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.

When it comes to the Transportation Security Administration's new security measures, it's hard to know who to believe anymore.

TSA: Enhanced pat-downs coming nationwide Oct. 31?

January 19, 2024October 13, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

When it comes to the Transportation Security Administration’s new security measures, it’s hard to know who to believe anymore.

Remember Revelex, the Boca Raton, Fla.-based online booking company whose name came up a time or two during the Palm Coast Travel episode?

Revelex pays $12,500 after Florida accuses it of “aiding and abetting” Prime Travel Protection

January 19, 2024October 11, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

Tarmac-delay rule, if you're afraid of being trapped in a parked plane on the tarmac on your next trip, stop worrying.

Tarmac-delay rule gives air travelers more respect

January 19, 2024September 26, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

Tarmac-delay rule gives air travelers more respect

Mind the safe in your room. They'll add a $1.07 tax fee to your confirmed rate for having one -- whether you want it or not.

Hotel calls mandatory room safe fee a tax, requires you to opt out when checking in

January 25, 2024September 24, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

Next time you check into the Fairfield Inn in Sandusky, Ohio, mind the safe in your room. They’ll add a $1.07 fee to your confirmed rate for having one — whether you want it or not.

Spirit Airlines risk, as you might have heard, is trying to raise $300 million in a public stock offering. Form S-1 it filed.

Spirit Airlines — risks: “Negative publicity” on customer service could hurt business

January 25, 2024September 23, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

Spirit Airlines, as you might have heard, is trying to raise $300 million in a public stock offering. Here’s the Form S-1it filed last Friday with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

airline pilot/analyst Bob Herbst concluded, "Sometimes the old cliché: ‘You get what you pay for’ has true meaning."

You get what you pay for revisited — oops, there goes my journalistic objectivity

January 19, 2024September 21, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

What does “You get what you pay for” mean?

Patrick Kerr booked a Paris hotel through Travelocity at a rate of 10 euros per night, but the hotel later raised it to 100 euros.

Paris for 10 euros a night — uh, make that 100 euros

January 19, 2024September 16, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

Patrick Kerr books a hotel in Paris for the unbelievable rate of 10 euros a night. Turns out it’s a mistake – the rate is off by a decimal point. His online agency promises a refund, but sends him a voucher, instead. What should Kerr do?

He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It was a room at the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel that no man should ever enter.

Can this trip be saved? There was a meeting in the ladies room

January 19, 2024September 13, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

Mark Gross was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Specifically, it was a room at the Renaissance Tampa International Plaza Hotel in Tampa that no man should ever enter. But I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

Are loyalty programs worth it?

January 19, 2024September 11, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

Quitting a frequent-flier loyalty program looks easy: You cut up your card and donate the miles to charity.

The airline industry is profitable again, thanks in no small part to the billions of dollars in fees it collects from passengers every year.

Gotcha! 5 new airline fees and how to avoid paying them

January 19, 2024September 8, 2010 by Christopher Elliott

The airline industry is profitable again, thanks in no small part to the billions of dollars in fees it collects from passengers every year. And it’s not just reservation change fees ($2.3 billion), checked baggage ($2.7 billion) and “miscellaneous” fees (almost $3 billion) that air travelers shelled out in 2009; now carriers are getting even more creative with their charges, imposing them for everything from redeeming frequent flier miles to carrying a bag on the plane.