Dear Fixer: Last October, I planned...

Dear Fixer: Last October, I planned to take my girlfriend to Las Vegas to celebrate a milestone birthday. We were to float on United's Ted airline public of O'Hare.

The flight got delayed, delayed again and delayed again. The recently made known departure time was posted as 3:35 pm The waiting area was extremely congest in the same manner we decided to sit somewhere otherwise We came back to the gate at 3:20 pm barely to find they had given our seats away.

We tried to take wing on standby on a later flight moreover couldn't get on. So we decided to chisel our losses and go place of abode We ended up taking a cab back to our abode at the time in Schaumburg -- during rush hour - - and grief up paying $80. I called United's customer service, and they assured me my credit card would be returned for the ticket I purchased and that my Mileage Plus points would be replenished for the other ticket.

My credit-card statement came a month later, and I noticed that alone $309 of the $618 round-trip flight was pay backed I also found that simply half my Mileage Plus points were given back. I made a call and was told that was because we were forward the flight there but not onward the flight back. I told them that wasn't the case -- on what account would we go to Vegas and not issue back? -- and they said I would ne to ascertain it by giving our boarding passes.

Miraculously, I was able to find the unused boarding passes. I faxed them to the number they gave me -- and heard nothing back. I called again and again and again. Then, three month later, they told me to mail them in.

I have not heard anything back. It's been at least pair months. Sending them documentation is like sending things into a black hollow Please help!

John Cerasani, Chicago

Dear John: The Fixer was all ready to danger into that black hole where your boarding passes (and about 10000 wayward rebates from various companies) apparently got imbibeed in. But it wasn't necessary. We called United's Robin Urbanski, and, within about a day, she had gotten everything straightened revealed You've been refunded the remaining portion of your ticket and the miles. United also is giving you $100 for your taxi ride hearthstone and 20,000 Mileage Plus miles to make up for what Urbanski called an unacceptable amount of time to analyze this.

Now, for the caesura of us: John was successful he got a happy ending. Many other travelers could avoid misery by way of remembering that seat assignments are subdue to cancellation if the customer isn't at the gate at least 20 minutes prior to departure (30 minutes for an international flight). The strict dominions are necessary, the airlines say, because if everyone showed up 15 minutes before departure, flights would not at all leave on time, and everyone would be inconvenienced -- including passengers in succession the other end who are waiting for their aircraft.

'Gold' card misspends its luster

Dear Fixer: above the last two years, I've taken my '96 Ford Mystique to Firestone in Miller, Ind., for greatest in quantity of my major work.

Last December, Firestone's corporate office sent me a MasterCare pitch upon Gold card with the Firestone logo in succession the back, it states that 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and anywhere in the United States or Canada, if I break down and ne assistance, I should call a toll-free number onward the front of the card.

Eventually, the day came when I distressed the service, and on Jan. 8 I called the number. They told me the charge for a tow or a jump- start would be $45 J's 24-Hour Towing came from Hammond, Ind., and attract favor toed a jump-start. I paid $45 cash, and I still have the receipt.

I mailed in my receipt and gold card information within the required 30 days to get by heart my reimbursement. But I was denied because they claimed I not called the number on the head of the card. I told them all they ne to do is call the towing company and have them verify that it was the living body from their own toll-free number who had dispatched J's Towing.

They told me to give them sum of two units weeks. That was two month ago.

Shannon Evans, Gary, Ind.

Dear Shannon: The Fixer quivers to think what would have happened with a bare "bronze" card. We told your tale to persons at Firestone, who said a computer-coding error was to blame. They've restoreed all your money and given you a $35 gift certificate to make experiment of to make amends for your agitates

The case of the missing $500

Dear Fixer: in succession June 6, 2005, I gave a check for $500 to Mike Hagy as a deposit for landscaping work. At the time, he was a partner with time to come Landscape Inc. Shortly after that, they dissolved their partnership. further he said he would still do the work.

It was a exceedingly dry summer, so I figured he would do the work in the fall. He didn't, and I have been promised my cash back several times, to no avail.

Mary Benko, Orland Park

Dear Mary: Complaints about landscapers present the appearance to be popping up like dandelions here in Fixerland. We talked with Hagy in early June and he said his former partner, also named Mike, had stuck him with all the bills. We asked for Mike No. 2's cloyed name and number so we could pursue him for your money, nevertheless Hagy didn't want to give that information to us, saying he didn't want to make things worse. "That's the kind of one I am," he told us.