Orbitz promised me a free bag on my flight to Frankfurt. Why do I have to pay?

"When an online travel agency displays specific amenities like baggage allowances, it's legally obligated to honor them under the Department of Transportation regulations, which prohibit deceptive or misleading fare descriptions. Orbitz's own itinerary listed Economy Classic with a free checked bag. Orbitz, and its parent company Expedia, can't pass the buck to Condor or TravelFusion."

"You handled this by the book. You checked airline policies before booking, preserved your correspondence and escalated calmly. First, when you make a booking, always take screenshots in case the confirmation doesn't match up with the booking screen. You could have also escalated this to Orbitz's executive contacts."

A customer booked a Condor Airlines flight through Orbitz for three family members, with the website advertising Economy Classic fares including one free 70-pound checked bag per leg. However, Condor's confirmation showed the return flight as Economy Zero with no baggage included and the outbound flight limited to 23kg (50 pounds). After repeated contact, Orbitz deflected responsibility to Condor and its booking platform TravelFusion, refusing to honor the advertised terms. The customer paid $540 for three bags promised free. Under DOT regulations prohibiting deceptive fare descriptions, Orbitz must honor its advertised fares. The customer properly documented correspondence and escalated appropriately. Screenshots of booking confirmations and escalation to executive contacts are recommended strategies for similar situations.

Read at www.mercurynews.com