Help Me Hank: Help Me Hank! Lost tickets

They had packed their bags, armed the alarm, doused the lights, and locked the doors. It was spring break and time to go on vacation.

Cathy Perkins, traveler
"Put me on the plane and take me away."

The Perkins family of four finally found time to travel together. Destination: Myrtle Beach.

Cathy Perkins, traveler
"I was looking forward to it, hoping that the weather would be in the eighties."

They bought round trip tickets, spending more than a thousand dollars! But things got turbulent at their airport gate. The agent said that they had been bumped. And the two flights the airline offered as alternates just didn't work.

Cathy Perkins, traveler
"It just, it stunk."

Finally the airline promised that they would put through a full refund and the family wound up driving 900 miles to the beach.

Cathy Perkins, traveler
"We had a good time, went out to dinner, to a couple of shows."

But two months later still no refund. Cathy called the airline. They said show us the tickets; we'll give you the money. The problem, had they given them to the gate agent? Tossed the tickets? Certainly no one told them to keep them. Her husband stepped in.

Cathy Perkins, traveler
"He says I'm writing to 'Help Me Hank.'"

Cathy didn't have the tickets, but we said how about the receipt from your online purchase? Aha. Yes. Print that out.

Then we called the company and explained the bottom line. The airline told us a solution they hadn't told Cathy. Fill out this lost ticket refund application. First get a ticket. Then get a refund.

And soon after a credit card credit! $258 each and just enough time left for a summer adventure.

Cathy Perkins, traveler
"It's going to pay for the vacation he and I are taking."

Many fliers are used to paper tickets, but electronic ones have some benefits. You can always print out another copy, and you can always retrieve your travel records.

(Copyright (c) 2007 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)