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Plenty of opinions on this topic, so it gets its own area.
Read the Priceline columns:
After hidden fees, Priceline offers aren't such a bargain -- Aug 29, 1999
Internet users either love or hate Priceline.com site -- Sep 05, 1999
6/4/01
My experience with Priceline has been a nightmare. My family has waited 7
years to take this trip, just to have it all ruined by Priceline. I made a
bid on airline tickets and was informed 4 times that my bid had been
rejected. I then went to Lowestfare.com, where I was able to get CLEAR,
concise information right away along with itinerary and confirmation
numbers. Later I received my credit card bill and found Priceline had
charged my card. I called and found that they had accepted my bid AFTER
sending me a notice that it had been rejected. When I tried to get this
matter cleared up by speaking with customer service, they essentially told me
"too bad. We're only interested in the money and not how our customers are
affected. " I had to tell my children that we would not be able to go to
DisneyWorld because all the money I had saved for the trip, would now have to
go to Priceline. It has been a horrible experience. We have worked for a
very long time and to give our family this gift, only to have Priceline
snatch it all away from us. I hope that one day I'll be able to take my
family on a nice holiday, but I can guarantee, Priceline will not ever be a
part of our travel plans again.
Celeste V. Brown
THE ONLINE GUY COMMENTS:
I suggest you contact the Attorney General in the state you live in and describe your experience in detail. Best of luck to you.
9/26/00
Well another one bites the dust!!!! I am a fool that bought tickets for me and my family to fly to San Diego for a family reunion. I bought them in June, and just found out that not only can my husband can't go, and my son that lives in San Diego just took a job in Massachusetts...a long way from San Diego and must be there by November. Well, I thought..."maybe I could just change my husband's name with my best friends, and we will still go"....WRONG!!! Either fly or don't...this mess will cost me $1000.00 after all is said and done. What was Priceline's response...TOO BAD, YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE GETTING INTO! Maybe so, first time user, but changing a name is not asking for blood or a refund...it is making a concession for a customer. Oh Yeah...that's right... "CUSTOMER SERVICE...CONCESSION...WHAT'S THAT?????" I hope no one else makes this mistake....don't buy your tickets in advance...because people die, people get sick, people move...things change. The only thing that is good about this whole situation is...I LEARNED A $1000.00 LESSON!!! You know I never got an "kiss" with this deal. Oh well....."READ AND HEED THE PRINT" !!!
Shirley Malone
9/18/00
I just read your current article on priceline.com. I just wanted to apoligize to Jason Dearth and anyone else who feels they have been unfairly treated by the priceline.com regarding there flights and dispell the misconceptions that are associated. Shown on our web site we do have a link it says first time users click here to answer any and all general qestions that they might have we also have a email link and a customer service # for any qestions that they might have before placing a request with us. I just wanted to let all know that with priceline you do agree to fly departing anytime between 6am and 10pm or if you select the off peak option possibley before 6am or after 10pm that day. Unfoutunately with International travel you are forced to peak the off peak option. The airlines are the ones that give us the flight times we do not get to choose when our passengers fly the reason that some travels dont get prime time because the airlines want to fill those flights less filled hence you get to name your own price. I am not sure when your customers actully used priceline we have updated our web site we now have a tax range included on the contract page that shows the maximum amount that you could be charged for airline taxes. We have also added what we call the weekender option which allows weekend travel to pick times from such as morning, afternoon, and evening. Another feature added for the not so savy netsurfer is the submit my request has been changed to buy my tickets now button and as always the full contract and terms of flight that you have agreed to is disclosed before you put your intitals and click the button. I wish I had more time to elaborate and explain priceline policies, However I do not but I do welcome any qestions comments or concerns you may email me at Malmsteen42@hotmail.com.
Jewels Reumund
Priceline.com
THE ONLINE GUY COMMENTS:
I will be contacting this Priceline.com representative in the near future and will write another column after doing so.
9/7/00
Hi!
I too did a search for 'priceline sucks' after placing a bid on their web site. A little different result than most of the horror stories I have been reading over the last 2 hours while sitting on hold with three different Priceline.com customer service representative.
A number of weeks ago I bid on a ticket for my sister to get to our family reunion. I bid incredibly low because the alternate transportation was a long annoying bus ride but very affordable. My bid was placed at ~7:30pm on a Tuesday. With most ticketed travel the closer you get to the departure date the more expensive it gets so timing was critical... I needed a response by midnight, only 4 1/2 hours to complete the transaction. I didn't have time to raise the bid or haggle, I needed to know within the one hour guaranteed response time or purchase the bus ticket. If I waited past midnight the alternate bus would save a small amount over airfare but surely not worth the time. After 1 hour - no response, 2 hours - nothing, and at 10:30 - 3 hours later and 90 minutes to go I called Priceline. 10:50 The representative I last spoke to told me the servers were down and told me I needed to do what was best for me, oh and that I wouldn't be charged. This in turn gave me the answer I was looking for, The bus.
Sisters bus ride was annoying and uncomfortable but for her an extra 6 hours for a $200 savings was worth it. Family reunion was great... Sisters bus ride back was annoying and uncomfortable. Fast forward till yesterday when I saw the charge on my Visa statement... From the reunion I flew to France for vacation and returned early last week. When I arrived I wasn't surprised to find a priceline receipt in my mailbox for the low bid price + taxes and surcharges, etc, etc... All conveniently billed to my supplied credit card #. I called priceline the next day to find out what happened. Details excluded I spoke to three different people including two managers who confirmed their computer systems were down that evening. They confirmed this in the first 30 minutes of my call, but only after an additional 90 minutes haggling and transfers did they give me a 'one time special refund
just for me!' They actually called it that!
From the horror stories I've read over the last couple of hours I wouldn't be surprised if it really was a one time special refund just for me... Except for the $5 processing fee I decided I'd won the battle and left it at that. All surcharges and taxes, fuel fees and processing the bus ended up actually saving about $270.
I will no doubt stick with standard methods of travel arrangements in the future. I'm all for the internet and ease of purchase but this bargain site is just a rip off. The bus ticket took me 10 minutes to purchase online, I knew exactly what I was getting and except for the sisters annoying and uncomfortable ride due to the mode of transportation. I was very satisfied with the method of obtaining it.
Richard Keating
San Jose - California
7/20/00
Hi, I just read your article as I was searching for complaints on
Priceline. I have just had an experience with them that is almost
identical to yours. I bid on a round trip from San Jose to Las Vegas.
I had already gotten a quote from National Airlines for $109 roundtrip.
Just like you, I wanted to see if I could beat it by a little bit. I
bid $89 figuring about $11-15 additional fees for a total round trip of
$100-105.
Well, it came to $126.55 roundtrip including a $20 additional fuel
charge that was not evident in reading their terms and conditions. That
is almost 50% of the ticket price I bid. Needless to say, I would not
have bid that much had I known the additional fees would be so
outrageous. After several emails and a conversation with customer
service I could tell they were used to this and would not budge.
My question is why have they succeeded. You and I are examples that you
can get a better price elsewhere AND you don't have to accept the total
price in the dark with no refund, exchange and no frequent flier miles,
and flying at ridiculous hours.
Am I missing something. Have you received many other experiences?
Dennis Bettencourt
7/2/00
I was taking a vacation to San Francisco with my wife and thought I give Priceline a try. I told them I'd be willing to pay as much as $150 per night for a moderately upscale room. When we got there, the carpets smelled of mildew and dirt; the quilt was threadbare and the air conditioner did not work. By anyone's definition this was in no way "upscale" not even slightly. The hotel management struggled to find us a room and finally made us as comfortable as possible in a "handicapped suite."
The morning we left a bill was slipped under the door showing a room charge of $89 per night. I asked the manager if I was being billed $89,but she said that was what they were going to bill priceline.
Priceline refused to make any accommodation for the poor service that I received.
In the old west, the crooks had the decency to point a gun at you as you were being robbed. These folks have the absolute gall to tell you they are saving you money.
5/20/00
Priceline needs to clean up their act.
I requested a 4 star hotel in Dallas. Priceline booked us into a 3 star
(diamond according to AAA). So I called the hotel to ask their rating. They
must have decided that question was too rude, and hung up on me. I called
Priceline, and was promised a response of some sort. No Response.
Since we had already paid for the hotel, we proceeded to stay there. I did
not need 20 years in the hotel business (which I have) to see this hotel is
not a 4 star hotel.
Upon return, I e-mail a complaint to priceline. No reply from Priceline.
None whatsoever. I guess they are too busy to deal with their own mistakes.
Since they do not want to deal with me, and I have complete documentation,
they can deal with the credit card issuing bank instead. Too bad, because
they could have settled for less than the full charge.
Phillip Payne
3/22/00
I recently also had an unhappy experience with priceline. I am dickering with
American Airlines now as I write this...
Went to a family reunion. Initial flight out with American was late, then
later, then canceled. American switched us to another airline, which was
also, late, then later, then later (none of this was due to weather, that
would be understandable. It was due to maintainance.)
Result. We missed the initial nights party for the family reunion, after
spending nearly 6 hours sitting in the airport.
Since we'd missed the first night, we inquired with american about the
possiblity of changing the tickets to a day later, even offering to pay the
usual $75 fee per ticket to do so. Nope. We bought through priceline, so no
changes.
Email to pl got an automatic e-mail saying they'd get back to me within 12
hours. Then I got another e mail the next day saying they'd get back to me
within 6 hours.
The time to return came, we left.
After we'd gotten back I found an e-mail from priceline.
My impression: They may be big bucks in e-business, but they don't yet know
how to handle complaints.
They are probably ok to use, if nothing goes wrong. If something does go
wrong, they have no idea how to handle it, except belatedly.
2/12/00
I just bought a ticket on Priceline. I submitted a bid of $85 (its a cheap
route). It was accepted, with a final price of $152. Yes, that's
approximately 80% more in taxes and fees. Can you believe that? (I can buy
tickets from airlines for about $130, while setting my own times). I called
Priceline, and they refused to refund the ticket (after I spent 1 hour on
hold). So I called American Express, who took care of it.
Priceline is a scam.
Mason Scott
12/29/99
Hi,
I saw your excellent article at
//lvrj_home/1999/Aug-29-Sun-1999/business/11846738.html
after entering "priceline sucks" into a search engine.
I got stung by $110 taxes the first time I bid for a ticket on priceline.
The second time I bought a ticket and didn't use the first part of the
return. Priceline claimed this was a "change" to the itinerary and
cancelled the second part. I lost $312.
I detailed my tales of woe at http://www.alexium.com/ but Priceline
doesn't really seem to care about aggrieved customers.
We need more stories like yours on the web to point out to consumers the
dot-cons out there.
John
9/7/99
Kyra Thibodeau
Another comment regarding Priceline.com....
There is a similar company at YouPriceIt.com, which at least lets you "bracket" your desired travel times, and has "live" customer service telephone assistance. You won't be given a red-eye, unless you indicate you'll accept that timeframe. I submitted a bid that was too low, but accepted their counter-offer, when I needed tickets on short notice. I did this AFTER checking with a variety of airlines, through their individual websites, their telephone reservation numbers, and travel sites such as Travelscape, travelocity, Preview Travel, and some others which reportedly search for the lowest fares for any airline. By the time I spoke with YouPriceIt.com, I was fairly comfortable with their offer.
9/5/99
I credit you for putting this story over the net this kind of operation makes
millions because they do not disclose information like this. I work for a
large casino in A.C. and know people who have been dogged with the same
unfair practices by priceline thanks again,
Bill Berg
9/5/99
I have heard similar horror stories about priceline.com. I have attempted to purchase tickets using their site a couple of times, but for some reason I never felt quite comfortable with the concept of my having no say in what the final price would be, and what time the flight would be leaving. I am now a very happy user of the http://www.expedia.com/ website. This is the way that one would expect a travel website to work. You do not have to enter your credit card number unless you intend to purchase the ticket. In my opinion this is one of the better travel websites on the Internet.
Thanks for your time,
Marcus Torrey
9/4/99
I agree with your experience with Priceline. I have used Priceline Three
times. The last Two I have paid more than I could have otherwise. Customer
service is almost non-existant. I will use other online servises such as the
ones you mentioned in your article or lowestfare.com.
On a different matter, I have been in Vegas only 6 months. This being due to
a job transfer. I think RJ is one of the worst newspapers I have come
across. From what I have seen, I assume that RJ and the Sun have a joint
operating agreement. JOA's in my opinion destroy good newspapers. I lived
in Michigan and saw what the JOA there did to the Detroit Dree Press.
However, I do enjoy reading your column.
Thank goodness the NY Times is available online. I read the Wall Street
Journal daily, but it is very difficult to find in LV.
Sorry for sounding off, but It is frustrating to pay a whopping $2.50 for a
Sunday RJ only to find a 2 page business section.
I look forward to reading more of your columns.
Jeff
9/4/99
A FRIEND FAXED ME YOUR ARTICLE ON PRICELINE. FRIGGIN' COM. YES, I HAVE A
HORROR STORY FOR YOU...
I'M A MANUFACTURER OF GIFTS AND ACCESSORIES. MY REP HAD MADE AN APPOINTMENT
FOR SHE AND I WITH A COUPLE LARGE ACCOUNTS IN DALLAS. THEY WERE SET FOR
MONDAY THE 30TH AT 10 AM. SO I CALLED A COUPLE WEEKS AHEAD TO SEVERAL
AIRLINES AND COULDN'T GET CHEAPER THAN ABOUT 470 ROUND TRIP. SO I THOUGHT,
I'D GIVE PRICELINE A SHOT. SO I BID 125.00 THEY EMAILED ME BACK TO CALL THEM.
SO I CALLED AND THEY SAID THEY HAD 150 AVAILABLE, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. SO I TOOK
IT. YES, THERE WAS OTHER CHARGES, AND IT CAME TO 175, BUT IT WAS STILL THE
BEST THING GOING. IT WAS ON TWA. OF COURSE, THE FLIGHT LEFT SUNDAY LATE AND
ARRIVED A LITTLE AFTER MIDNIGHT. SO MY SALES REP AND HER HUSBAND SAID THEY'D
PICK ME UP. I WAS LEAVING THE DAY I GOT BACK, ON THE THIRD, STRAIGHT OUT FOR
BOCA RATON ON BUSINESS, A NON-PRICELINE TICKET. SO HUSBAND TOOK ME TO AIRPORT
SUNDAY NIGHT, AND I GET THERE, ABOUT 7:15, FLIGHT WAS 8:40. WELL, THERE IS
QUITE A RUCKUS GOING ON AT THE COUNTER, MY FLIGHT HAD BEEN CANCELED, NO
EXPLANATION, AND A LOT OF PRICELINE CUSTOMERS WERE THERE. TICKETING AGENT
TELLS ME NORMALLY SHE COULD GET ME RIGHT ON AN AMERICAN FLIGHT THAT WAS
LEAVING IN 25 MINUTES, BUT THAT PRICELINE DOESN'T ALLOW THEM TO SWITCH TO
ANOTHER AIRLINE. A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE GETTING PRETTY HOT ABOUT THIS.
SHE TELLS ME THE NEXT FLIGHT SHE CAN PUT ME ON IS 11AM THE NEXT MORNING. THEN
THEY HAD OUT THIS 800 PRICELINE NUMBER. SO WE ALL HEAD TO THE PHONES. WELL,
NONE OF THE 800 NUMBERS GIVE YOU A CHOICE OF SPEAKING TO A CUSTOMER REP. IT'S
ALL RECORDINGS AND NUMBER SELECTIONS TO EITHER CHECK ON STATUS OF BID OR MAKE
NEW BID. THAT'S IT!!! SO I CALL A GIRLFRIEND AND SHE GETS ONLINE TO SEE IF
THERE IS ANY OTHER NUMBER. WELL, SHE READS THAT THERE SHOULD BE A CUSTOMER
SERVICE NUMBER ON THE TICKET CONFIRMATION FOR PROBLEMS. WELL, LO AND BEHOLD
THERE IS, BUT IT SAYS IT CLOSES AT 7PM EST!!! SO I CALL MY REP, TELL HER TO
GO TO MEETING WITHOUT ME, AND I HEAD HOME VERY PISSED OFF.
WHEN I CALL THAT NUMBER NEXT DAY, IT TAKES ME FOREVER TO GET HOLD OF SOMEONE
WHO HAS A CLUE. THEN THEY BASICALLY TELL ME, " TOUGH LUCK" I SAID "HEY, I
BOUGHT THE TICKET, I WAS WHERE I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE, I DIDN'T GET TO USE THE
TICKET" THEY SAY "SORRY, IN A CONDESCENDING MANNER, AND THEN TELL ME I BOUGHT
IT, IT'S MINE. THEY CAN'T HELP ME. TWA'S PROBLEM" SO AFTER A FEW CHOICE
WORDS, I CALL MY CREDIT CARD, VISA, AND THEY SAY THEY CAN HELP ME AND ARE
SENDING ME A DISPUTE FORM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL COME OF ALL THIS, BUT I
WOULD NOT FLY THEM AGAIN. THERE IS VIRTUALLY NO CUSTOMER SERVICE. AND I
IMAGINE A LOT OF THEIR FLIGHTS CANCEL, DUE TO UNDERBOOKING OR SOMETHING. BUT
THEY DON'T TELL YOU WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF FLIGHT CANCELS. THEY DO TELL YOU
THAT YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY SWITCH TIMES OR DATES ETC. ONCE YOU BUY IT, BUT THEY
DON'T TELL YOU THAT THEY DON'T MIND YOU SWITCHING TO THE NEXT DAY IF IT SUITS
THEM, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR PLANS MIGHT BE. IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE,
IT PROBABLY IS..............
JADE REYNOLDS
9/3/99
Thank you for warning people about internet purchases. About a month ago
we used a very good hotel in Omaha, Ne. for one night for $35 but were
not told by priceline what the taxes would be or that this order did not
include the usual breakfast that was provided. In the future we will
know what to ask BEFORE we make a reservation.
Egghead auctions have been good in some things, but some of the mdse. is
very poor quality and you can't determine that until you see it and use
it. This was true about a rechargeable razor. It charged ok but would
not cut my wire type whiskers! They would not let me return it for
credit or give me a refund. PURCHASING ON THE NET REQUIRES THAT A PERSON
BE EVEN MORE CAREFUL ABOUT ALL THE DETAILS OF A PRODUCT THAN STORE
PURCHASES. With Auctions, a person may hurry to make a bid without
reading the small print. I found it not to be a wise move. Hope this
helps others.
PHYLLIS & HOWARD GROSSOEHME
Bentonville, Ar.
8/31/99
I appreciate your article on the "hidden fees" and "no bargains". I
haven't been snagged yet but like you, I have found better airline fares
on the phone than on the net. Why do sites like "CheapTickets" require
a full registration including a credit card number just to shop for
airfares. I refuse to publish my credit card numbers on the net and just
turn my back on the clowns who ask for it. Maybe an article addressing
this would be a good one. Priceline.com really sucks. I would want to
have the final answer on any product or service I purchase. Thanks.
Larry Dwyer
8/31/99
Hi Al,
I don't suppose you expected to attract mail from Australia? Someone in the USA has faxed me the article you wrote on Sunday about Priceline.
I much appreciate what you say, many people have been caught similarly. I cannot understand why Priceline does not include the taxes etc, or show what they would be on a ticket sector you are bidding on?
Of course you can understand that the airlines are going to dump the unpopular departures times for the bid prices as they are not going to sell something below a price that they can get in the marketplace. It is the law of supply and demand.
But on the other hand you should structure your bid accordingly.
That's not the main reason I am e-mailing you, nor the reason that I was forwarded your article.
I am the head of Australia and New Zealand's biggest and oldest travel club-The Atlas Club Inc. We have been going for over 23 years now and have 1.8 million members down here. Millions of Americans have been interested in our club over the years and many have asked us why we don't open a branch in USA and Canada. So we decide around 5 months ago to do just that.
The Atlas Club Inc has recently been incorporated in Nevada. The Atlas club is a non-profit organisation owned by its members.
Firstly we construct a huge platform of benefits for our members. For example when you join Atlas in the USA you will receive a number of valuable inclusions in your membership. These include things like a free National Emergency Roads service, Free ISP connect to the net, Free Travel Insurance on any trip you take either by car, road, rail, air, ship whatever, access to the best call rates across the USA, Free drug cards .. etc . If you click on www.atlas-club.com.au/usbenefits.htm you will get some idea of how substantial and wide ranging these benefits are.
Atlas uses its buying power to negotiate rates with accommodation facilities, which are set for a given period, with airlines, and other tourism infra structure, so that you know that the rate offered is what you will get - no hidden extras, and of course you get free travel insurance, which is not only a very substantial additional saving, it is going to give you full protection for cancellation, medical, luggage, accident, personal liability, scheduled air collision.
In many cases our rates are lower than you can obtain anywhere, because we simply enter into an agreed contract with the entity, whereby we contract to buy a large quantity of room nights, air miles, car rentals at a given rate over a given period. Unlike the airlines we pay a deposit and guarantee to pay for those rooms whether we use them or not, so naturally we attract fairly significant deals.
In addition we operate our own aircraft on charters over designated popular routes to vacation areas. For example we expect to put over 720,000 gambling packages into Las Vegas in our first year of operation in USA and Canada, using DC10s and L1011s. That's an average of 2000 people a day and should help the economy of Nevada no end.
Our site is very entertaining with a constant stream of competitions, giveaways, puzzles, web radio, crosswords, games and other fun activities.
In addition Atlas runs a unique program called Travel Cash, whereby the member can collect Travel Cash through shopping at supermarkets, gas stations, fast food outlets, hardware shops, restaurants, video hire,etc and also for shopping at our super Cybermall, playing games and even for just surfing the web! Travel Cash is a bit like a frequent flyer points scheme, but with some significant differences.
(1) A Travel Cash dollar equals one real dollar, so you don't have to collect tens of thousands of points just to buy a toaster (2) you don't have to pay the whole price of anything in Travel Cash, just use what you have saved to subsidize the asking price - ours or theirs. This would have been awfully useful if you had been an Atlas member and bought your ticket from Travelscape instead of Priceline. Lets say you had saved TC$140 (TC$=Travel Cash Dollars). All you would have had to do is place the order through Atlas and by using your saved TC$s you would have only had to pay $164 for the second ticket ($152 + $12), your Travel Cash would have paid for most of the first ticket, and in addition you would have got free Atlas Travel Insurance cover for the duration of the trip! (3) Travel Cash is issued in note denominations each with its own serial number (just like a real bank note) You can gamble with it play with it, shop with it, bid with it, and win prizes around the serial numbers. (4) You can even pay your bills with it! (5) On any unused amount in your Travel Cash bank you also receive 10% per year interest! That's better than a real Bank!
We hope to kick off in September, so by then our US website will be up and running. It is a mirade of city and town information. In fact any question you could possible ask about visiting a city or destination in USA and most places overseas, will be answered there, from the airport, taxi fares, through to accommodation, restaurants, places to visit, nightclubs, bars, sport, even the emergency numbers you may need whilst on your trip, or if you are a local member, all the info on local club events, movies, specials etc are all at your city/town site. You can get to read all the world's leading newspapers, access all airline websites, national tourist bureaus, get exchange rates online, buy your insurances at special rates, automobiles at fleet discounts, computers, clothes, duty free jewlery almost anything. And listen to various Web Radios along the way.
So instead of getting yourself into a deal you, don't want maybe you should join Atlas. Not only will you get all of the listed benefits for your $40 a year membership fee, we will give you back the $40 plus 50% interest ($60) as a travel voucher to use anytime during the year. Beat that!
Regards
Mike Bartlett
Club President
8/31/99
bob mcquade
Funny you should use LAS-SEATEAC as your search.I just came back from Seattle.
I booked from southwest.com and started with $58 each way.
I went thru reno on the return so the airport chgs were higher but I paid $131 round trip.
I had to purchase on-line to get that price.
8/31/99
I saw your article on Priceline. Fortune magazine had a recent article on
them and the situation is even worse than you experienced. They give you
the impression that they take your offer and "shop" it around to various
vendors to see if anyone will bite. It does not work that way. They have a
a pre-established inventory (just like the other sites you mentioned), and
if your offer equals or is greater than their price, they will accept your
offer at your price. Unless you hit the minimum on the head, you will
always be paying more than they would have been willing to sell it to you
for. I find that atrocious. I would never go in a store under similar
conditions - that is why you never make an offer first at a flea market
(unless you are very, very skilled at that sort of thing). Since I would
never fly unless I knew the airline, flight times and routes and aircraft
used, I would never be able to use Priceline anyway, but I feel they come
very, very close to misrepresenting what they are doing. The Fortune
article also noted that their contracts with some vendors may restrict what
they offer other vendors.
Best wishes, Tom McCullough/Richmond, VA
8/31/99
Al, I just read your article in the Las Vegas Review about Priceline. What A
Scam! It incensed me so much, I had to write about a super travel site I had
just used for reserving a hotel in San Diego. The website is
www.savecash.com. At the last minute, my parents had decided to visit me for
the Labor Day weekend, and needed a hotel room. Well, I've lived in San Diego
for 5 years, but couldn't tell you a thing about any hotel in my own
hometown. Of course, I knew a few, but also knew my parents probably could
not afford any of them. Well, I began to search the web for help and found
this site. It gave complete descriptions of the hotels along with photos and
everything else the hotels offered. I must have spent at least an hour and a
half looking at all the hotels and checking their rates. I had narrowed it
down to 2 hotels and found both were not sold out during my parents visit. I
then called one of the hotels to make a reservation and they gave me a rate
that was $30 higher than what I was quoted on this website. Needless to say,
I hung up and went back to the site and immediately booked the hotel at the
original rate I had found on-line. When booking the room, I immediately got
an e-mail back confirming all of my details. The e-mail even had a list of
events happening in town during my parents' visit!!! I don't even have to
decide what to do with them when they are here. I am so happy to find this
site and assure you it is the first place I am going to look the next time my
parents (or anyone else) decides to visit me. (Hopefully, I won't be needed
it any time soon)
Sincerely,
Kenny Metzger
San Diego, CA
8/31/99
Hello Al Gibes,
Great story in the Sunday paper regarding Priceline offers not being such a
bargain. I, like yourself had a rather rude experience with Priceline.com.
On a recent trip that I was planning to take to Orange County in California,
I submitted a bid for a cheap roundtrip ticket. However, my nightmare
started when they failed to notify me about the fact that my bid had been
accepted. I waited for 24 hours for a response and when none was received, I
assumed that my offer had been rejected. I subsequently rented a car and
drove to California. Imagine my shock when 4-days later I received the
itinerary and invoice from Priceline.com stating that my credit card had been
charged for the trip! In addition, as you had noted, they had me flying out
of Las Vegas on 12:00 noon on a Friday, flying into Ontario. My return trip
would have been out of Los Angeles at 6:00am!
Of course, again as you noted, talking to their customer service was a total
waste of time (it took me 45 minutes to finally talk to a person).
Thankfully, my credit card company took care of the charge but you can bet, I
will not be nor will I recommend Priceline.com to anybody.
Nonetheless, great article, I enjoyed it very much.
DavidM
8/30/99
After reading your column in yesterday's Sunday paper, I felt compelled to tell you of my Priceline story.
My husband and I were planning a quick trip to Napa and really didn't want to spend money on our hotel room, since we would be out touring all day. Anyway, I went to Priceline.com and got to hotel reservations and they asked me to add other surrounding towns to increase my chances of the low rate that I wanted. I requested a 3 star accommodation and asked for a $60. a night rate. The AAA guide had most 3 star hotels in the Napa section at about $90. So, I gave them my credit card # and accepted the final, no changes allowed conditions. They found me a Days Inn in Pinole, CA and it was a 45 minute drive from Napa. Not only that it was a dump. I was very disappointed. The towels were no larger than the computer screen that I am looking at. It was not worth $20.00 a night.
So my feeling is that, unless you know the surrounding area very well, don't agree to other towns surrounding the area when looking for hotel accommodations. And by the way, while my husband and I were driving around Napa I saw a Motel 6 in a much nicer location and could have paid $45.00.
That is my story. I will never use Priceline.com again.
D. Ricotta
8/30/99
Al,
Here is the email I sent to priceline. No answer! I
would be happy to participate in whatever you
organize.
I have been thinking of making a formal complaint to
the Better Business Bureau. However, I cannot decide
if it is possible to get my money back because of
stupidity of the business.
Kathleen
To: tickets@priceline.com
I have received my tickets and the dates are
correct, but I am not a satisfied customer. In fact, I wish
I had never heard of your company.
Not only do you have me booked at 11:55 pm on the
day I wanted to leave which wastes the whole day - If I
had been able to discuss this with a person I would
have chosen to leave at 11:55 pm on the 24th of
November. It also wastes an entire day in Toronto
which means on my way to Europe I lose two days
instead of one.
Your information says you do not refund or exchange
tickets so I guess I am stuck with them, but I will
never use your services again. I will tell all of
the students in my Internet classes how difficult it is
to deal with you and that I did not even save money.
When I got home my husband had found the same flight
$5.00 cheaper.
A very unhappy customer.
Kathleen Hanselmann
COMMENT FROM ONLINE GUY:
Kathleen's confirmation mail included the following items (To protect her privacy, I have not included her travel itinerary):
Price per ticket: $525
Number of tickets: 2
________
Subtotal: $1050
Total Airport Fees: $0
Standard taxes and other fees: $121.42
Shipping and handling: $12.5
___________
Total charged to your credit card: $1183.92
8/29/99
DAH!!!! When do you ever but something and not get charged TAX. I've
been using Priceline for about a year and have got just what I paid for.
We are retired so round trip tickets to Ohio for under for under $150.00(
plus tax } helps us to be able to see our family on a regular basis. We
have never had a long layover both ways and the longest has been 21/2
hours, usually only in going. I took them at their word that Tax would
be added on the price that I was after. Discount tickets are not for
everybody but as I said you get what you pay for. I will try travelscape
and cheap tickets in the future. But let's not give a competitor a bum
rap because you chose not to believe what was in print in front of you.
MGM
8/29/99
I experienced the exact same thing with priceline. I was purchasing
tickets for a trip back home to Florida. I found a great rate with
travelocity and gave it up for a terrible itinerary which gives me a two
hour lay-over in St. Louis. Nothing against the city but the two hours
added to my flight time plus the two hour lay-over makes me want to pay
the extra 10$ for a direct flight and not risk getting beaned in the
head by a Mark McGwire homer.
Jason Dearth
8/29/99
The word forte is pronounced fort when used as a noun meaning strong
point. The word forte is pronounced for-tay when used as a musical
term. I'm sure your forte is computers and not English usage. If I
use all lower case letters will I have more room in my hard drive? And
why should I use a whole colon when I could probably get by with a
semi-colon?
David L. Harrison
ONLINE GUY REPLIES:
Thanks for the english lesson...or was it French...Italian?
Looks like we're both correct, per Miriam-Webster:
Main Entry: 1forte
Pronunciation: 'fOrt, 'fort; 2 is often 'for-"tA or for-'tA or 'for-tE
Function: noun
Etymology: French fort, from fort, adjective, strong
Date: circa 1648
1 : the part of a sword or foil blade that is between the middle and the hilt
and that is the strongest part of the blade
2 : one's strong point
usage In forte we have a word derived from French that in its "strong point"
sense has no entirely satisfactory pronunciation. Usage writers have denigrated
\'for-"tA\ and \'for-tE\ because they reflect the influence of the Italian-derived 2forte.
Their recommended pronunciation \'fort\, however, does not exactly reflect
French either: the French would write the word le fort and would rhyme it with
English for. So you can take your choice, knowing that someone somewhere will
dislike whichever variant you choose. All are standard, however. In British
English \'fo-"tA\ and \'fot\ predominate; \'for-"tA\ and \for-'tA\ are probably
the most
frequent pronunciations in American English.
About those semi-colons....ask your proctologist. (:-)
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