Feature Details
- Frequency: 1/wk
- Release date: Tuesdays
- Moves with art: No
- Moves with multimedia: No
- Available: International, U.S. & Canada
The Travel Troubleshooter
Christopher Elliott, National Geographic Traveler's ombudsman, NPR commentator, consumer advocate and travel industry critic, writes "The Travel Troubleshooter," a straight-talking, reader-friendly advice column for travelers. His weekly Q&A takes a reader problem and follows it through to the industry officials. He also offers advice on navigating the ins and outs of questionable hotel deals, airline come-ons and mystery cruise-ship surcharges.
The Travel Troubleshooter Samples
The dangers of dynamic currency conversion
Processing a credit card charge for overseas purchases used to be pretty simple. Not anymore.
Help, my car rental company is charging me for a burnt clutch
When the clutch on his car fails, Hadley Roeltgen is sent an 850 euro bill. Q: My husband rented a car from Hertz in Madrid last summer.
Air travelers brace for another summer of fees
It isn't shaping up to be a good summer for air travelers who are trying to stick to a budget.
No hope for an airline ticket refund -- or is there?
When Kathy Stickney's niece must return home early to be with her ailing father, she must forfeit an American Airlines ticket. Q: I'm trying to help my sister get a refund on her daughter's nonrefundable airline ticket.
New luggage blocks ID theft on the road
At some point between the time she disembarked from a recent cruise in Miami and returned to Carmel, Ind., someone decided to go shopping with Jody Tzucker's credit card.
Smoked out of the Days Inn
Debbie Rosenkranz books a nonsmoking room at a Days Inn hotel. Q: I have a concern that I tried addressing with a specific Days Inn and with Wyndham, which owns Days Inn, but have not received a response.
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