I'm researching a story about travelers who rent a car but then arrive at the counter and are told they have run out of vehicles in their class. Sometimes, car rental companies are trying to sell their customers an upgrade -- and threatening a long wait if they don't pay more. I'd love to hear from anyone who has experienced this kind of upsell. From travel and car rental experts, I'm interested in your perspective on this. Is this kind of upsell legal? Is it happening more often, and if so, why? Finally, how do you avoid being caught up in a situation like this -- where there's no car for you and the only choice is paying more for a bigger vehicle?
Please no travel bloggers or SEO people.
The Department of Transportation just dropped a proposed rule that would have required airlines to compensate U.S. travelers for delayed flights. Behind the scenes, the airline industry is lobbying to undo even more consumer protections — from refund requirements to fee disclosures.
I'm researching a story about which rules are most at risk of being rolled back, and what travelers can do to protect themselves if airlines get their way.
I'm looking for air travelers who’ve already felt the sting of weakened protections. Maybe it was a delayed refund, being forced to accept a credit, or a surprise airline fee. I'm interested in hearing your personal stories about what happens when rules vanish and passengers are left to fend for themselves.
For industry experts, I'd love to know which DOT regulations are most vulnerable. How would repealing these rules affect travelers? And what steps can consumers take now to safeguard themselves?
If you’ve experienced any of this, I'd love to hear your story.