Travel
Travel Troubleshooter: New name, no credit
Gena Welsh and her husband each receive a $150 certificate when their flight is delayed. But now the company that gave them the voucher -- TransGlobal Vacations -- has become Funjet Vacations. And i
Seven lessons learned from the summer of 2007
Congratulations, you've survived the summer of 2007 -- the worst summer for travel in modern history. No, wait, make that since the invention of the wheel. Or was it? Well, no. Despite what you ma
Travel Troubleshooter: A divided schedule on United
John Knapp tries to change his airline ticket from Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Washington, but his airline won't let him and his travel agency, Orbitz, won't help him. Now he has to pay for a new tic
Travel's inconvenient conveniences
The travel industry is sinking billions of dollars into technology like online booking tools, check-in kiosks and phone systems that recognize your voice, promising it will make you next trip easier
Taking the kids: Traveling military families
If you see Aimee Hulett at the airport, give her a hand.
Travel Troubleshooter: An old card, a new rate
Nana Fosu books a room in Miami and gets a confirmation from her hotel. But just four days before her arrival, a manager from the hotel e-mails her with bad news: her credit card has been declined a
Travel Troubleshooter: A missing reservation on United
He buys his airline ticket on United, but his flights are on US Airways and Air Canada. Or are they? When Michael Watanabe checks his reservation, he finds that half of his itinerary is missing with
An inside look at European tours
I just enjoyed a brainstorming breakfast with a "tour organizer consultant." He's shrewd because tour organizers across the United States think he's smart, hire him, and discuss their situ
Travel Troubleshooter: A reservation, but no room
Expedia confirms a reservation for one night in a New York hotel. But there's just one problem: the booking doesn't exist. That leaves one unhappy traveler homeless for the night -- and Janice Japa,
Travel Troubleshooter: No ticket, no refund
As she boards a flight from Frankfurt to Philadelphia, a gate agent stops Frances Carter because her ticket is incomplete. She's sent on a sprint through a terminal, is forced to pay $125 for a repl
Taking the kids: Fall trips with little ones
Who's smiling now?
Travel Troubleshooter: Currency confusion with my car
Avis charges Laura Cattell $124 in currency exchange fees when she rents a car in England. Cattell insists the fees are excessive, because they convert pounds into dollars and then back into pounds.
Travel Troubleshooter: Help, my points are missing
Elizabeth Klikas and her family have a dreadful stay at a Doubletree hotel in Miami, and they're promised a refund of their loyalty points as compensation. But the points never show up in their acco
Taking the kids: When travel plans go awry
Dr. Abby Huang and her family were boarding a flight in Philadelphia when she got the call nobody wants to get, especially when they're heading off on vacation.
Travel Troubleshooter: A lost reservation in the rainforest
Hotels.com confirms a rate of $140 a night at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort for Donna Katos, but when she checks in, the property doesn't have a reservation for her and insists on almost doubling her
Five things to know before taking your first cruise
More than half of those who've never taken a cruise would like to do so, according to a 2006 survey by the Cruise Lines International Association.
Travel Troubleshooter: An extra night, an upgraded price
The rate at the Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik is 181 euros a night, which a phone agent confirms with Sheri Siegel. But when she tacks an extra night on to her reservation at the same rate, something go
Travel Troubleshooter: A car rental tax surprise
The agreement he signs with his car rental company says there's a $5.49 state tax, but when Michael Norton returns his vehicle to Hertz, the fee is twice what he expected. He complains to the compan
Inn is out: 5 reasons to skip a hotel
Your next hotel might not be a hotel. It could be a condo, a rental apartment or a home.
Travel Troubleshooter: Separated on my flight
His mother is scheduled to fly to Hawaii with his aunt and cousin, where they plan to board a cruise. But hours before they leave, Lawrence Dean Parrish finds out that their flight schedules have be
Taking the kids: Gather away from home for the holidays
It's only October but Sandra Arthur has her extended family's Thanksgiving gathering entirely planned out. And she's not going to spend a single minute in the kitchen.
Travel Troubleshooter: Uncomfortable at the Comfort Inn
Frank Gilbuena and his wife check in to a Comfort Inn, but find that they're less than comfortable with their accommodations. The upholstery is stained, the room isn't vacuumed and the bathroom is a
How to be a heavenly houseguest -- and keep your sanity
Shuffling through airport security in your socks or sitting in traffic may seem like a breeze compared with the stresses of settling in under the same roof with family.
Taking the kids: Air travel 101 for infrequent fliers
Get ready! Jammed airports, delayed flights (on-time performance is the worst in a dozen years), missed connections, lost and mishandled bags (14,000 a day!) and families who rarely fly struggling t
Travel Troubleshooter: Forced to upgrade my rental car
The rental car that Earnest Hoenck reserves from Hertz isn't available when he arrives in Hamburg, Germany. He's offered two choices: A smaller car that won't fit his luggage, or a bigger car for an
