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Net travel service takes-off
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April 22, 1998: 2:56 p.m. ET
New online airfare service lets business travelers name their price, finds deals
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - For last minute business travelers who rarely land the discount airfares advertised about town, a new online buying service may be just the ticket.
All they need is a little wishful thinking and a lot of flexibility.
Launched earlier this month, priceline gives business and leisure travelers a chance to name their price for airline tickets on any of the major carriers.
The service, at www.priceline.com, allows travelers to plug in their arrival and departure destination, the date they'd like to fly and the price they want to pay.
Priceline then contacts the major airlines to determine whether they are willing to release for that price any unsold seats on their flights.
Last year, the most profitable in the airline industry's history, the major carriers flew 205 million empty seats, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Priceline alerts customers by e-mail within one hour for domestic flights and 24-hours for international flights if they've landed their seat.
Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.
"There is no other website that allows you to name your own price for goods and services," said priceline spokeswoman Wendy Handler. "We are not an auction house. We don't always find a seller, but we will always look."
Customers also need to be flexible. "You have to agree to fly anytime between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m., so if you need to be there at a certain time, you really need to go the day before," said Handler.
But National Business Travel Association spokeswoman Marianne McInerney said some companies will likely take their chances.
"[Priceline] is an alternative for [smaller businesses] - if they need to get places and they have a little more flexibility," she said. "The service is getting millions of hits and I bet a lot of that is coming from small businesses."
Customers will want to be sure to make a reasonable bid for a ticket since priceline grants only one free request per trip. After that, it costs $25 for each attempt.
As a rule of thumb, the company suggests consumers shop around for the lowest fares in the industry - even if they no longer are advertised - and request roughly that fare.
Users who request a seat must be prepared to pay. If priceline finds a seat at the requested price, it automatically charges the customer's pre-authorized credit card account.
A few more caveats: tickets are non-refundable, non-changeable and do not earn frequent flyer miles - and travel must begin in the United States or Puerto Rico.
Later this year, priceline plans to launch a similar buying service for home mortgages and cars. 
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