Christopher Elliott

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers consumers to solve their problems and helps those who can't. He's the author of numerous books on consumer advocacy and writes three nationally syndicated columns. He also publishes the Elliott Report, a news site for consumers, and Elliott Confidential, a critically acclaimed newsletter about customer service. If you have a consumer problem you can't solve, contact him directly through his advocacy website. You can also follow him on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or sign up for his daily newsletter.

Engine failure after Jiffy Lube's oil change led Ian Culhane to a complex claim battle. Thorough documentation won the day.

Why won’t Jiffy Lube pay for my engine repair? Isn’t it responsible?

April 13, 2024August 9, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

After getting an oil change at Jiffy Lube, the engine on Ian Culhane’s Subaru stops working. The likely culprit is a botched oil change, he says. Why won’t Jiffy repair his car?

Canceled flight, unreturned funds. Julie Schumer battled Princess Cruises over a $983 refund and triumphed with consumer advocacy help.

Why won’t Princess Cruises refund our canceled flight? They have my money.

December 7, 2023August 7, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Julie Schumer’s return flight gets canceled during the Southwest Airlines meltdown in December. Southwest sends the money to her cruise line, but her cruise line won’t refund her. What’s going on?

The only way to escape hidden hotel fees is to get creative about fighting them. Here's how to do it.

How to avoid hidden hotel fees on your next trip

May 26, 2024August 6, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

The only way to escape hidden hotel fees is to get creative about fighting them. Here’s how to do it.

Annoying hotel charges were supposed to disappear after the government declared war on junk fees. Instead, hotels fought back.

Hidden hotel fees are back with a vengeance. Here’s how to avoid them.

June 19, 2024August 6, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Annoying hotel charges were supposed to disappear after the government declared war on junk fees. Instead, hotels fought back.

In a world where words are easily ignored by a company, here are five things you can say that will cause your complaint to fail.

Want your complaint to fail? Just say these five things

May 16, 2024August 3, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

In a world where words are easily ignored by a company, here are five things you can say that will cause your complaint to fail.

Sitting in a pressurized aluminum tube for hours at a time takes a heavy toll on your body. So how do the pros survive a long flight in economy class? And how do they avoid jet lag?

Expert tips for surviving a long flight in economy class and avoiding jet lag

May 10, 2024August 1, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Sitting in a pressurized aluminum tube for hours at a time takes a heavy toll on your body. So how do the pros survive a long flight in economy class? And how do they avoid jet lag?

In the thrilling tale of Julie Brown's Costa Rica tour, Overseas Adventure Travel cancels her pretrip excursion, leaving her to face unexpected costs. A hidden truth emerges as she seeks answers and battles for fairness, uncovering surprising twists along the way. Will justice prevail, or will she be left to bear the burden alone? Find out in this captivating journey of travel, challenges, and resilience.

Should Overseas Adventure Travel cover my airfare for a canceled pretrip excursion?

December 5, 2023July 31, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Overseas Adventure Travel cancels Julie Brown’s pretrip excursion on her Costa Rica tour. But who will pay for her new airline ticket? The company says she’s responsible, but is she?

Travel is officially back this summer — and along with it, all the high prices and headaches that make it unbearable. Here's your survival guide.

Here it is: Your survival guide for the summer of 2023

January 19, 2024July 30, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

Travel is officially back this summer — and along with it, all the high prices and headaches that make it unbearable.

If you want to avoid a crowd when you travel, take a number and get in line. There's a crowd of people who want the same thing.

This is how to avoid crowds when you travel

June 23, 2024July 30, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

If you want to avoid a crowd when you travel, take a number and get in line. There’s a crowd of people who want the same thing.

If you've ever seen the words "for your convenience" on a hotel bill, you probably suspect it's not really for your convenience.

Hotel fee warning: What “for your convenience” really means

April 9, 2024July 28, 2023 by Christopher Elliott

If you’ve ever seen the words “for your convenience” on a hotel bill, you probably suspect it’s not really for your convenience. It’s for their convenience.