When airlines misread passport rules, who pays?
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?
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.
Is a burned-out clutch automatically my fault?
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.
My dog needs to have surgery. No, seriously.
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?
Nothing says “I’m sorry” like airline miles
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?
The strange case of the dog bite and the $2,305 hotel bill
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.
Is this fair? They saved $74, but they lost $10,074
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.
Travel insurance didn’t cover her Princess cruise after husband’s death
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?
What do you do when points vanish into thin air?
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?
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?
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?