Should airlines charge a change fee even if they can resell the seat?
When part of his flight itinerary changes, Bret Bickar is asked to pay a change fee in order to get back home. Is that unfair? He thinks so. His airline doesn’t. Who’s right?
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 United passenger?
Susan Fuhrman’s husband is sick, and she can’t get a straight answer from United Airlines about her refund request. One representative agrees to a full refund, but another refuses. Who’s right?
Charged $1,341 for damage I didn’t do
Theodore Mariano’s rental car has a scratch, and although his rental company promises it won’t charge him for the repair, it does. Did the scratch exist before he picked it up? Maybe.
Why won’t insurance cover my lost frequent-flier miles?
Charles Stewart’s wife is hospitalized in England and misses her return flight. Thank goodness she has travel insurance, which covers the cost of her return flight. But what about the miles she spent? Are they lost?
Are “unpublished” hotel reservations too hard to cancel?
Derek Ho’s Expedia booking goes sideways, and he needs help. Can this trip be saved?
Is it too hard to get an airline ticket refund?
When John King’s mother dies, he asks American Airlines to refund her ticket. Instead of sending the money, it emails him a series of form letters. What should he do?
What should I do about this $50 phone bill?
Tyson Howard has to pay a $50 phone bill at his hotel. But wait — aren’t long-distance calls “free”? Well, kinda.
Charged an extra $400 for a vacation I can’t take
Ruth Hartmann has to cancel her yoga retreat to Costa Rica after she lands in the hospital. Why is her resort asking her to pay an extra $400 for a vacation she can’t take?
A flight attendant took my camera and I want it back
Haijun Shan’s camera is missing — forcibly gate-checked on a recent flight. The camera isn’t covered under the airline’s contract. Is Shan out of luck?
A $93 “top off” charge for my rental car?
Danny Griffin just received a $93 bill from Hertz for refueling his rental car. But wait, didn’t the company give him a receipt that verified his tank was full when he returned the vehicle? Yes, but that doesn’t make any difference.