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 Cheaptickets.com suddenly and without warning cancels John Rutledge’s itinerary, it offers him a refund. Problem is, a new flight will now cost twice as much as he originally paid. Shouldn’t the online agency do more?
When Olga Parra’s dog chews part of her husband’s passport, they’re denied entry to Costa Rica. Is their airline to blame for letting them board the flight?
After only a few miles, her rental car stops running. Now Hertz is demanding 1,233 pounds for a replacement clutch. Doesn’t insurance cover the damage? Apparently not.
When Allan Keiter’s dog needs major surgery, he’s forced to cancel his Caribbean vacation. But his hotel won’t let him reschedule his vacation. Why not?
Renata Fidman’s outbound flight is delayed because of mechanical problems, so is her return flight. The compensation? A form letter and a few frequent flier miles. Is it enough?
Amy Rossi brings one of the strangest cases the Travel Troubleshooter has ever mediated. It involves a dog bite, an erroneous booking and a $2,305 hotel bill.
Jennifer Chilton is outraged because her friends have been denied travel insurance coverage on a technicality. Will they really lose $10,074 because of a clause in the fine print? Find out.
When Christine Rehak cancels her cruise after her husband’s death, she assumes her travel insurance will reimburse her vacation. But she’s wrong. Is she going to be stuck with a credit voucher she’ll never use?
When Jonathan Govias tries to transfer 6,000 points from one frequent flier program to another, they go missing. No one is willing to help him recover the missing miles. Are they gone for good?
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?
