AIRLINE PROBLEMS | Consumer Rescue

11 ways Michelle Couch-Friedman and Consumer Rescue know that cruise passengers get denied board — straight from her case files.

11 ways cruise passengers get denied boarding (straight from my case files)

July 27, 2026July 26, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

There’s no doubt that getting denied boarding a cruise you’ve been eagerly anticipating for months — maybe even years — is traumatic.

My case files are filled with the distraught pleas for help from cruisers who’ve experienced it firsthand. In nearly all cases, the situation could have been avoided had the traveler done some basic research.

Here are the top ways cruise passengers get denied boarding and what you can do to avoid the same

Here are some of the newest and most expensive mistakes travelers are making in 2026.

4 easily avoidable travel mistakes that ruin trips and cost thousands

June 23, 2026April 5, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Every week, travelers come to me after losing thousands of dollars on trips that should have been simple. They’re all hoping to find out how to get their money back and who is responsible for their losses. But for some, the answers to those questions are not what they expected.

These are the biggest travel mistakes I’m seeing in 2026 — and how to avoid them.

Norse Atlantic Airways Facebook groups hosted by scammers are stealing from members.

She went to Facebook for a Norse Atlantic refund. Instead, scammers stole $5,100 from her

April 21, 2026March 22, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Norse Atlantic Airways customer Joanne Reston joined the airline’s official Facebook group to complain about a missing refund. At least that’s what she thought she was doing. As it turns out that Facebook group had no affiliation with the airline. In fact, it was just a trap set by scammers pretending to be helpful Norse agents.

What happened to Reiss after joining that Facebook group can only be described as a whirlwind of one scam after another.

A United Airlines passenger arrived in Mexico as a no-show after a gate agent failed to scan his passport.

United Airlines didn’t scan his boarding pass. Will it cost him $2,743?

July 20, 2026March 1, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

While boarding a recent United Airlines flight to Mexico, Fred Glatz accidentally handed over his wife’s boarding pass. He says the agent pointed out the mistake but waved him onto the plane without asking for his own pass. As the couple settled into their seats, they had no idea that the unusual oversight would cost them $2,743.

Could your lost bags end up at a store in Alabama, Unclaimed Baggage, Original photo of a delivery from Unclaimed Baggage, Michelle Couch-Friedman's photo

What do airlines really do with all that lost and unclaimed baggage?

July 11, 2026January 27, 2026 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

If an airline misplaces your luggage and cannot find it within a reasonable time, the carrier must pay for your loss. If you accept the compensation, that ends the airline’s liability to you, and your belongings are considered permanently gone. But could your missing property eventually reappear on display at Unclaimed Baggage, a resale shop in rural Alabama?

Unclaimed Baggage is an unusual place where all sorts of lost items get a new lease on life.
Here’s what I learned about America’s only retail store that buys, restores and then sells travelers’ orphaned stuff.

A consumer advocate's comprehensive guide to American Airlines travel credit, AA aircraft at the airport, original photo by Michelle Couch-Friedman

American Airlines travel credit: How to use it before you lose it

June 8, 2026December 15, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

No one could fault Kristina for overlooking the expiration date on her family’s $2,622 travel credit from American Airlines. For over a year, Kristina was in crisis mode after her husband’s brain cancer diagnosis. Of course, during that time, taking a vacation was last on her list of things to do.

When doctors deemed Kristina’s husband well enough to travel, her mind turned back to their AA credit. She intended to use it to book flights for a memorable trip while her spouse could enjoy it. Unfortunately, by then the expiration date had come and gone.