Additionally, examine the earlier columns. The hardest is after I do one on a particular matter, and also you write to me the following day to say the identical factor occurred. I’ll offer you recommendation on the best way to resolve it, however I can’t tackle two rental automotive firm issues in a row.
What makes for a perfect problem for a column?
The corporate ought to have made a documented mistake that clearly violates their insurance policies, or have a coverage that doesn’t make sense. And the traveler ought to have exhausted all their choices earlier than coming to me as a final resort. I’m skeptical when somebody writes to me solely every week after one thing occurred — you must give corporations an opportunity.
What’s the most complex case you’ve tackled?
The girl who missed her $17,000 Antarctic cruise was fairly complicated. It concerned studying tons of insurance policies and having fairly sturdy exchanges with corporations. There have been six or seven entities concerned, together with the Chilean authorities. I needed to put collectively solutions from all of them and take a look at it and ask, Who is actually at fault right here? To their credit score, American Airways ultimately refunded the cruise, although it was their fault.
What do you outline as a profitable final result?
It’s not at all times the case that the buyer wins or will get all their a reimbursement. As an example, I did one the place somebody received rushing tickets in Paris, and the rental firm wouldn’t inform them the place or when the rushing tickets occurred, for a motive that has to do with European Union legislation. I had a fantastic discuss with some people on the rental firm, in addition to the topic, and the back-and-forth became an fascinating article, regardless that nobody received any a reimbursement.
What have you ever realized concerning the journey business?
I’m often on the traveler’s facet, however I’m additionally fascinated by — and to some extent, sympathetic to — simply how exhausting it’s to run an enormous firm that gives one-on-one providers. I might by no means need to be the C.E.O. of United Airways.
Has writing the column made you’re feeling higher about your personal journey errors?
It ought to make everybody really feel higher once you learn a few of my solutions and see simply how sophisticated, obscure and unfair among the processes are. I can’t even think about feeling dangerous about making a mistake anymore. Everybody makes errors once they journey — it’s simply too sophisticated.
Have a tough journey drawback you want recommendation on? E mail Seth at trippedup@nytimes.com.
