Consumerist
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too fat to fly
Southwest Suddenly Decides Man Is Too Fat To Fly — Again
We thought this issue was taken care of the last time a Las Vegas Southwest employee randomly stopped someone from flying without checking to see if they could actually sit in a seat with the arms down (per Southwest's policy), but apparently not. Now a Chicagoland man says he was stopped from boarding a return flight home to Chicago because he was too big (6'2" 350lbs), but he airline wouldn't allow him to prove that he could fit in the seat. More » -
microsoft
Microsoft Deep-Sixes Red Ring Of Death Coffins, Makes Customers Supply Their Own Boxes
Although we received an indication in March that Microsoft was phasing out its Xbox 360 return policy of sending customers padded boxes with prepaid return envelopes, gaming blog Joystiq confirmed that Microsoft quietly made it official in late May. More » -
news from the swamp
The FDA Isn't Yet Sure How To Make Our Food Safer But Lots Of Cash Might Help
The FDA is set to receive $3.2 billion next year but they don't yet have a plan to make our food any safer. That doesn't sit well with Congressional appropriator Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who at a recent hearing told Acting FDA Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein: "A lot sounds to me like buzzwords from a past administration." More » -
travel
Delta Can't Be Bothered To Sell The Obese Two Adjoining Seats
Evan's on the large side and wants to buy two adjoining seats, but Delta doesn't seem to care whether or not he inconveniences other passengers. The airline won't assign two seats to the same passenger name, and if he buys a second seat under a different name, it won't necessarily adjoin the first. Delta also warned that "they will give [his] second seat away if they need it, even if [he] paid for it." One agent thought he had a solution, but it was going to cost Evan $200 more than Delta's online fares. More » -
t-mobile
T-Mobile Keeps Charging For Canceled Service, Refuses To Issue Full Refund
Taylor just noticed that T-Mobile has been billing him $19.99 for a data package he asked them to cancel seven months ago. Yes, Taylor should've caught the mistake sooner, but now that he's found it, he wants T-Mobile to refund the $140 in unauthorized charges. T-Mobile, citing policy, is only willing to credit him $60. More » -
united
United: If You Can't Fit In One Seat You Need To Buy Two
Starting today, United Airlines has a new policy. If you can't fit into a single seat, you need to buy another one or stay behind. More » -
gaming
Microsoft's Policy Regarding Identifying Sexual Orientation On XBOX Live
Teresa, the reader who was banned from XBOX Live for self-identifying as a lesbian, caused quite a stir on the internet. Joystiq managed to get a statement out of Microsoft regarding the issue. Microsoft says they do not allow expressions of sexuality of any kind in GamerTags or in profiles, and that they take harassment "very seriously." More » -
Does Comcast love Obama? Or do they just really, really, really hate FCC Chairman Kevin Martin? [DSL Reports]
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american airlines
American Airlines Thinks It's "Generous" To Charge A $100 Excess Baggage Fee To Soldiers
Let's say you are in the military and have to undergo some training before you are deployed to Iraq to fight in a war. Let's also say that this training requires to you bring 3 bags of equipment. If the airline you're flying charges a $100 "excess baggage" fee, but waives the $15 first checked bag fee, and the $25 second checked bag fee... is that "generous?" More » -
target wedding registry
Target Fixes Their Broken Wedding Registry, Will Let You Return Duplicates Without A Receipt
Reader Jon writes in to let us know that your complaining has had a positive effect on Target's return policy. They will now allow you to return duplicate wedding registry gifts without asking your friends and relatives for a receipt. More » -
target
Target: Yes, You Can Return That Camera After The 90 Day Deadline. Oh Wait, Never Mind. You Can't.
Ronald was in a hurry and wondered if he could delay returning a camera to Target until a few days after the 90 day deadline. He called them up and they told him it wouldn't be a problem. Guess what? It was a problem. More » -
six flags
Six Flags Requires You To Check All Bags Before Each Rollercoaster For $1 Per Ride
Reader Aaron says that his trip to Six Flags was ruined by their new policy of making riders check even very small bags before each ride — at the cost of $1 a ride. More » -
leaks
Better Return Policy, Customer Service Available To Best Buy Customers Who Spend $2,500 Per Year
Like shopping at Best Buy but don't like their lack of customer service and crappy return policy? They've got an offer for you. Spend $2,500 per calendar year and you'll be considered a "Reward Zone Program Premier Silver Member." The benefits of this membership are immediately apparent. You'll get your own dedicated customer service line that's only for Premier Silver Members, and a more generous return policy as well. Why should good customer service be available to bad customers? We've got the text of a Best Buy Reward Zone Silver Training Document, inside. More » -
sad
Don't Use Target's Wedding Registry If You Think Asking Your Wedding Guests For Receipts Is Rude
As we've mentioned before, Target doesn't accept returns or exchanges of gifts bought through their wedding registry unless you have a receipt. Got two of the same thing? You're out of luck unless you're willing to call your wedding guests and ask them if they kept the receipt. More » -
returns and exchanges
Target's Super Secret Return Policy
Consumer Reports tells us that Target's strict "No receipt, No return" policy has an "unadvertised" loophole — you can return items of less than $20 for store credit. The catch? You can only do this twice a year. More » -
best buy
Best Buy Calls Cops On You For Telling Fellow Customer Jawbone Headset Is Overpriced, Sucks
Best Buy called the cops on Alex because he told another shopper that the Jawbone headset he was considering was poor quality and marked up $30 from the manufacturer's price. Alex went to Best Buy to purchase a new Bluetooth headset because the Jawbone he recently purchased from Verizon wasn't cutting it. While browsing the headsets, he struck up a conversation with another customer who was checking out the Jawbone. Alex told his fellow customer that he had been disappointed in the quality of the Jawbone, and that Best Buy was charging $30 more than the manufacturer or Verizon. A sales associate overheard this and told the manager, who asked Alex to leave the store, then threatened to call the police, then did. More » -
open box
Best Buy Charges $2 Premium For Inferior Open-Box Mouse
The Best Buy in Champaign, Illinois wants Andrew to pay $2 extra for a used mouse covered with someone else's hand gunk. We see plenty of these open-box pricing bloopers and Best Buy employees are always fast to rush to the comments screaming "But it's policy!" We understand, but it's a stupid policy that has a simple, albeit symbolic and ineffective solution. More »
policy
New York, 11:44 AM
Mon Nov 9
11 posts in the last 24 hours
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