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A Ride To JFK Airport Took A Wrong Turn For A Branford Woman

The trip of a lifetime for a Branford family got off to a rough start when the car service they hired didn’t live up to their expectations.

Lan Guglietta and her family had plans to travel to their native country of Vietnam. Guglietta said her 80-year-old mom hadn’t been back there in 30 years.

“We’ve been planning it for like a year…just for this day to go,” Guglietta said.

Guglietta said she booked an SUV car service through an online company called Ride with Red Hat, Inc. to take her and her family to and from JFK airport.

“We didn’t realize we’d run into a nightmare on this ride,” said Guglietta.

Guglietta insisted that she read the reviews and thought $300 was a reasonable amount to pay for an BMW SUV. She said she put down half the amount of the trip when she booked it.

“We were completely in shock when we saw the car he came to pick us up,” Guglietta said.

Guglietta said the driver showed up in a Volkswagon Jetta sedan to transport four people and four large suitcases to the airport. When she asked the driver about her SUV reservation, Guglietta said he told her the company instructed him to come and pick them in the Volkswagon.

Frank Acocella, owner of Ride with Red Hat, Inc. told NBC Connecticut Responds:

“On the day of pick up, my SUV fleet was all out and we sent the sedan. We told customer that we would not take her if she wanted. She accepted.”

Acocella said his driver offered to cancel the ride but Guglietta decided to stay with the company for the trip to the airport.

Guglietta said driver forced her family’s luggage into the trunk to make it fit.

“He was jamming as hard as he can this way, jamming that way. Every single inch he can find, jammed it in,” added Guglietta.

Guglietta said she also noticed a strong odor in the car and saw food stuck to the window.

“We were very upset. But we have no choice,” added Guglietta.

Acocella disagreed saying: “We picked her up at 6 p.m. for a 3 a.m. flight. Therefore, customer had ample time to get other ride. Nonetheless, she accepted.”

Guglietta told us she cancelled her return trip. Then, she discovered her son’s laptop had two cracks in the screen when the family returned home and explained that to the owner.

“He said that I get into his car and therefore it’s my problem,” said Guglietta.

According to Acocella, “that night she called to cancel return trip. At that point customer did NOT mention anything about a computer screen. Regardless it states on my website we are not liable for personal items please check my website. Furthermore…a week after her arrival she calls me to tell me about computer. A Week [sic] after arrival.”

Even though, the company is not obligated to do anything about the broken computer screen, Guglietta wants the company to pay for the damaged computer.

“I’m just so, so disappointed,” added Guglietta.

A spokesperson with the Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) says the state has regulatory authority only over intrastate livery services in Connecticut. All intrastate livery services must be registered and approved for passenger service by the CTDOT, which includes vehicle inspections prior to entering service. Interstate livery operations are not regulated by the CTDOT. The State says it appears that the company is a ride referral service/broker. These types of services are not regulated by the CTDOT.

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