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.
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?
Marlene Eckert was looking forward to a spring river cruise in southern France, which included planned ports of call in scenic Lyon, Beaujolais, Arles and Avignon, along with an extension to Nice. But in January, her husband suffered a massive heart attack and died.
