Posts Tagged ‘ Expedia ’

WTF?!? Just Got my Expedia Settlement Check

June 22nd, 2010. By AbiK

Given where I work, you realize I tend to lean on the side of reasonable litigation where consumer wrongs are concerned. Key word: reasonable. But I, like you, am susceptible to feelings of profound absurdity when I receive a settlement check in the mail for fifty-six cents. As I just did, from the Expedia settlement. I also received a plea to “Act now!” from Go Daddy Girl Danica Patrick that also borders on the absurd (did Danica major in Computer Science in college? did I miss that?)—but that’s perhaps for another post sometime.

So.

56¢.

2 quarters, a nickel and a penny.

And I love the added insult on the check (above) where the amount is spelled out: “Zero Dollars…” Oh sure—I realize it’s protocol. But it taunts me. It’s as if it’s Expedia’s snidely sly way of delivering a “Take that, you claimant!”

Take it I will.

Mere pittance though it is, I do realize the settlement was only applicable to hotel reservations. Not flights. And I’ve booked way more flights via Expedia than hotel stays. Those of you who know me know that I kind of have an “in” on the hotel front, so why go through some middle man?

Still, 56¢ is not worth the gas to go to the ATM to deposit the check.

It is also not worth my time to do so.

And, it was not worth the postage and processing it probably took to send it to me.

So why am I going to go to the bank and schlep up to the ATM to deposit it?

Because, much like the classic MasterCard ads—the ones that end with a statement about something being “priceless”, this is in its own way, priceless. It’s not about the money. It’s about calling someone on the carpet for a wrongdoing—in this case, bilking travellers by bundling fees.

So off I go. Just do me a favor—if I ever get to the point where I’m defending a lawsuit brought about by attorney Alfred Rava—who’s apparently big on the concept of suing on “principle” (and who surprisingly hasn’t been in the news as of late)—please feel free to call me on the carpet.

Tags: Expedia, Expedia Settlement
Posted in Emerging Issues, Settlement | 8 Comments »

Expedia Service Fees Settlement – you in?

August 24th, 2009. By AbiK

Darn right I’m in. Not because there’s potentially $123.4 million on the table. Not because I’m really, really ticked off about paying those bundled “tax recovery charge” and “service fees”. Not because I have any bone to pick with the travel industry or Expedia itself. What gives? The folks managing the Expedia class action settlement election form process have made it EASY to play.

Just the other day there was a little email in my inbox (truthfully, I get a lot of emails that start out: “Notice of Settlement” or some other legalese—so it didn’t exactly stand out at first). When I opened it, I dreaded the never-ending diarrhea of legal verbiage that so often accompanies these “notices”. Not gonna lie, this one’s got it, too.

But if you take the time to click thru to the election form pages, you’ll see that your options are simple: Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: Expedia
Posted in Settlement | 39 Comments »