The Travel Troubleshooter

The Travel Troubleshooter is a weekly consumer column that solves travel problems. Missing cruise refunds, lousy airline service, car rental surcharges — it’s all fair game for this feature. Each story presents a problem and fixes it in a quick Q&A format.

Editorial cartoon showing a worried elderly gray-haired man in a beige cardigan and gray trousers sitting in a dark red armchair with his hand on his sore right knee while holding a cell phone to his ear, with a black wheeled suitcase standing nearby on the hardwood floor, illustrating a senior traveler trying to secure a medical refund after a hip condition forced him to cancel a transatlantic flight

Why is ITA Airways making it impossible to get a medical refund?

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Daniel Lichtblau booked two ITA Airways tickets from Chicago to Turin four months in advance. Shortly after booking, he learned he could not travel due to primary osteoarthritis in his right hip. He submitted a medical certificate from his orthopedic surgeon covering the travel dates and requested a refund for his ticket and a date change for his wife’s ticket. ITA Airways initially confirmed receipt of the documentation, then denied the refund claiming the certificate lacked a prognosis specifying the exact dates of inability to travel. The airline refused to specify what additional language was required. Under U.S. and state consumer protection laws, airlines must provide accurate guidance about their refund requirements.

When Bill Chellis's wife was hospitalized with pneumonia on their hotel check-in day, he immediately called Hampton Inn in Great Falls to cancel. The hotel charged him the full $173 anyway, citing late cancellation policy. He called Hilton customer service, wrote to corporate offices, and sent certified letters, but received no response for months. Hotels can legally enforce cancellation policies even for medical emergencies, but state consumer protection laws may require companies to act in good faith when customers provide documentation.

Hampton Inn charged me for a canceled room after my wife was hospitalized. Can I get my money back?

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When Bill Chellis’s wife was hospitalized with pneumonia on their hotel check-in day, he immediately called Hampton Inn in Great Falls to cancel. The hotel charged him the full $173 anyway, citing late cancellation policy. He called Hilton customer service, wrote to corporate offices, and sent certified letters, but received no response for months. Hotels can legally enforce cancellation policies even for medical emergencies, but state consumer protection laws may require companies to act in good faith when customers provide documentation.

Frontier Airlines melted my stroller. Why won't it pay for a replacement?

Frontier Airlines melted my stroller. Why won’t it pay for a replacement?

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When Cheryce White flies from Phoenix to Seattle, she gate-checks her stroller. But when she retrieves it, the plastic frame is melted and the fabric undercarriage warped — so damaged it’s unsafe to use. She files a claim, but Frontier rejects it as “normal wear and tear.” After weeks of emails and follow-ups, she still hasn’t received a proper response. Can she get reimbursed?