If you read the initial post, it's almost a year old. A few posts later (and 9 days after original), Tom gave an update. Everything was resolved.

Apparently, this same type of incident has happened to others. I read an editorial in our paper about a women that had the exact same thing happen (maybe it was the same day???) She too had the last 4 digits of her credit card picked up as her bidding price for a hotel room for 1 night(4 digit hotel room...some room, huh!)<BR>She also went through a grueling battle with priceline.com but finally got it resolved (through her credit card). I feel that with such a terrible hassle and a couple month dispute that priceline.com should make some compensation for all the trouble since THEY are THE PROBLEM....maybe a couple of free airline tickets or a free hotel room or something. <BR>Most respectable companies (I'm relating to major airlines or hotels) would bend over backwards to "win the client" back. According to the article I read, the lady never even got so much as an apology!! priceline.com "barely" (after lots of grief) finally took responsibilty...this lady was VERY UNHAPPY and slammed their customer "no-service". Although glitches like this are probably rare, I feel the company at fault should take full responsibility and at least offer an apology.....if not some compensation for all the time spent trying to undue a problem that wasn't caused by the customer....agree?? Keri

Tom, situations like this cannot go without people speaking out publicly as you have here. I say go to your local paper and tv stations;they'll get the word out nationally and these little "mistakes" on their other companies faults like this will cease occurring, imo.

I had some problems with Priceline.com today which lead me to this post. I was trying to book a rental car and got no responses for over an hour. I then called the toll free number to check on it. There was no real person. Only recordings which told me to check on-line ... which told me to call the toll free number... and so on. If I'm going to go around in these circles I'll head back to Expedia and Travelocity. It's not worth it.

Unfortunately, priceline.com just hasn't improved their customer service department (maybe it's "no-service department). I had a similar experience without hearing back after a bid and tried numerous times to reach a live person. After 50 minutes of going in circles with phone prompts and still nothing, I finally just gave up and booked on hotwire.com. (I like this site much better because there is always a live operator if you have questions).<BR><BR> Some of the fodorites have had good luck with priceline.com....maybe they can suggest to priceline that they post a REAL phone number where you can access a REAL person instead of all their automated prompts. It is beyond frustration trying to reach a live operator. Karen

Thank Karen. I'll try hotwire.com

I have read enough about Priceline.com. I will never waste my time with them. I would rather pay more for my ticket(s), know the airline and set my own schedule. The trip will be more enjoyable without the hassles priceline can give you.

My advice to Poor Tom:<BR>Use a professional travel agent.<BR>You get what you pay for!!!

We hear these stories all the time.<BR>You should have talked to your neighborhood Travel Agent.<BR>You wouldn't pull your own tooth would you. Chances are that at htat price the tickets are probley refuindable with the airline. What is the fare basis and the airline?

If you &quot;hear these stories all the time&quot; then why did you have to go back over a year to find one?

I agree that one must be judicious when purchasing anything over the internet. However, to imply that everyone should use a travel agent is silly. To compare a travel agent to a trained medical professional such as a dentist is ludicrous! Please enlighten us dear travel agent as to why anyone in their right mind should utilize your services. For those who have more money than time, a travel agent may be worth the expense. Otherwise, legitimate business is easily conducted daily on the internet with sound backing. If folks are concerned about travel refunds, an insurance policy can be easily purchased that can cover the expense of an entire trip if necessary. In my experience, travel agents are similar to stock brokers. They either sell property they've recently visited on a &quot;fact finding trip&quot; or they simply read what's posted on the internet.

Get real, travel agents. People can have plenty of problems with agents as well. <BR>When I don't care about time of travel or connections, I use priceline. I've also gotten amazing deals on hotels -- $95 at a 4-star hotel in NYC. If you can't stand the heat, stay out of the priceline.

I am a Travel Agent. To answer a previous question about why anybody in their right would use a travel agent...<BR><BR>Product Knowledge<BR>Fare shopping<BR>We research for you<BR>We qualify you to help give you the best vacation<BR><BR>Those are just a few reasons. PLEASE PLEASE keep in mind we aren't about doing domestic airline tickets all the time. Most of us specialize in packages, leisure travel, ect.. MOST agents are no more expensive and can still save you money. I charge no service fee for vacation planning and research. We have a service fee for domestic tickets only. <BR><BR>I would appreciate it if people would stop assuming we are the bad guy, that we only do airline tickets, and that we are out to rip you off. <BR><BR>I offer a service that my clients find valuable, I save them money, offer advice, ect... what is so wrong with that? Calling a travel agent is ALWAYS a good idea, what can it hurt?

The problem with some TAs is that their information can be biased based on perks or fees paid by various resorts or companies such as Apple Vacations etc. Then the advice is not as knowledge based as it is money based. I went on vacation a few years back through a travel agent who booked rooms and meals and bar passes to Cancun. When we got there, there were no rooms under our name, no meal tickets, etc. The travel agent did little to help, we stayed with random strangers (not so bad since they were hot girls) and our charter flight was over 5 hours late to and fro. When we got back, the agency did not compensate us or make any apologies because they said it was the hotel's fault. That was the last time I used a useless travel agent for anything.

I am sorry you had a bad experience. There are bad agents out there, just as mistakes happen on vacations regardless of who booked them. <BR><BR>I happen to use Apple Vacatons alot. Let me tell you why: Because from where my clients are leaving Apple vacations prices out best for the client most of the time. They do offer incentives, but if they weren't right for the client, I wouldn't book them.

I have used Priceline for hotel bookings and have been very pleased with the results. The first time I booked with Priceline for airline tickets they let me do a one time cancel, with no fees. My husband had lost his job and we had to cancel our vacation. The same thing happened with my sister. She had booked a hotel for a getaway weekend with her husband, and our grandmother died. She called them and explained the situation. They also let her do a 'one time' cancellation or reschedule - can't remember which.<BR><BR>I would probably not book airline tickets again due to the lack of control over the scheduling. I was sorry to hear Tom had such a problem - customer service for many companies has gone downhill and it can be very frustrating to deal with CSR's that don't listen to a situation.

I've had several bad experiences with TAs..one even included them giving me my money back so I wouldn't go to my bank and the hotel with information. I prefer to do it myself all and while at it, help others...for FREE. :-) And I'm darn good, which is what I've been told by others.<BR>

Travel agents plainly stink. They try and find the highest price to get the best comission. Thank God that we have access to booking online as the travel agent scam has been going on too long. What do they provide? Now they charge fees for tickets...pah.

Once again, the original post was submitted on 10/15/2001. It is now 2003, why are people still debating?

Good luck -- dealing with Priceline is like talking to a brick wall. I would suggest hiring a lawyer and taking them to court, if it comes to that. Another piece of advice -- do not use Priceline for airline tickets. If your flight cancels, most airlines will see the Priceline code on your ticket and tell you to call Priceline for rebooking. They're not going to pay another airline full-fare to transfer a ticket you bought through an auction service. Trust me on that one! Seen it happen one too many times, and Priceline never warns their customers about this.