Check under the hood of shuttle's guarantees
— -- Question:Our recent shuttle van trip from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to San Diego was bungled by Prime Time Shuttle. I reserved weeks in advance and paid $210 to transport my family.
Our flight from Anchorage was late, but Prime Time Shuttle had our information. While we waited for an hour with our two small children and my elderly parents, we saw many of the company's vans go by. Eventually, a company representative told us that our van was on its way. My suspicion is that they either did not check our flight time or they wanted to group us with other passengers. Sure enough, when our van arrived, the driver picked up two additional passengers.
I called the company to complain because it advertises an on-time guarantee. I was told that the full fare would stand because the guarantee does not apply to pickups at LAX. What else can I do?
—Dan Irvine,Rancho Valencia, Calif.
Answer:Prime Time Shuttle's "On Time Guarantee*" comes with caveats that should send you hunting for the fine print. The company's website specifies that the guarantee does not apply to pickups at airports, downtown train and bus terminals, cruise ship piers or hotels, among other restrictions.
LAX security procedures prevent shuttles from staging at terminals, according to Prime Time Shuttle operations manager Amit Singh. Vans can be dispatched only from outside the airport, meaning it takes time for them to arrive.
Flight delays throw a wrench in the works. Irvine's flight from Anchorage was due at 6:40 a.m. but arrived late. Specific vans are assigned to passengers landing before 7 a.m. to ensure they'll be picked up in a timely manner, Singh says. Those drivers are paid whether the passengers arrive or not. The company checks all arrivals automatically, but flight information is not always updated in time.
In Irvine's case, Prime Time Shuttle didn't receive confirmation that his family was waiting at the curb until a representative spoke with Irvine at about 8:15 a.m. His van was dispatched at 8:40 a.m., and the family was on board by 9 a.m.
"It does take some time for the communications, but it could have been dispatched a little sooner," Singh says.
Irvine's van wasn't held up to accommodate other passengers, he adds. Shuttles are dispatched in the order arrivals are received. The other two passengers' flight also arrived late, so Prime Time Shuttle decided to take everyone in one van.
As a goodwill gesture, the company refunded $75 to Irvine.
How can you avoid trouble?
• Notify the shuttle company if your flight is delayed, and give a new estimated arrival time, if possible. Follow up with a phone call when you arrive.
• Read the details on guarantees. Asterisk or no, there are almost always exceptions.
Linda Burbank first began troubleshooting travelers' complaints for the Consumer Reports Travel Letter. She now writes regularly for Consumers Union publications and is a contributing editor for National Geographic Traveler. E-mail her at travel@usatoday.com. Your question may be used in a future column.