TRAVEL INDUSTRY Archives

Gerry Bauer thought canceling his reservation and receiving a refund on Vrbo would be easy. After all, the owner had offered to let him off the hook for his vacation home in Fort Myers, Fla., and return the $31,995 he'd charged for a three-month rental.

He tried to cancel a reservation and receive a refund. Vrbo charged him $31,995 instead

March 6, 2023March 5, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Can a Vrbo take $31,995 from your bank account and leave you with nothing? It happened to Gerry Bauer. Here’s how to make sure it doesn’t happen to you.

Explore the issue of vacation rental hosts cancelling stays and keeping the paid money through Vrbo. Learn about the dispute resolution process and find out if you qualify for a refund in such a scenario. A must-read for all those planning their next holiday or weekend getaway.

Vrbo took my $1,270! Can a vacation rental host cancel my stay and keep my money?

February 15, 2023February 13, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Can a vacation rental host cancel your reservation and keep your money? Shannon Jenkins wants to know after her host decided to pocket the money she paid Vrbo for a four-day weekend in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley.

The content discusses the issue of a long-delayed cruise refund for a Greek Islands cruise booked with Vantage Travel. Despite agreement for the refund, it has taken almost three years due to the pandemic causing widespread delays in the travel industry. The article explores the reasons behind the wait and whether it is possible to expedite the process.

He paid Vantage $18,536. Why is it taking so long to get a cruise refund?

February 15, 2023February 9, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

The pandemic created massive refund delays that are still affecting passengers today. So why are cruise refunds dragging on? And can you make them go faster?

Fed-up consumers seek reckoning with travel industry

April 23, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

Ask any frequent traveler if the travel industry is fair. You’ll likely hear a litany of complaints: Travel companies routinely charge you for services they don’t have to deliver, punish you with onerous restrictions and flout the time-honored rules of American business. And now, travelers are pushing back.

Rudeness runs rampant for travelers. Is it your fault?

February 12, 2018 by Christopher Elliott

It was a random thought at the end of a recent column about unfriendly TSA agents. “I wonder if the rude agent is a reflection of an even ruder traveler,” mused David Kazarian, a pharmacist from Tampa.

It started a debate with a real purpose.

Got a complaint about the travel industry? It’s got one about you, too

January 15, 2018November 13, 2017 by Christopher Elliott

“I’m weary of those entitled passengers who are continuously whining and complaining,” says Lisa Thomas, a veteran flight attendant based in Denver. “I feel like telling them, ‘Take some responsibility for your choices.’ ”

Thomas’s comments, made to me after a recent column about the rise of fees in the travel industry, triggered a fascinating debate. Many travelers say that they think fees are out of control, particularly in the airline business. The top 10 airlines collected more than $28 billion in revenue from extra fees and services last year, up from about $2 billion a decade ago, according to a recent study by the consulting firm IdeaWorks.

At the same time, many in the industry say that they think people are getting exactly what they paid for: a quality product at a ridiculously low price. Industry employees like Thomas suggest that travelers have become spoiled.

Will a new bill hold the travel industry accountable?

November 6, 2017 by Christopher Elliott

Imagine a world where your cruise line or airline pays you if it fails to keep its schedule, you aren’t penalized for a canceled reservation if your hotel is able to resell the room and ticket change fees are related to the actual cost of changing your flight schedule.

Impossible, right?

Travel blacklists: Turning tables on the industry

October 2, 2017 by Christopher Elliott

Maybe you’ve heard about Jason Puerner, or someone like him.

Puerner, a transportation planner from Lakewood, Colo., says he recently rented a Chevrolet Cruze with a pre-existing scratch from Enterprise. After returning the vehicle, he refused to cough up $412 for repairs and ended up on the company’s infamous “Do Not Rent” list.

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These are the most outrageous travel fees

August 7, 2017 by Christopher Elliott

The travel industry seems to always have its hand out — sometimes literally.

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