The Travel Troubleshooter is a weekly consumer column that solves travel problems. Missing cruise refunds, lousy airline service, car rental surcharges — it’s all fair game for this feature. Each story presents a problem and fixes it in a quick Q&A format.
James DiProspero’s rental car is getting him lost. Is the company responsible for hours of missed vacation time?
When an Alitalia representative misspells Barbara Stuckey’s name, she’s sent on a wild goose chase to get it fixed. Does she have to buy a new ticket?
When Kara van Wyk’s airline charges her in euros instead of dollars, her airfare bill takes off. Can her tickets be saved?
When Jane Torres books a hotel “near” Hong Kong International Airport, Hotels.com omits a key detail. She also needs a visa. Now what?
Susan Palmer and her family have a reservation for a vacation rental in St. Lucia. But the property is closed. Can this vacation be saved?
When Kevin Calaba reserves a home on Airbnb.com, he expects a home. When he gets a guest house, he expects a refund. Is he expecting too much?
Brian Davidson receives a mysterious repair bill from Alamo after renting a car. Is this a real bill — or a scam?
When Sue Ellen Svik’s mother-in-law passes away, she and her husband cancel a flight on US Airways. Expedia promises to handle a refund.
After Richard Simms changes his vacation package on Travelocity, a representative assures him that he can use his credit for a new trip. But the company keeps his money anyway. Can it do that?
G Adventures cancels Shelley Piontek’s Antarctic cruise after its ship breaks down. But neither the tour operator nor Piontek’s travel-insurance company will refund her transportation expenses. Why not?
