AIRLINE PROBLEMS | Page 3 of 10

United Airlines aircraft, blue sky and airplane

United Airlines canceled my flight from Iceland. Am I really owed nothing?

July 11, 2026March 8, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

After United Airlines canceled Tamra McIntyre’s flight home from Iceland, she requested EU 261 compensation – around $622. In response, the airline “awarded” her just 8,000 United Airlines Mileage Plus points, the equivalent of about $108.

Final answer, says United Airlines.

McIntyre, unwilling to accept that answer asked the Consumer Rescue advocacy team to investigate. United Airlines says her flight cancellation doesn’t qualify for EU 261 compensation. She says it does.

Who’s right? You’re about to find out.

American Airlines aircraft, AA airplane parked at gate, American Airlines canceled flight, delayed flight at gate

Help! American Airlines gave me travel credit instead of $5,075 in cash

December 15, 2025February 16, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

American Airlines left Brooke Krukenberg and 24 family members stranded in North Carolina after canceling their flight home to Iowa. As the group scrambled to find alternative transportation, airline agents assured the displaced passengers their refunds were on the way.

Krukenberg calculated that American Airlines owed each family member $250 for the canceled flight – around $5,600. That refund factored into the group’s plans as they booked rental cars and hotels for the unexpected 18-hour road trip back home. Here’s what happened next.

United Airlines aircraft, sunset with United Airlines

Help! Fake United Airlines customer service charged me a $1,750 service fee

July 5, 2026February 5, 2025 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Christian Forthomme made a critical, but common error while booking a round-trip business-class flight to Paris for his wife. After asking Google for United Airlines customer service, he called the first number that popped up in the search results. Instead of reaching the airline, he dialed right into a scam call center where a fake UA agent was waiting. That fraudster easily booked the ticket and charged the unaware Forthomme a whopping $1,750 service fee for her efforts.

Hertz at DFW mistake, Hertz can't send a rental car repair bill 7 months later, Car rental scams

Help! Hertz billed me $1,050 to repair a rental car I drove 7 months ago

March 14, 2025December 16, 2024 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Lori Gallant agrees that if a Hertz rental car was damaged while in her possession, she should pay the repair bill. Or at least her insurance company should. But the last time she rented from Hertz was in January. That makes the Vehicle Incident Report detailing her responsibility for repairing that car peculiar since Hertz created it in August.

JetBlue aircraft, delayed flight, JFK International Airport, JetBlue flight on runway

A JetBlue flight delay made me miss my connection. Where’s my free hotel?

August 8, 2026December 9, 2024 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

An extended flight delay stranded JetBlue customer Ellen LaPaglia overnight at New York City’s JFK International Airport. Airline employees instructed all the displaced passengers to wait in a long line to receive a free hotel voucher.

However, by the time LaPaglia got to the front of that queue no hotel vouchers remained.

JetBlue, JetBlue passengers-of-size plan, overweight passengers, plus-size passengers guidance, JetBlue

Did JetBlue force a passenger to share his seat with a stranger?

May 9, 2026December 3, 2024 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

During a flight across the country, JetBlue forced Samuel Cristol to share his seat.

That’s correct. Cristol had a partial seatmate on his flight — a man who did not quite fit in his own space. And, although the guy seemed pleasant enough, Cristol did not want to share his seat. Now, he wants JetBlue to compensate him.

United Airlines, problems with lap baby on United Airlines.

United Airlines billed this family $4,000 to fly their baby home from vacation. Here’s why

April 23, 2026November 24, 2024 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

If your child is under 24 months old, United Airlines will allow you to fly with the baby on your lap free of charge. But what happens if your offspring celebrates a birthday mid-trip?

For one family, the answer was unbelievably expensive. Here’s their story.

Bankrupt Spirit Airlines has shut down as of May 2, 2026, leaving passengers stranded. (original photo of a Spirit Airlines aircraft on the runway taken by Michelle Couch-Friedman)

This is how to get a refund from a bankrupt airline

May 3, 2026October 13, 2024 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Bankrupt Spirit Airlines has canceled all future flights and announced its total cessation of operations on May 2, 2026, ending its 34-year run. Unfortunately, the troubled airline’s sudden shutdown has stranded thousands and perhaps millions of passengers mid-trip. Here’s what to know if you are one of those stranded travelers.

A passport mistake caused this solo traveler's vacation to end abruptly in a Mexican jail, A solo female traveler ended up in a detention center in Mexico City.

How did my vacation dreams end with me in a Mexican jail nightmare?

June 23, 2026September 23, 2024 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

If you arrive in a foreign country without a valid passport in your hand, you’re going back home. That’s guaranteed. But sometimes, that’s not all that happens, unfortunately. Here’s how a simple passport mistake landed one female solo traveler with vacation dreams in a Mexican jail nightmare.

Here’s her story.

Don't ignore instructions from flight crew, airline flight crew have full authority, follow flight crew instructions.

United Airlines banned this passenger for bad behavior. So why did he ask for compensation?

May 11, 2026September 14, 2024 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

What happens when an unruly airline passenger refuses to follow the instructions of the cabin crew? This unaware and belligerent United Airlines customer and his family found out on their last flight with the carrier.

And I do mean last.

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