AIRLINE PROBLEMS - Page 5 of 8

If American Airlines changes your flight schedule, here's how to get a refund. This article explains the flight schedule change policy of American Airlines.

If American Airlines changes your schedule, here’s how to get a refund

December 9, 2024December 30, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Can American Airlines make wild changes to your flight schedule and, if you object, refuse to issue a refund?

With $8,171 on the line, that’s what Michael Spanel wants to know after his recent experience with American Airlines.

Now Michael is asking the Consumer Rescue team for help. He wants American Airlines to give his money back, and he’s hoping we can make that happen.

So what is a passenger really owed when American Airlines changes their flight schedule? Let’s find out.

Baby was denied boarding international flight because the mom didn't know she needed a passport. This is a cautionary tale that babies need passports too.

Our baby was denied boarding our international flight. Whose fault is this?

June 12, 2024December 28, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Yes, your baby needs a passport to fly internationally, just like you do. Otherwise, your little tot will be denied boarding their flight just like any other passenger who doesn’t have the required documents for international travel.

Aly Meyer wishes someone had given her this critical information before her family arrived at the airport ready for their tropical vacation. That’s when an airline employee broke the bad news that without a passport, the baby was being denied boarding the international flight. As a result, instead of flying to Mexico, the family headed right back home.

What to do if American Airlines vouchers expired.

My $7,762 American Airlines flight credit expired! Can I get it back?

February 14, 2024December 26, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Tom Suminski intended to redeem his stockpile of $7,762 American Airlines flight credit for a Hawaiian vacation. But he says an airline representative gave him faulty redemption instructions that led the vouchers to expire right under his nose.

The entire $7,762.

That put the family’s tropical dreams in jeopardy. Tom hopes we can convince American Airlines to reinstate his flight credit. But is this just a lost cause?

This article explains exactly why you shouldn't try to sell a flight voucher from American Airlines.

You should not try to sell your American Airlines vouchers. This is why

June 24, 2024December 19, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Attention all American Airlines passengers: If you have any flight vouchers stored away somewhere, don’t try to sell them. If you do, the airline might use high-tech security systems to catch you.

If you try it and American Airlines finds out, it will mark your vouchers stolen, leaving you with nothing.

This tale is a cautionary one for anyone considering skirting the terms of their American Airlines vouchers. There are many hacks out there advising travelers about how to make a profit on these bonuses. But much of that “guidance” overlooks an undeniable obstacle: almost every airline forbids this practice, and offering your vouchers for sale can cause them to become instantly worthless.

Here's why filing a sky-high damaged luggage claim will never work. Liability limitations via the Montreal Convention put a cap on what the airline will owe you if it ruins your bags.

You should not file a $16,000 damaged luggage claim. This is why

March 30, 2025December 13, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

After a flight from Mexico, Lynda Lebrock discovered that unidentified “goo” had damaged all three pieces of her luggage. She filed a claim and hoped the airline would quickly pay — all $16,000 of it.

As you probably guessed, things didn’t work out the way she hoped. The sky-high damaged luggage claim was swiftly rejected almost in its entirety. Now she’s asking our advocacy team for help. But can we?

Here's how to get a refund from Air Canada and here's one passenger who got two refunds!

If Air Canada sent you an extra $4,282 refund, would you keep it?

April 21, 2023November 30, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Scoring an Air Canada refund during the pandemic was nearly impossible. Which makes this story particularly improbable. But it’s true.

Renette Frank was one of the lucky ones who actually received her Air Canada refund early last year. So imagine her surprise when the airline sent her an extra refund of $4,282. Even more surprising: When she tried to return the extra money, the airline made that impossible, too.

Kids need passports too, children must have passports to fly internationally, passport cards aren't for flying

Kids need passports to fly internationally. Why didn’t this mom know?

August 15, 2024November 27, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Just like their parents, kids need passports to fly internationally too. But Kim Ross wasn’t aware of this requirement. She says the travel agent she used to book her family’s dream vacation never informed her. But when the family tried to check in for their flight to Turks and Caicos, Delta Air Lines quickly broke the bad news. Without passports, Kim’s children weren’t eligible to fly internationally, and the airline denied boarding to the family.

Kim blames her travel agent for their ruined vacation. But is that a fair place to put the blame for being unaware that her kids needed passports?

SSSS stamp on boarding pass meaning, How do passengers get selected for the SSSS stamp?

Help! What does this SSSS stamp mean on my boarding pass?

September 23, 2023November 22, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

SSSS — behold the four letters that you don’t ever want to see on your boarding pass. If you find the Secondary Security Screening Selection — SSSS stamp on your ticket, you should know that the TSA agents will be treating you to an extra-special and in-depth security screening.

Lucky you! But what does it mean and what can you do to avoid it?

American Airlines stolen miles problem, hacker stole miles

How can I get my stolen American Airlines miles back?!

June 21, 2024November 20, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Bonnie Orlin doesn’t know the two people who used her stolen American Airlines miles to travel around the world. But, she says, the airline promised to restore the hacked miles to her account. However, nearly a year later, her 120,000 miles are still missing.

Is this case hopeless?