Elliott's E-Mail 01/07/2014

□ BECOME A 2014 UNDERWRITER

It's easy. You love the consumer advocacy on this site. You want it to get better than ever in 2014. Here's how to do it. 

□ SHOULD FOREIGN AIRLINES BE ALLOWED TO FLY IN AMERICA? 

Try not to laugh too loudly the next time a flight attendant makes one of those pre-flight announcements to thank you for your business and say, "We know you have a choice in airlines." Now that the USA is down to just three major legacy carriers, thanks to the misguided merger between American Airlines and US Airways, it doesn't take a card-carrying frequent flier to know your options are awful.Find out why in my USA Today column. And join the lively debate! 

□ THANK YOU, SQUAREMOUTH.COM 

Squaremouth.com helps travelers easily and instantly compare all the major travel insurance plans. To ensure customer satisfaction, only companies that meet squaremouth.com's strict requirements make it into the system. You can save over 70 percent on your next policy at Squaremouth.com 

□ WHAT DO YOU THINK? 

How are the 99 percent traveling?
If you're one of the 99 percent -- the folks who sit in economy class, stay in standard rooms, rent sedans -- what do you think this year will bring? Will things get better? Will they get worse? What do you think should happen? Do you see any evidence that things are getting better, or worse, in 2014? I'd love to get your feedback. Here's my email address. As always, don't forget include your full name, city and occupation. 

Help us make travel better
Are you tired of just reading about the latest consumer problems? Do you want to do something about it? Well, now you can. We need volunteers with strong research, mediation and analytics skills to help build a next-generation consumer organization. It's gonna be big, and it launches in 2014. Here's how to get involved. 

Become a much smarter traveler
Pre-order my new book, How to Be the World's Smartest Traveler (and Save Time, Money, and Hassle). It'll help you navigate the ins and outs of the travel industry and save lots of time and money.Details are right here. By the way, if you're heading out somewhere on a trip and need help with something, I'd be happy to email you a draft of a chapter, whether you order the book or not. 

Let's talk!
The stories you see in this newsletter are just a starting point. I hope you'll take a minute to leave a comment, whether you agree or disagree with something I've written. Let's continue the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or Google. I'm listening. And of course, I'm also here if you need me. Here's my email address. 

□ POSTS YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO MISS 

Want to Live Debt Free? 4 Signs You Might Be Getting Ripped Off 
If you're a regular reader of my consumer advocacy columns, you probably already know that the word "free” should trip all kinds of alarms. If not, don't worry, I'll get you up to speed: If you see the word "free” in a product offer, run! Here's why. 

What's so great about a guided tour?
Should you consider a guided tour for your next vacation? I have the answer in this week's videocast. 

How to stop the customer service apocalypse of 2014
When you spend most of your waking hours advocating for consumers, it's easy to lose your sense of perspective. Complaints pour in, often hundreds per day. I can't help but feel like the customer-service apocalypse is imminent. My New Year's resolution is simple: Stop Servicemaggendon by putting what really matters in my consumer advocacy crosshairs and keep the discourse civil and fair.Here are the details. 

Billed twice? There's a fix for that, travelers
Glenn Rossi's recent Avis car rental had him seeing double. Literally. He'd prepaid for a vehicle in Vienna, Austria, through Expedia. When he picked up the car, Avis also swiped his credit card. Within a week of returning the vehicle, Rossi, a retired telecommunications consultant who lives in Kelkheim, Germany, saw two charges for 333 euros (about $460) on his MasterCard: one from Expedia and one from Avis. 

Hotels.com left me in Paris sans hotel
When Judi McManigal arrives at her hotel in Paris, she discovers she doesn't have a reservation. Her online travel agency won't help her. Is she stuck with the bill? 

AT&T promised me a free iPhone — or did it?
Tomas Stockton is offered a "free” iPhone 5 from AT&T. So why isn't he getting it? 

Your New Year's resolution: Trust no one
With the irrational holiday shopping season now in your rear-view mirror, this is a good time to consider how you feel about the companies to which you've just given half your life savings. Here's why. 

I didn't scratch the floor on my vacation rental – why should I have to pay?
The circumstances of Saundra Lyon-Reiser's recent home rental were less than ideal. She'd gathered her extended family in Aptos, Calif., to bury her mother and grieve their collective loss. Then they got the bill for their floor. 

□ MY PARTING SHOT