Ultimate Guides for Consumers - Page 3 of 3

Lost luggage: What to do before and after an airline loses your bags

December 9, 2022October 28, 2022 by Stephanie Patterson

According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), mishandled baggage rates increased by 0.21% from January 2019 to January 2022. The percentage of luggage lost or delayed in the first six months of 2022 was .6%. That equates to 1,443,306 bags on domestic flights.

The good news: Lost or delayed luggage comprises a small percentage of the sheer volume of luggage transported from one airport to another.

But if an airline has lost your luggage, it becomes personal. Here’s what you need to know to make the ordeal a little less painful.

Car rentals: Here is everything you need to know about renting a car.

Car rentals: Here’s everything you need to know to protect yourself

January 28, 2026October 5, 2022 by Stephanie Patterson

Regular readers of Consumer Rescue know that our advocacy team tackles many fiascos involving car rentals. From surprise damage charges to accusations of grand theft auto, we’ve seen it all. A significant proportion of these problems could have been avoided had the traveler taken a few precautionary steps – before driving away with the vehicle.

In an effort to make sure you don’t end up in our case files, here’s everything you need to know about renting a car.

This is Consumer Rescue's ultimate guide to the EU261 sometimes called the EC261. We can answer all passenger questions. Always free of charge.

EU261 compensation: What you need to know before your next trip to Europe

February 7, 2026September 16, 2022 by Stephanie Patterson

Have you heard of the EU261? Unfortunately, many airline passengers haven’t. As a result, these unaware travelers miss out on hundreds of dollars in compensation owed to them during a flight delay or cancellation.

Carnival Cruise Line ship, cruise ship at sunset, Carnival passenger without passport missed cruise

This is what happens when you miss your cruise without a passport

October 19, 2025September 13, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Maybe you’ve taken an international cruise without a passport and it was smooth sailing all the way. But you might want to consider Earl Wentzel’s troubling tale before booking your next maritime adventure.

Earl’s case should serve as an eye-opener to anyone considering taking a cruise without a passport. When you cruise with no passport, you’re putting yourself in a precarious position that could cause you to miss your vacation completely — no refund included. Or worse. You could even find yourself stranded in a foreign country.

This is everything you need to know about getting a refund from a bankrupt cruise line.

How to get a refund from a bankrupt cruise line

October 13, 2024September 2, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

If a cruise line goes bankrupt while holding a customer’s cash, does the money just go down with the ship?

This is Consumer Rescue's guide to filing a credit card dispute -- the right way.

Credit card disputes: Everything you need to know before you file one

January 29, 2026July 25, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Many frustrated consumers file credit card disputes hoping to fast-track refunds from resistant companies. That’s often a mistake they end up regretting as it only digs them into a deeper problem.

Can you get banned from Facebook permanently? The answer is yes and this article explains how it can happen.

You can get banned from Facebook — permanently. This is how

December 31, 2025July 21, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Can you get banned from Facebook forever? The answer is most certainly “yes.”

Jason Birch just found this out the hard way. The social media giant won’t tell him why he’s permanently banished, but Birch thinks he knows where he went wrong. He says he’s learned from his “little” mistake and would like Facebook to lift the ban and accept his apology. And he’s not prepared to take no for an answer.

But is there any way back into the Facebook community after you’ve been banned?

Many passengers think they're owed a free hotel during a flight delay. The truth is they aren't and here is why.

You are not guaranteed a free hotel when your flight is delayed. This is why

March 31, 2025July 9, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Despite the popular belief to the contrary, in the U.S., you are not owed a free hotel if your flight is delayed and you get stranded overnight on your journey. And that is true no matter what the reason for the delay.

But if a friendly gate agent offers a hotel reimbursement to a passenger in distress, shouldn’t the airline pay the bill?

This is what American Airlines owes you if it cancels your flight.

What does American Airlines really owe you if it cancels your flight?

December 15, 2025July 7, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

If American Airlines delays or cancels your flight home from vacation, what does it really owe you?

That’s what Mikayla Shade wants to know after finding herself in this unfortunate situation. She says an American Airlines agent told her that when the airline cancels a flight, the passenger will receive a full refund. Mikayla used that guidance to determine her budget for a new flight home. It wasn’t until American Airlines processed her “full refund” that she discovered she’d relied on incorrect guidance from the agent.

Now Mikayla wants our team to ask American Airlines to provide what its representative promised her.

7 Simple ways to get excellent customer service and fix your consumer problem.

7 simple ways to fix any consumer problem

August 18, 2025July 6, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

It isn’t just wishful thinking to say that every consumer can get excellent customer service. But it does take some effort and strategy.

During my many years as a consumer advocate, I’ve tackled some of the most shocking customer service failures imaginable. I’ve retrieved hundreds of thousands of dollars from companies for consumers who were on the verge of giving up.

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