve an extra seat on United Airlines, don’t forget to do this

September 25, 2024September 11, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

Leigh Roberts and her wife book an extra seat on a trip from Orlando, Fla., to Venice, Italy. But United resells the seat to another passenger. Can Roberts get a refund?

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