SCREENSHOTS

Soft pastel digital illustration of a young teenage girl with a messy brown bun and large worried eyes standing alone with her arms crossed and a small brown shoulder bag, beside her dark blue rolling suitcase, in the middle of a busy blurred airport terminal with other travelers and luggage in the background, illustrating a 13-year-old unaccompanied minor stranded at LAX after United Airlines denied boarding for a connecting flight the airline itself had authorized

United authorized my teen’s connecting flight, then left her stranded at LAX

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Shiri Willcot’s travel agent tried to book her 13-year-old daughter Ryan on a connecting flight from Los Angeles to Costa Rica via Houston, but United Airlines policy prohibits unaccompanied minors ages 5 to 14 on connecting flights. A United supervisor overrode the system, approved the reservation, and charged Willcot’s credit card the $300 unaccompanied minor fee. The travel agent reconfirmed the booking twice before departure, and a United representative on a recorded call two days before the flight confirmed Ryan could board without issue. At LAX, United agents refused to let Ryan board. For a month afterward, United claimed no record of the original flight existed despite confirmation emails, the credit card charge, and the recorded call. The airline gave three contradicting explanations before settling on its final narrative blaming the travel agency.

Illustration showing a frustrated couple standing under a large white VIP tent at a concert venue, with the tent blocking their view of the illuminated stage and crowd in the background, depicting how Ticketmaster sold premium second-row seats without disclosing the view obstruction

Ticketmaster sold me “great seats” that turned out to be obstructed. Where’s my refund?

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Vincent Manierre paid $475 each for second-row Oasis concert tickets at the Rose Bowl, expecting a clear stage view. A VIP tent blocked one-third of the stage. The tickets were not labeled obstructed view despite Ticketmaster’s stated policy requiring such disclosure. Ticketmaster refused a refund, claiming the event organizer controls refunds but would not reveal who that organizer is. Under Federal Trade Commission rules, selling tickets without disclosing obstructions when company policy promises such labeling can constitute deceptive trade practices.