Are car rental companies forcing you to buy insurance you don’t need?
When Todd Ramsdell’s wife rents a car from Budget, she’s told insurance is required. But it isn’t, and now she wants her money back. Why isn’t Budget budging?
The Travel Troubleshooter
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.
How long is too long for an airline ticket refund?
Greg Melgares is a patient guy. But even his patience has limits. The refund from Southwest Airlines he’s been promised for a year still hasn’t arrived. Will the airline ever pay him?
Help! Code-sharing confusion grounded my vacation
Jay Middour’s flight to the Bahamas never happens because of a code-sharing disaster. His vacation is ruined and the airline still has his money. Can this trip be saved?
Why is my hotel dragging its feet on a refund?
Although Anthony Braxton cancels his hotel more than 24 hours before he checks in, the property charges a one-night penalty, anyway. Can’t Hotels.com help him get a refund?
What’s the real reason for my flight delay?
David Ludt’s flight to Strasbourg is delayed because of a mechanical problem and then canceled because of weather. Now Air France is refusing his ticket refund request. Is he out of luck?
Does travel insurance have too many exceptions?
Catherine Markland assumes her travel insurance policy will cover her canceled tour. But it doesn’t. Can her trip be saved?
Hey, that’s no four-star hotel!
Albert Muick books a four-star hotel through Expedia in Prague. Turns out, it’s just a three-star property. When he asks for a refund, he’s sent a series of form letters. What now?
Hey American Airlines, where’s my ticket refund?
American Airlines promises Tracy Wilkinson a bereavement discount in the form of a refund after her grandfather dies. But now it isn’t even responding to her inquiries. Why the radio silence?
If luggage fees are wrong, who pays?
Carla Stewart believes she’s flying from Madrid to Cancun on Air Europa, and that her luggage fee is 60 Euros per bag. She’s wrong on both counts, and has to spend 500 Euros to transport her luggage on another airline. Who is responsible?
Dollar’s ‘additional driver’ fee that won’t go away
Bayard Allmond is told his rental car won’t come with an extra driver fee for his wife, but when he gets his bill, he finds the surcharge, anyway. Is there any way to get his car rental company to make good on its promise?