And the pioneering travel auction site is under investigation by several states because of consumer complaints. From what I ve seen, it may be taking something of a bad rap. You log on, specify where you want to travel and the days you want to fly, set a price you re willing to pay, and give your credit card number. You can specify only the days of travel and not any specific time of day, except that you won t have to take an overnight red-eye unless you specifically accept that option. If one of Priceline s airline partners is willing to fly you at your price, you get a confirmed reservation and your card is billed.
Tickets are completely nonrefundable and earn no frequent flyer credit.
Although geared to travelers of any age, the idea is especially appealing to senior travelers who typically are more flexible about travel times and possible connections than business travelers on tight schedules. Hotel accommodations work about the same way. If a hotel accepts your deal, you automatically get a prepaid reservation, with no refund or cancellation, and your card is charged. Presumably, you ll be pleased by any positive response. There s no equivalent counterpart to the requirement, on air tickets, that you accept a possibly inconvenient schedule and a long wait at a connecting airport.