Travel Troubles

Here’s what happens when things go wrong for travelers on the road, in the air, at hotels, and in vacation rentals.

The Travel Troubles category at Consumer Rescue is a collection of real-life stories about travelers who’ve encountered unexpected issues during their adventures. Each tale is dramatic but is a cautionary example, offering valuable lessons and practical advice.

The Travel Troubles section is meant to educate and empower travelers, helping them avoid similar issues and know what to do when things go wrong.

Travelers who encounter a problem they can’t resolve on their own should ask for help from our advocacy team. Our direct mediation service is fast, friendly, and always free!

Could a hotel charge you a smoking fee even if you don't smoke? This hotel seems to think so.

How to get a surprise hotel smoking fee reversed? Like this

October 21, 2024September 7, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Getting a surprise hotel smoking fee reversed isn’t easy — even if you’re a non-smoker like Kelsey Russell. Or a determined consumer advocate. But it can be done. Here’s how.

Kelsey’s case is yet another story that illustrates a disturbing trend that seems to be developing in the franchise hotel industry. Increasingly, we’re receiving complaints from guests who say these branded properties have hit them with an array of surprising post-stay charges — no proof included. But, as you’ll see in this case, even when the hotel provides “evidence,” it might just lead to more questions than answers.

Could you get hit with a false car rental cleaning fee during your next trip? Our files suggest that it's a possibility. Here's what to do if it happens to you.

How to get a $400 cleaning fee on your car rental removed? Like this

March 16, 2025September 7, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Hertz gave Vincent Iannacci a most unpleasant surprise at the end of his recent car rental: a $400 cleaning fee.

Knowing that he’d returned the vehicle in pristine condition, Vincent assumed Hertz had billed him in error. But when he tried to get the cleaning fee removed, the car rental giant told him there was no mistake. In fact, a company representative explained, employees had snapped photos of cigarette butts smashed into the vehicle’s carpet. As a result, the $400 cleaning fee would stand.

Now outraged, Vincent, a life-long nonsmoker, intends to fully defend himself against this false accusation. He says no one smoked in his rental car, and he refuses to let the cleaning fee stand.

Vincent is hoping our advocacy team can help him fight this battle. But will photos of the offending cigarette make his case impossible to successfully mediate?

After reading this story, you might agree that we've found the worst travel agent ever -- one that doesn't even know the difference between the west and east coast of Mexico.

Is this the worst travel agent ever?

July 25, 2024September 5, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Christopher Anderson believes he has discovered the worst travel agent ever — one who lacks even basic geography skills.

Just how bad were those skills? Well, Christopher and his wife asked this travel “professional” to plan a vacation to Cabo San Lucas. But she booked them a trip to Cancun, on the opposite side of Mexico. Then to make matters worse, this geographically challenged agent expected the couple to pay for her mistake.

What is going on here, and can our advocacy team help?

If you find mice in your next vacation rental, should you get a refund? This Airbnb guest believes so.

My vacation rental has mice! Shouldn’t Airbnb refund me?

March 25, 2024September 5, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

If you book a vacation rental and it has mice, are you responsible for catching and disposing of the rodents? And if so, does the Airbnb host owe you a refund or other compensation for your troubles?

That’s what Gabriella Costanza wants to know after her recent unpleasant experience. She and her significant other had planned to celebrate the holidays in a clean, cozy Airbnb property. Unfortunately, soon after the couple arrived, it became clear they weren’t alone in the vacation rental. And although Airbnb allows shared-space rentals, these additional “residents” were of the most unwelcome and unapproved kind – mice.

But maybe even worse than the reality that mice were living at this Airbnb was the host’s response. This vacation rental owner expected Gabby to put down glue traps and spend her holiday dealing with the inevitable outcome, which the young traveler did.

Now Gabby is asking Airbnb for a refund for this vacation rental experience. But will the fact that the couple completed their entire stay make that an impossible outcome?

This passenger made a big mistake bidding on a business class upgrade.

This business class upgrade was a big mistake. I want a refund!

May 31, 2023September 4, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

What if you snagged an international business class upgrade for just $400, but later found out that figure was a mistake? Steven Schmidt says that’s exactly what happened to him and his wife. She won a bid for a comfy business class upgrade on a flight from Chicago to Vienna. But once they returned from their trip, the couple suffered a severe case of sticker shock. The actual cost of the upgrade: $3,400.

Steven says the mistake over the cost of the business class upgrade originated with the airline. And he wants our advocacy team to join him in a crusade to obtain a refund. But is that something we can do?

This Airbnb guest just had the worst experience ever. This shared space rental was a true nightmare.

Is this the worst Airbnb experience ever?!

April 12, 2024September 3, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Lee Smith believes she just had the worst Airbnb experience ever. And after you hear — and see — what she (and her cat) endured during the past month, I think you might agree.

Her tale is a harsh reminder of the risky nature of shared-space rentals. Smith assumed the Airbnb host had properly vetted the man with whom she would be sharing an apartment. Unfortunately, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

This is why you should never say you've been nearly killed in an inflight accident when you haven't.

Never claim to be nearly killed by an inflight injury if you weren’t. This is why

November 27, 2023September 3, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Mai Le says that an in-flight injury on Hawaiian Airlines nearly put an end to her life. Now she’s asking our advocacy team to force the airline to pay her medical bills and other compensation. But the evidence of her near-fatal accident might just be the end of this complaint.

Mai’s tale is an example of what happens when a traveler overshoots the mark with a complaint. We know that often companies will go out of their way to respond to a customer’s valid problem. But the opposite is also true. When a passenger wildly exaggerates the details of an experience, their grievance might just get hit with the delete button.

This traveler made a passport mistake that ended with her in "jail." Here's how you can avoid this fait.

Welcome to Switzerland. Now you are going to jail!

February 5, 2024September 1, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Elena Pavlova just made the worst travel mistake of her life. Before setting off for her dream vacation to Europe, she neglected to check the entry requirements for Switzerland. Then she managed to board her Swiss Air International flight (SWISS) to Zurich with an invalid passport for her itinerary to the Schengen area. Not surprisingly, her vacation plans came to a screeching halt when she landed. She was denied entry and border police took her into custody.

Now Pavlova is asking why SWISS allowed her to board the plane with an invalid passport in the first place. And she’s demanding that the airline share the $3,000 cost of this travel mistake.

It’s critical to know and possess the required entry documents for your intended destination. If you don’t, you too may take an unpleasant international round-trip odyssey — no vacation and no refund included.

It is not possible to use a library card to fly internationally. So why did this passenger think she could?

No, it is not possible to fly internationally with a library card!

January 25, 2024August 31, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

Elgy Gillespie was on her way to the airport for a trip to Ireland when she lost her passport. No problem, she thought. Having recently read an article that suggested she could fly with just a library card, she was confident that she could talk her way onboard her international flight.

But when a Norwegian Air Shuttle agent unequivocally denied her boarding without a passport, she was stunned by his lack of understanding.

Now she wants our advocacy team to intervene.

Elgy’s story serves as a warning not to believe everything you read online. It also is a reminder of the importance of ensuring that all of your required travel documents are firmly in hand before stepping up to the airport check-in counter.

If you lose your passport on your flight, you could end up in jail. This passenger found out the hard way.

I lost my passport on my flight and ended up in jail!

September 23, 2024August 31, 2022 by Michelle Couch-Friedman

At some point during her international flight from New York to Madrid, Alberta Chen lost her passport. As a result, she ended up at the immigration window in Spain with no passport to show to the officers. What happened next was a traveler’s worst nightmare. Chen was taken from the airport, placed in detention overnight and then deported back to the United States the following day.

Now she wants to know how she can get a $2,400 refund for this vacation fiasco.

Alberta’s distressing misadventure underscores the importance of safeguarding your passport and other travel documents at all times. If you don’t, you might find yourself in a similar predicament on an express round-trip international journey — no sightseeing included.

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