No business, except maybe politics, is as two-faced as travel. There's one set of rules for us, the customers. And there's another set for them - the airlines, car rental companies, hotels and travel agencies.
But it's worse than that. The travel industry isn't just getting away with its duplicitous behavior. The real crime is, we're letting it happen.
We shouldn't, but then again, most travelers aren't fully aware of the industry's most maddening double standards. Here are four of the worst, plus my tips on how to even the score:
1. When an airline cancels a flight, it owes you nothing. When you miss a flight, you lose everything.
Let's say an airline cancels a flight because of circumstance beyond its control, such as the weather. According to its rules, you aren't entitled to any compensation. And even when it is the airline's fault - for example, a mechanical problem - airlines won't offer compensation unless you experience a significant delay.
But turn the tables. What about when you miss your flight?
The airline industry used to have a "flat tire" rule that said if circumstances beyond your control made you miss your plane - such as the weather or a fender bender - you would be rebooked on the next flight at no cost. But the airline industry quietly did away with that policy after 9/11. Latecomers are now told, "Tough luck," even when it's obvious they did everything they could to make it to the airport on time. They have to pay for a new ticket, usually at the most expensive walk-up fare.
This double standard must end now. If airlines let themselves off the hook for the weather, why can't they cut us a little slack when we're snowed in?
External Source - For the complete article click here
Source - Philadelphia Inquirer
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