Elliott Confidential

Our consumer help form gets 30 to 50 requests a day. My advocacy team reads every one, and we start from the assumption that the person writing is rational and has a real problem. We shouldn't.

Today, we put an end to the long-debated question: Is it okay to take my pet on vacation? It's not like he'll eat a dog-killing virus or jump off a cliff or overdose on illicit drugs. Right?... Right! I don't like this silence.

If you want your next consumer case to fail, just use any of these phrases. We can all but guarantee it will go nowhere. Warning: This podcast contains material not suitable for a younger audience, including depictions of people throwing themselves into a wood chipper. Ouch!

For the past few weeks, we brought you the consumer cases we successfully resolved. Today we look at the cases we completely failed. Welcome to the F files. These are the spectacular pile-ups and disasters that we could not fix. This episode contains explicit language and adult themes, so listener discretion is advised.

Two readers go on a road trip, but Avis has a surprise for them when they return their car.

One of our readers booked a studio apartment in Penang, Malaysia, through Booking.com and walked into what looked like a crime scene.

Kim Calla has a superpower. According to her credit card issuer, she can sit in two airline seats at the same time.

Allison bought an early arrival flight to Munich, specifically to make her rental apartment's narrow check-in window. But before she even arrives, her host marks her as a no-show. Is this even legal?

A new Department of Transportation proposal would let airlines advertise the price of a ticket in almost any way they want. But you can stop it. We'll tell you how.

Iden shares his story of getting really, REALLY sick when he flew from Phuket, Thailand, to Hong Kong recently. Also, the boys interview medical experts about the importance of the cold chain. WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of bodily functions.

Elizabeth placed a bid on a business class seat upgrade. But after a change in her itinerary, her airline kept the upgrade charge. Just one problem: That isn't even the airline's policy!