Call Kurtis: They Made Us Miss Our Reservations!

Bob and Lynda Helms had meticulously planned their month-long trip across across Europe -- a traveling tour with a Stanford University art scholar to study their favorite painter, Caravaggio.

"This is an oil reproduction of Caravaggio's portrait of Bacchus," said Lynda, pointing at the painting now hanging above their family room mantle.

The couple had no idea they'd be sitting in their home months later -- still waiting to hear from the airline they said promised to reimburse them for missed reservations due to a lengthy flight delay.

Instead of 30,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean, the Helms found themselves grounded in Los Angeles for two days, waiting for another flight to Madrid.

"We were strictly at their mercy," Bob said. "We felt like they were hijacking the first part of our vacation."

The flight, operated by Spanish airline Iberia, had mechanical problems, and promptly put all passengers into an L.A. hotel.

But the Helms were without their luggage, and it was too late to cancel car and hotel reservations in Europe.

"We were just stuck," said Lynda.

Iberia workers at the counter promised to reimburse their expenses and missed reservation costs, the Helms said. But for six months, the Helms said they had been unable to get any response from the company about their claim.

"They're just stonewalling us," Bob said.

"You're at the mercy of the airline's good will," said Trudy Flores, a travel agent at TravelStore in Sacramento.

Airlines rarely cover expenses from missed car or hotel reservations, she said.

Each airline's Contract of Carriage details its agreement with customers.

Iberia's explains it will provide "reasonable overnight accomodations ... subject to availability," and the airline told CBS Sacramento it also covers meals.

Legally, what's in the Contract of Carriage is all the airline is required to do.

"I've never heard of an airline not doing anything," said Flores, adding that it's in the airline's best interest to keep customers happy.

After we got involved, Iberia offered the Helms about $150 dollars to cover their out-of-pocket expenses in L.A., but apologized, saying the airline cannot reimburse for missed reservations.

The Helms said they won't fly Iberia again.

"We trusted their word," Lynda said, "and they let us down."