Oh, sh#t! The barbarians are at the gate and they’re demanding a refund
Like a horde of barbarians at the gate, a crowd of angry travelers is gathering at the travel industry’s front door. They want a partial refund for their vacation. We should probably give it to them. Here’s why.
Hey Priceline, I want my taxes back!
When he cancels his trip to Istanbul, Kevin O’Connell tries to get a refund for the taxes and fees on his flight. But his online travel agent, Priceline, is giving him the runaround. How does he get his money back?
A canceled flight, a missing refund
It’s been two years since Niel Bratteli bought a roundtrip plane ticket from Dallas to Boston for his son. The airline, ATA, stopped flying from Boston to Dallas and his online travel agency, Travelocity, promised Bratteli a refund. But countless calls and e-mails later, there’s no sign of the money. What’s wrong?
Help! My cruise has been flushed away
Bathroom plumbing is probably the last thing you want to think about on a Caribbean cruise. But Richard Schulman was so riled up about his stinky stateroom – and Carnival’s unhelpful crew — that he documented his woes on a YouTube video. Anita Dunham-Potter tells the tale from the loo.
Where are my vouchers?
After Myron Sigal’s wife is injured on a Mediterranean cruise, the Sigals can’t make their return flight from Venice to Philadelphia. US Airways promises them a voucher for the unused portion, but months later, there’s no sign of it. Is the money lost?
Rome will have to wait
When Allison Fagerness’ flight to Rome is canceled, she’s forced to call off her vacation and return home to Minneapolis. Her online travel agent, Expedia, promises a refund, but her airline, Alitalia, won’t pay. What should she do?
What a deal! Half the car for twice the price
Douglas Hawkins and his wife reserve a Budget rental car in Naples, Italy, but when they arrive at the car rental counter, the company downgrades his car and nearly doubles its rate. Six months later, Budget hasn’t refunded the money Hawkins says it owes him. What now?
One year later, where’s my refund?
Cameron Etezadi and his girlfriend are on their way from Seattle to Casablanca, Morocco, when their flight is delayed in London by weather. British Airways agrees to refund the couple’s money, but one year later, there’s no sign of a check. Is the airline pocketing their fare, or is something else going on?
Not so comfortable at the Comfort Inn
A recent stay at a Comfort Inn in Vancouver does not impress Richard Simms. His room is filthy, the shower runs lukewarm, and the coffee maker is busted. But when he tries to invoke the hotel chain’s “100 Percent Satisfaction Guarantee,” Simms is offered nothing more than an apology. Is he out of luck?
AirTran, where is my refund?
When AirTran cancels Daniel Richards’ flight from Savannah, Ga., to Atlanta, a supervisor offers him two options: either rebook on a flight the next day or rent a car at the airline’s expense. Richards accepts the second offer, but now AirTran isn’t processing the reimbursement as promised. What can he do? Christopher Elliott gives some advice.