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Jan 24, 2024

TikTok's Erika Kullberg on travel hacks airlines don't want you to know

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There are some secrets when it comes to flying that the airlines don't want you to know. An attorney-turned-influencer explains how to get compensated if there are problems with your flight.

Olivia Marschall flew to Central Florida from Maryland with her husband, kids, and extended family for a magical Make-A-Wish trip for Claire.

"She's a COVID baby. So this is her first plane ride," Marschall said.

Claire was born during the pandemic. The 3-year-old little girl is a cancer survivor. Her family is celebrating Claire being in remission. WESH 2 News was there as the family waited for their bags to come off the plane at Orlando International Airport.

"If I lost my bags, I would be very stressed," Marschall said.

It's something that happens to travelers every day. Last year, MCO logged 15,453 reports of lost luggage, according to the FAA, along with more than 11,000 flight delays and about 2,600 flight cancellations.

How do you navigate the travel chaos?

"I think most people generally just assume that they're not entitled to anything," social media money expert and attorney Erika Kullberg said.

With nine million followers on TikTok, people look to Kullberg for help navigating their travel nightmares.

"'We'll try to get you on the next flight in a few hours, but there's nothing else I can do. Sorry.' Watch this. Actually, I've read the terms. This is called involuntary denied boarding and in this case, I'm eligible for compensation," she says in one TikTok.

Kullberg suggests turning to the Department of Transportation. "They have a website and lots of resources around what to do when your flight is canceled or delayed, and what to do when your bag is delayed. And then the second biggest thing, I always look at the actual airline's contract of carriage. That's the contract between you and the airline," Kullberg said.

She says if your flight is delayed by three hours or more due to the airline, you are entitled to a meal, and if it's overnight, hotel accommodations. But what about issues like Central Florida thunderstorms?

"When it comes to weather, unfortunately, there's very little that the airlines are actually responsible for. But for the weather, I say look at your credit card. A lot of credit cards come with delay insurance," Kullberg said.

If your suitcase is displaced, delayed, or damaged, Kullberg said the airline may be responsible for up to $3,800.

There's a simple way to follow your luggage and prove the condition it was in when you got to the airport.

She says before you ever check that bag, you'll want to take a picture of it with your cell phone and make sure you use one of these little tracker tags. It helps you know the location at any time.

You won't get anything, she advises, if you don't ask. And remember, kindness is key.

"Always ask. ‘Hey, my flight was delayed for a few hours. Is there anything you can do for me?’ And just be nice about it. These people on the other end of the phone are working jobs and I'm sure a lot of people are very not nice to them. So just always be nice about it," Kullberg said.

The Marschall family got all their bags and they're off to enjoy Orlando, knowing when their vacation ends, they'll again be dealing with travel stress.

"I feel like it sort of comes with the territory. And I'm grateful for when things are on time," Marschall said.

As for that GPS tracker idea...

"Someone recently suggested I put an air tag on Claire because she likes to bolt," Marschall said.

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