Christopher Elliott

Feature Details

  • Frequency: 1/wk
  • Release date: Tuesdays
  • Moves with art: No
  • Moves with multimedia: No
  • Available: International, U.S. & Canada

The Travel Troubleshooter

Christopher Elliott, National Geographic Traveler's ombudsman, NPR commentator, consumer advocate and travel industry critic, writes "The Travel Troubleshooter," a straight-talking, reader-friendly advice column for travelers. His weekly Q&A takes a reader problem and follows it through to the industry officials. He also offers advice on navigating the ins and outs of questionable hotel deals, airline come-ons and mystery cruise-ship surcharges.

The Travel Troubleshooter Samples

Busted! How to Ensure Your Luggage Survives a Trip

One minute I was rolling my carry-on bag along the concourse floor at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. The extendable handle on the bag was stuck, and no matter how hard I tried, it wouldn't retract. And I did.

Stopped Payment on My Compensation Check

XXXXX. Alaska Airlines pays Ashley Cates $239 when she's bumped from her flight. XXXXX. Q: I was recently denied boarding on an Alaska Airlines flight from Boise, Idaho to Sacramento. I had to cancel an appointment and was rerouted through Portland.

What Hotels Will Resort to For a Good Review

Oh, the things hotels will do for a good review. It's not enough to ask guests for a write-up on a popular site such as TripAdvisor or Yelp after they've checked out.

The Travel Troubleshooter-Advisory

We have moved a TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER BONUS column entitled "What Hotels Will Resort to For a Good Review."

Accidental Tourist? Tips for Maximizing Happy Coincidences -- and Avoiding the Bad Ones

Accidents happen when you travel. The bad accidents -- the fender-benders, the missed airline connections the unfortunate food-borne illnesses -- are the ones that come to mind first, of course.

Forget This Volunteer Vacation -- Let's Go to Vegas!

XXXXX. Ellie Capers' 12th-grade class has plans to volunteer at a marine lab in Baja, Mexico, when the swine flu outbreak forces them to cancel their trip. XXXXX.

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