Travel Troubles

Here’s what happens when things go wrong for travelers on the road, in the air, at hotels and vacation rentals. Each cautionary tale ends with solutions and ways you can avoid a similar fiasco.

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?

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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, frequent flyer miles hacker, American Airlines hacked account

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

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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?

An all-inclusive resort without anything included? Can Consumer Rescue fix this problem?

Help! Why is my all-inclusive resort missing the most important part?

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Sara Hernadez recently found something critical missing from the all-inclusive resort she booked on Priceline: the inclusive part. After booking the Sheraton Buganvilias All-Inclusive Resort in Puerto Vallarta, she received a confirmation for the Sheraton Buganvilias Convention Center. Her rate included a room — but nothing more.

Now Sara wants Priceline to confirm her reservation for an all-inclusive vacation, as advertised. So why is the company blaming the problem on her?

This rental car went missing after it was towed. Now what?

My rental car was towed after an accident — now it’s missing!

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Traveling through the mountains of Colorado at dusk during a snowstorm, Annoris Perez suddenly lost control of her rental car. She was shaken but unharmed. The vehicle? Not so lucky. The rental car was towed from the accident scene, and she assumed she was no longer responsible for it.

She was wrong.

Weeks later, when the rental company called asking for its missing vehicle, Annoris found out just how wrong. Now, she needs our team’s help to determine what happened to her rental car after the driver towed it away.

Franchise hotel adds some fake charges to this traveler's bill.

This hotel just hit me with $500 in fake charges. Help!

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Could a hotel charge you for fake damage long after you’ve checked out? By the looks of our advocacy team’s files, it seems so.

Imagine this. You’re suffering from a terminal illness and hope to experience some adventures while you’re still able to enjoy them. But then, the COVID pandemic comes along and throws a wrench into your plans. After nearly a year of waiting, things seem to be subsiding, so you take off for a short vacation with your family. Unfortunately, an opportunistic hotel manager has been waiting, too — for unsuspecting guests to hit with hefty fake charges.

What would you do if it happened to you? Give up, or fight back?

If you’re Sherry LaSalle, you choose to fight back — with help from our consumer advocacy team.