Travel, by its very nature, is fertile soil for things to go wrong.
And when they do, there is a right way and a wrong way for dealing with them.
Thankfully, Budget Travel has put together a handful of suggestions on the proper way to complain so that your problem will be remedied. Writer Laura MacNeil, for example, suggests that you “control your emotions.” Interviews with flight attendants revealed that they are more willing to help those who are polite to them.
Or, if the problem occurs in a hotel and it is part of a chain, go back to your room and call their customer-service number; this will usually produce results.
How to Complain When Things Go Wrong, includes many other smart choices to make when something hasn’t gone as promised and you want some immediate action. My favorite: Write about it. If someone screws up I can post about it here on Gadling. Others can do so on their personal blogs, or simply write a letter to the editor of a travel magazine or newspaper. Something not mentioned in the article is the Lonely Planet Thorn Tree. Travelers post a huge number of tips on this forum and if something went wrong on their journeys, you can be sure they will mention it here.