Action: Wrong button bought a ticket to confusion

At the end of June, I purchased a ticket online through www.Expedia.com for my husband to fly to St. Louis, Mo., on American Airlines. I accidentally hit the "purchase now" key under my name, and when the tickets arrived three days later, the ticketed passenger was myself, not my husband.

I immediately called Expedia and explained the situation. The airline was contacted, and I was told the ticket could not be changed. I would have to cancel the ticket for a $100 fee and buy another ticket online. The ticket was canceled, and I went online to buy another ticket. In the meantime, the fare had gone up from $222.99 to $304.99.

When the new ticket came, in my husband's name -- same flight, time of day, even the same seat assignment -- I e-mailed American Airlines' customer care center and explained my problem. The e-mail I received back from a Jerry Wilson said I could have just had the name changed on my ticket for $100 and that would have been the end of it. He said I had to deal with Expedia customer service, which I did. Expedia said there was nothing it could do.

I paid $627.98 for a $222.99 ticket. Even with the $100 change fee, it should have been $322.99. Am I out that money? Expedia blames American Airlines, and American Airlines blames Expedia. Virginia Yohn

Response: It turns out the ticket could not have been transferred to your husband under any circumstances. Jerry Wilson, customer service representative with American Airlines in the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, said he called to apologize for giving you this misinformation.

He also sent you a $100 travel voucher. Finally, you may use the ticket that's in your name for (your) future travel. This is a good reminder to doublecheck all information before hitting the "purchase now" key.

Recent recalls

The following products, distributed nationwide and in Florida, were recalled between Aug. 30 and Sept. 5:

About 23,000 hair dryers by Babyliss Pro; they do not have an immersion protection device on the power cord and could present a serious electrocution hazard if exposed to water. The pistol-shaped hair dryers have the model number BAB2002BLX and are rated at 1875 watts. These hair dryers were intended for professional use but could have been sold to consumers for personal use. Call toll-free 1-800-726-4202 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

About 8,000 "Bottle Cap Bear" key chains by Team Beans LLC; a miniature Coca-Cola bottle that attaches to the body of the plush bear key chain can come off, posing a choking hazard to young children. The 4-inch key chains feature a plush white bear wearing an auto racing-themed outfit and holding a miniature bottle in its left paw. Mail key chains to to Team Beans Forever Collectibles, Attn.: Geoff Geruso -- cc, 11 Elkins Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816, for refund or credit plus postage. Call toll-free 1-800-450-5585 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

About 3,300 toy chests, sold under the Playskool brand name at Target stores from October through December, by XL Machine Ltd.; screws in the chests' lid support hinges can loosen over time and come out from the base of the toy chests, causing the lids to collapse suddenly and injure a child's head, neck, fingers or hands. The blue toy chests have Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head characters on the lid and measure 18.5 inches by 12 inches by 12 inches. Return to store where purchased for refund. Call toll-free 1-866-746-8097; Web site: www.target.com.

About 36,000 Lawn-Boy walk-behind mowers by Lawn-Boy Inc.; the mulch plates can crack or break and cause injuries. The recall includes 21-inch Lawn Boy Easy Mulch Silver, Silver Pro and GoldPro Series walk-behind mowers. For a replacement cover plate, call toll-free 1-866-336-5207 between 8:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. weekdays, 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday; Web site: www.lawnboy.com.

About 1,100 BMX freestyle bicycles by Haro Bicycle Corp.; the length of the crank arm in the 2003 model fails to allow sufficient space between the rider's foot and the front wheel when the front wheel is turned backward, allowing the rider's foot to come in contact with the front wheel, which can cause the rider to lose control and fall. The models involved are the F2 and the Backtrail XO. For free replacement of crankshaft, call toll-free 1-800-289-4276 between noon and 8 p.m. weekdays; Web site: www.harobikes.com.

About 31,000 Pro Line apple slicers/corers by Leifheit International USA Inc.; the cutting blade can separate from the center-coring ring during use, causing cuts to hands and fingers. The recalled slicer/corers, made of shiny chrome metal with two handles, were sold in housewares and cooking stores from January 2001 to July 2002. Any device with a symbol code of "1" or "2" accompanied by a sequence of one or two dots on the underside of the product is included in the recall. Return to place of purchase for replacement or refund. Call toll-free 1-866-695-3434 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays; Web site: www.leifheitusa.com.

Sources: SafetyAlerts at www.safetyalerts.com; Consumer Product Safety Commission at www.cpsc.gov, toll-free 1-800-638-2772; Food and Drug Administration at www.fda.gov.; USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at toll-free 1-800-535-4555; government food safety information at www.foodsafety.gov; National Highway Transportation Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline, www.nhtsa.dot.gov/hotline; toll-free 1-888-327-4236.

Action solves problems and gets answers for you. If you have a question, or your own attempts to resolve a consumer complaint have failed, write Times Action, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731, or call your Action number, (727) 893-8171, or, outside of Pinellas, toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 8171, to leave a recorded request.

Requests will be accepted only by mail or voice mail; calls cannot be returned. We will not be responsible for personal documents, so please send only photocopies. If your complaint concerns merchandise ordered by mail, we need copies of both sides of your canceled check.

We may require additional information or prefer to reply by mail; therefore, readers must provide a full mailing address, including ZIP code. Names of letter writers will not be omitted except in unusual circumstances. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

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