💡We just redesigned Elliott Confidential. Here’s 30 percent off.
Have you noticed our new look? We rebuilt Elliott Confidential PRO from the ground up, and the centerpiece is Backchannel, a private forum where you can ask me your consumer questions directly and get real answers. It's already where I'm fielding questions about refunds, warranty disputes and scam reports from readers like you.
A year of PRO is normally $85. Through Labor Day it's $59.50, about $1 a week. Here's what's in it:
Backchannel. Our amazing new forum. Ask your consumer question and get a real answer, plus access to the ongoing conversation with other subscribers.
Members Only. An exclusive, reported story in every issue you won't find anywhere else.
The vault. Every book and guide I've written, including How To Be The World's Smartest Traveler.
Don’t wait. Offer ends Monday, Sept. 7.
The policy says 40 pounds, two to a room. Nobody told the dogs. (Illustration by Dustin Elliott)
🇰🇷 Here’s to your health—Yesterday we experienced the South Korean health care system for ourselves, and wow, that’s going to be an interesting story.
In today's issue, a Westin resort on Hilton Head capped pets at 40 pounds, then let the elevators fill with German shepherds. Find out how this one ends.
Plus, you had a lot to say about lonely travel and I answer a reader question in Backchannel about a British Airways refund fight. For PRO members, I have a troubling scam alert that you must read before you check into a hotel. —Christopher Elliott
TODAY’S FEATURED ARTICLE
How to get a refund when your luxury hotel stay goes to the dogs
One of our readers booked a Westin resort on Hilton Head Island, where the published policy caps pets at 40 pounds and two per room. He counted German shepherds, collies and pointers in the elevators, found dog hair under the furniture and watched a mess sit on the carpet for a full day. His wife has dog allergies, and the general manager never answered his letter. What happens when a hotel breaks its own pet policy?
OUR UNDERWRITER
INFplans.com is a specialized travel medical insurance platform dedicated exclusively to non-U.S. residents traveling outside their home country, including to the United States, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, and other global destinations. Key differentiators include coverage for travelers up to age 99 and unique options for pre-existing condition coverage, benefits that are rarely available in the visitor insurance space. With a simple online experience and a seasoned support team, INFplans.com makes it easy for non-U.S. residents to secure the travel medical protection they need to explore the world with confidence. Travel with confidence with INFplans.com
📌 Here’s what you missed this week
Catch up on the latest stories from the Elliott Report
How to get a refund when your luxury hotel stay goes to the dogs
A Westin resort on Hilton Head Island caps pets at 40 pounds, two to a room, and then let shepherds and pointers ride the elevators. A Lifetime Titanium member wrote to the general manager and got silence.
Travel is lonelier than ever. Here's why, and what to do about it.
Kiosks, QR codes and noise-canceling headphones removed nearly every point of human contact from a trip. Group travel is down 9 percent since 2020, and the average trip now carries fewer than two people.
Since when does an airline change your itinerary without asking?
A Washington Post columnist found his American Airlines itinerary rewritten, and he hadn’t asked for the change. The software behind it has been running since 2023 and now covers six hubs.
Every customer should have the right to reach a human
A PayPal chatbot offered a reader a live agent four times and never connected her. States now require a person to sign off when an algorithm denies your health care, but nothing covers your money.
Why a hurricane that misses you can still ruin your vacation, and what to do about it
A storm a thousand miles away can ground your flight, and a resort that reopens too fast can hide mold and rotted decking. Insurers stop covering a storm the moment it gets a name.
My Alfa Romeo’s dashboard is falling apart and the warranty won’t cover it
A 2019 Stelvio with a dashboard pulling away from the air vents, and a service contract that covers interior surfaces damaged by wear and tear. Mopar denied the claim, citing an exclusion list that appears nowhere in the policy.
Help! Delta downgraded us and refused to pay for a place to sleep
Two passengers over 75 missed their connection in Atlanta and rented a nap room in the terminal on an agent’s advice. Delta denied the reimbursement, then downgraded the Comfort+ seats they had paid for.
OUR UNDERWRITER
International Citizens Insurance helps expats, travelers and anyone far from home find the right insurance plan. Our knowledgeable agents will help you find the best plan at the right price and be your advocate for the life of your policy.
💬 What you’re saying
Can I get my money back from British Airways? Plus, your comments on lonely travel.
We can’t fly, so can we get our money back?
Over on Backchannel, Jeffrey Savit booked nonrefundable premium economy seats to Greece on British Airways back in April. His daughter is now carrying identical twins, her doctor has ordered her not to fly, and he skipped the insurance. British Airways offered a credit good through April 2028 but no refund, because its medical refund rule only covers pregnant passengers flying to a country with Zika. Can he get his money back?
The Great Disconnect: Here’s why travel is lonelier than ever filled up the comment section yesterday. Gerri Hether avoids kiosks, QR codes and iPads whenever she can, and she greets every agent she passes in an airport, because being nice goes a long way. George Schulman doesn’t miss the conversation at all. He’d rather deal with a bot than a gate agent who says the plane leaves in 10 minutes when it isn’t even at the gate, or a front desk clerk who promises repairs the day after he checks out. Several readers said the airport never feels lonely to them, only crowded, and the earbuds are there to keep the crowd out. Do you still talk to anyone when you travel?
OUR UNDERWRITER
Medjet is the top-rated air-medical transport, travel security and crisis response membership program for travelers. The medical evacuation benefits of most travel insurance only get you to the “nearest adequate” hospital. A Medjet membership gets you to a hospital AT HOME. Add 24/7 security and crisis response benefits for the ultimate peace of mind. Elliott.org readers enjoy discounted rates. Travel safer with Medjet.
Subscribe to Elliott Confidential PRO to read this.
Become a paying subscriber of Elliott Confidential to get access to this post and other subscriber-only content. You'll be a smarter traveler!
UpgradeA subscription gets you:
- Full access to our members-only content.
- The key to our private community on our Backchannel forum.
- All my books.