Elliott
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- Member since
- 20th January 2009
Christopher Elliott has been called one of the world’s leading travel experts.
But his focus isn’t on the destination, or even the journey, but on the tools you need for a successful trip.
No other journalist has his depth of knowledge when it comes to offering practical travel advice, useful strategies and helpful tips.
Elliott is National Geographic Traveler magazine’s reader advocate and writes the nationally syndicated Travel Troubleshooter column, which appears in more than 50 U.S. newspapers and Web sites.
He also pens a popular weekly travel column on MSNBC.com.
Elliott is a prolific blogger, filing daily dispatches about consumer travel on his Web site and about general travel industry issues for Tripso.
He’s also one of the most sought-after public speakers in the country on subjects ranging from travel to blogging and social networking.
Elliott's activity
- June 2012
Elliott wrote a blog post Pay to sit with your own kids on a plane!
Although being separated from my kids on a long flight appeals to me on one level, I am sensitive to the fact that it could be another passenger’s worst nightmare."
- April 2012
Elliott wrote a blog post Pay a seat reservation fee — or your kids don’t fly with you
Being separated from your family while you’re traveling is every child’s worst nightmare. Every parent’s, too."
- June 2011
Elliott wrote a blog post Ridiculous or not? A fee to print a boarding pass – no, seriously
Here’s the problem with Spirit Airlines’ new $5 fee for printing a boarding pass, according to Dennis Tucker. Not everyone has access to a PC and printer when they’re on the road."
- January 2011
Elliott wrote a blog post Hotel reservation agent: “I feel very guilty about lying”
"Mary is an in-house reservation agent for an upscale, full-service hotel in a major American city."
Elliott wrote a blog post Tarmac delay hall of shame: holiday edition
"Anyone who thinks tarmac delays are dead was in for a little shock this week..."
- September 2010
Elliott wrote a blog post Adventures on the other side of Oahu
It would be tempting to stay on the touristy side of Oahu..."
Elliott reviewed Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Kilauea, United States
Words you don’t want to hear, unless maybe you’re there to see steam, sulphuric smoke and lava coming out of a mountain. And we were. Our oldest son, Aren, is fascinated by natural disasters, and Hawaii’s Big Island is, in geological t…"
Elliott wrote a blog post Hawaii: It’s a big island with lots of layers
It’s an island of microclimates..."
Elliott wrote a blog post Are loyalty programs worth it?
Quitting a frequent-flier program looks easy: You cut up your card and donate the miles to charity. And that’s it."
- July 2010
Elliott wrote a blog post The airline industry is profitable again — really profitable — and here’s one reason why
In a word: fees. Lots and lots of fees."
Elliott wrote a blog post 6 tips for a summer daycation
If you don’t have the time or the money for vacation this summer, maybe you can spare a few hours for a daycation."
Elliott wrote a blog post Want to cancel your Gulf Coast vacation? You might get your money back
Is your Gulf Coast vacation refundable?"
- June 2010
Elliott wrote a blog post Car-rental craziness: 6 odd rules and how to steer clear of them
If you thought airlines had wacky rules, try renting a car."
Elliott wrote a blog post Straight talk about the truly dismal state of airline baggage, and what it means to you
To get an idea of how badly airlines might treat your luggage in the summer of 2010, consider the latest offer by The Stafford London by Kempinski. It’s called the “Baggage Emergency Response Squad.”"
Elliott wrote a blog post When hotels fly: What you can do about new lodging fees
If you think hotels will never stoop to the level of airlines — charging extra for anything that isn’t bolted down — maybe you’ve never heard of easyHotel."
Elliott wrote a blog post TSA’s liquid rules: So long, 3-1-1?
The Transportation Security Administration’s unpopular restrictions on liquids, gels and aerosols in carry-on luggage — better known as the 3-1-1 rule — are history."
- May 2010
Elliott wrote a blog post Yes, you can fight a resort fee — and win
Mandatory resort fees have been annoying hotel guests for almost as long as I’ve been covering the hotel industry..."
Elliott wrote a blog post If it’s changed 2,472,916 times since January, no wonder we need a site like Yapta
Fares between Atlanta and Las Vegas changed once every six seconds."
Elliott wrote a blog post Saying “no” to TSA’s full body scan may come at a price
Having second thoughts about those new full-body scanners being used at airports?"
Elliott wrote a blog post Oops, wrong city! Don’t let geographic illiteracy destroy your next vacation
Want to hear the latest stupid-passenger joke?"
- April 2010
Elliott wrote a blog post Too good to be true? 4 times you should just say ‘no’ to a deal
If you found a bargain airfare, you’d book it, right? But what if you knew the price was a mistake? Would you still do it?"
Elliott wrote a blog post Maybe you should have walked away from that Mexican rental car
You show up at the car rental counter with a confirmed reservation, only to learn that you have to buy mandatory insurance. And before long, you’re paying 20 to 30 percent more than you expected."
- March 2010
Elliott wrote a blog post Never trash your boarding pass — here’s why
Next time you fly, keep your boarding pass. Especially if you collect frequent flier miles. And especially if your airline is playing the codeshare game."
Elliott wrote a blog post When in Rome watch your driving
Of all the recurring complaints I get from readers, the one they find by far most vexing has nothing to do with excessive fees, surprise surcharges or surly employees. It’s about traffic tickets. In Italy."
- February 2010
Elliott wrote a blog post “I am jaw-droppingly amazed at the lack of customer service”
Here’s a common problem for travelers who book a hotel room online: Once they “confirm” their accommodations with a credit card, the hotel doesn’t assign a room, leaving them wondering if they’ll have a place to stay."
Elliott wrote a blog post Good airline fees? Some are worth the money
It’s no secret the airline industry wants you to pay extra for everything. And I really mean everything."
Elliott wrote a blog post Clear Airfares Act left sitting on the tarmac
The Clear Airfares Act is a Senate bill that would require airlines and online travel agencies to disclose any additional fees before you buy a ticket."
- January 2010
Elliott wrote a blog post 10 questions most frequently asked by travelers
At a time like this, with governments imposing new security rules, airlines teetering on the brink of bankruptcy and many hotels facing foreclosure, travelers often have more questions than answers."
Elliott wrote a blog post Department of Homeland Security to visitors: Are you a terrorist or a Nazi?
As of this month, visitors to the United States who don’t require a visa must fill out a Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA)..."
Elliott wrote a blog post I can’t get a refund from Priceline or American Airlines — or anyone
When your airline cancels a flight because of weather, are you entitled to a full refund?"
Elliott wrote a blog post Credit card charges gone wild: “international transaction fee” added to Puerto Rico purchase
When Leticia Lopez returned to Albuquerque from her trip to Puerto Rico, she found an “international transaction fee” added to every purchase on her credit card bill."
- December 2009
Elliott wrote a blog post Wacky package price blamed on “anomaly” in program
When you buy a travel package through an online travel agency, you expect the price to be significantly less than if you booked each item separately, right?"
Elliott wrote a blog post Forensic weather expert: What to do when you’re snowed in
I asked Howard Altschule, a meteorologist with Forensic Weather Consultants, what to do when weather threatens to ground your next flight."
Elliott wrote a blog post Did Continental change a flight number and status to avoid EU compensation rules?
Helen Teresa Roberts believes it did when she flew from Rome to Newark this summer. After Flight 43 was canceled, Continental Airlines offered her overnight accommodations and 660 euros, in accordance with EU 261."
Elliott wrote a blog post Renovation regrets: 6 questions to ask before staying at a new hotel
I’m not sure how a fully inflated beach ball got in my hotel room."
Elliott wrote a blog post Clear Airfares Act of 2009 aims to expose hidden fees and taxes
Ever wished there was a law that forces airlines to disclose all extras on their tickets? Right up front. While you’re shopping for flights."
- November 2009
Elliott wrote a blog post Help, my travel insurance company won’t answer the phone!
It’s every traveler’s worst nightmare: You’re in trouble, so you reach for your phone to call your travel insurance company. The line rings. And rings. And rings."
Elliott wrote a blog post “Royal Caribbean should change its name to Pirates of the Caribbean”
A word of warning to anyone taking a cruse: Don’t trust anyone with your valuables..."
Elliott wrote a blog post Worst. Honeymoon. Ever.
Adam Salamon’s honeymoon did not go well. His all-inclusive resort wasn’t what he expected. The food was lousy, the staff was rude, there were bed bugs and his travel agent didn’t care, he claims."
Elliott wrote a blog post Queen Mary’s little gas problem
When Mel McBeth and his wife booked a cruise on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 last year, they weren’t expecting any additional charges. But that’s exactly what they got when the cruise line helped itself to another $180, which it claimed was a fuel surcharge, on"
Elliott wrote a blog post Victim of seatback police: “It felt like we had somehow landed in a World War II movie”
Beware of the airline seatback cops. They recently nabbed Cheryl Smith, and they could be coming for you."
Elliott wrote a blog post 7 ways to find excellent customer service on the road
When I think of great customer service, I remember Alamo."
Elliott wrote a blog post They stepped up to the plate and overpaid for my hotel — now what?
Dale Nielsen did everything he could to confirm his Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu. He booked the trip through an online agency that offered a notification of flight schedule changes. He called his airline."
Elliott wrote a blog post Sky Harbor’s luggage scandal: Who’s to blame for a thousand stolen bags?
The Unclaimed Baggage Center would have to be ten times its size if every piece of lost luggage ended up there."
Elliott wrote a blog post Banks, airlines deserve no credit for card tricks
For years, I’ve been telling travelers to pay with plastic and so have my buddies in the vacation punditry business."
- October 2009
Elliott wrote a blog post An unmade bed — and no place to go
When Erin Hott checks into her hotel, she's shown to a room with an unmade bed. When she asks for clean sheets, an employee tells her they can't change her linen until the next day. And if she doesn't like it, she can find another hotel, but she'll still"
Elliott wrote a blog post Do-good passenger slams elite seatmate in open letter
“I’m sorry your Silver Elite status on Northwest Airlines didn’t qualify you for a first-class upgrade on your recent flight from New York to Minneapolis,” Kevin Winge quips. “All of us, your fellow passengers, shared in the incredulity you expressed so v"
Elliott wrote a blog post More than half of air travelers would fly with the flu to avoid a change fee
A disturbing new poll says 51 percent of air travelers say they’d rather fly while infected with the flu than pay a $150 airline change fee."
Elliott wrote a blog post Claim denied on a terrorism technicality
My husband and I were scheduled to visit India last Thanksgiving, the day after the horrific terrorist event began. British and Americans were being singled out and murdered, hotels were being burned, and threats were made of hijacking and attacks on airp"
Elliott wrote a blog post Booking an airline ticket online for the holidays? Read this first
Here’s a cautionary tale for anyone buying an airline ticket for the holidays, and a little advice: Pay attention your bank account balance. And be patient."
Elliott wrote a blog post If fuel costs are under control, then why are airlines stalling?
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics has some fresh numbers this morning that suggest airlines are no longer spending a fortune on fuel. Last August, domestic carriers spent an average of $2.02 per gallon on fuel — up from $1.90 a gallon the previous m"
- December 2007
Elliott reviewed Vatican City in Rome, Italy
Ididn’t think it was possible to see the Vatican in half a day. But after hitting the highlights of Rome in just seven hours yesterday, I shouldn’t have been so skeptical. Yes, it can be done. If you arrive early enough (before 8 a.m., whic…"
