My ticket credit is gone — can you help me get it back?
Velta Mahon’s airline ticket credit is gone and she says it’s Hotwire’s fault. Is there any hope of a refund?
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.
No refund for a sick passenger?
After Merrill Hakim is diagnosed with lung cancer, she asks her airline for a refund on a non-refundable ticket. But is that allowed?
A shabby vacation rental and a missing refund
When Carol Swartz tries to check in to a condo in New Hampshire, she finds the unit in a state of disrepair. Now the site through which she booked the rental is refusing a refund, despite a written guarantee. Can it do that?
Stranded in China without an airline ticket
Melissa Sigritz is forced to pay $2,450 to get back home after her airline leaves her stranded in China. Is she entitled to a refund?
Charged for insurance I never wanted — or needed
Jenny Tran discovers a mysterious $260 charge on her credit card and discovers she’s been charged for optional car rental insurance she never wanted, or needed. Can she get a refund?
I canceled my vacation rental, but they’re keeping my deposit
Pat Morin’s vacation rental in Aruba is a disaster — and she hasn’t even left yet. She’s trying to get her money back, but the owner refuses. Is there any hope?
That’s not the ticket credit you promised me
After a canceled flight, a merged airline and crossed wires with Expedia, Anoop Ramaswamy is the proud owner of a worthless airline ticket. Now what?
Can I get a refund for my stay at the No-Tell Motel?
Gladys Martin’s hotel room is uninhabitable, but the property wants to charge her for it, anyway. Is there any way to undo this mistake?
Hyatt charged me for my canceled hotel room and now I’m stuck
Fallon Speaker cancels a hotel room she doesn’t need at a job fair, but the cancellation doesn’t go through, and now she’s stuck in New York. Can this trip be saved?
They renamed the hotel and canceled my reservation
Liz Egland thinks she has a reservation at Holiday Inn. But she’s wrong. The hotel has canceled her reservation and wants her to pay more than double to get it back. Is it allowed to do that?