Complain about a product or service

Priceline

The idea of Priceline is appealing. It presents itself as auctioning off unsold seats, beds, etc. But the reality can sometimes be quite a bit different, as the complaints below illustrate. You may be able to get better arrangements for the same price by planning ahead and shopping around. Priceline tends to book travelers on flights that leave at odd times and that require multiple connections.

Other things to be aware of:

• There is little customer service when you are a Priceline traveler. If your plans go awry, it's not likely a quick call to an 800 number will help.
• The airline will not help you and will absolutely not let you exchange your ticket. You don't own the ticket, Priceline does. Even if the airline wants to be helpful, there's not much it can do.
• Priceline fees and surcharges are sometimes higher than those charged by travel agents and airlines, so you may end up paying more even if the ticket price is lower than you might find somewhere else.

Also, remember that Priceline's "secret" is that while the customer specifies what price he is willing to pay, he must commit to pay that price. There's no backing on once the other party accepts the offer. It's important to understand this upfront and to do your price shopping before you enter a bid on Priceline.

We have tested Priceline and found it to be a good way to get cheap airline tickets with just a few days notice. But if you have plenty of time to shop around and live near a major airport, you can probably do better by using Orbitz, Travelocity or a local travel agent.

Just be sure that what they're selling is what you want to buy -- and be sure you're not paying too much for it. Remember, nothing is free.

A few of the most recent complaints:

Andrew of Portland, ME December 26, 2009

Having found my 10 year old daughter after 4 years of not knowing where she was, I booked a roundtrip ticket to San Antonio, Texas on December 7, 2009. The total for the trip was 498. After a successful day in court I had to extend my stay to depart on Monday the 21st of december so I could see my daughter for the first time in four years.

After a PAINFUL conversation with two different representatives to extend my stay, one of which is under investigation by Priceline for inaccurate information, Priceline quoted me 165 for the new flight which INCLUDED a 150 airport fee. I told them that would work and proceeded to do another transaction with them to extend my hotel stay which cost another 389.54. So all in all my trip consisted in total of those three charges, 498, 389, and 165 dollars.

This is where it started to snowball. After a great weekend with my daughter I went to withdraw money from one of my accounts and could not which I couldn't understand, so I proceeded to withdraw the last 80 I had in a reserve account to pay a bill i had incurred while I was there.

Once I returned to my hotel I went into my account and to my utter dismay I had NEGATIVE 320 in one account and NEGATIVE 11 in another. After further reviewing my account I saw a strange charge for 318, no way having anypart to do with my trip totals or my trip at all. Further review of my statement and there was another charge for 150, 15, 165 and the hotel charge of 389.54. So in total in one day they charged my 1037. Of this money with 500 dollars left in my vacation budget they took the last 483, charges to this day never substantiated, leaving my bank to charge me FOUR 35 fees, causing me negative in my account over 300.

Having had spent the day with my daughter I had 21 in cash left in my pocket, that was it. FIVE HOURS LATER of phone calls, the runaround, no managers are available crap, I finally got Priceline on a conference call with my bank to verify these 500 dollars in extra charges.

The manager at Priceline agreed in this conference call to refund the 1037 in charges from that day due to the incredible inconvenience, and they FAXED my bank the letterhead saying that these funds would not be charged or processed. My bank then waived the fees for Pricelines cooperation, released my funds back to me and I was able to return home on the 21st.

Now, Christmas eve and Im doing the only shopping I could do this year due to time and my card gets denied. I go to my office and check my account and once again I am negative. I review my statement and found that for the SECOND time Priceline charged me the 389 the had been refunded once, the 150 and the 15, which caused three over charges from my bank raping me once again of money on CHRISTMAS EVE for a total of 659.54 all of which was my Christmas budget.

After numerous more hours on the phone with Priceline, a second conference call with them and my bank, and a second acknowledgement of these charges having been taken from my account, I hung up with them thinking a resolution had been met. After the one hour not on the phone to eat Christmas dinner I then called back to my bank, and Priceline told my bank that they needed to RELEASE TO THEM ? 489? before they would refund my 659.54 no matter how many times my bank told them those charges were NOT PENDING in my account and there was no record of them.

I had to pay Priceline before they would give me a refund, UNREAL!!! So once again no resolution to 3+ hours of phone calls even conference calls with my bank. As of know no one has offered me anything, my account is still negative cause the I have filed a dispute with my bank, and Priceline has done nothing.

Christopher of Santa Fe, NM December 19, 2009

I was renting a car, and after several screens where the total "rack" costs were displayed for the rental days I entered my bid. Either I made the mistake or Priceline did--but regardless I entered 75, meaning for the three days of the rental, and it came out 75 a day! This is twice what the rack rates are, and Priceline would not budge on their assertion that I was going to pay that amount per day. It should have been 25 a day or so, which would have represented a reasonable winning bid, but I ended up paying 75 a day. It seems to me that Priceline should have not allowed the bid to go through without warning me that it was way over the full price per day for the car. It seem unethical to allow this to "go through".

Raibu of Plano, TX December 4, 2009

Beware of finance charges tacked on when buying tickets on International Tickets on Priceline. I bought a ticket from Priceline on Etihad Airways and my credit card charged an additional 3% of the booking fees to me because the ticket was purchased outside the US. Priceline never mentioned that to me at the time of booking even though I bought the ticket in the US and in USD. Customer service was utterly useless!

Gloria of Somers Point, NJ November 30, 2009

Fraudulent charges made on my credit card; some minimal; two were not. One was for a hotel reservation in Boston booked through Priceline. Priceline contacted; spoke with a kid in the fraud department who basically laughed in my face; he told me his last name was "FRAUD" and said that I was lying. I asked for his manager; he told me his manager was to busy to talk. I filled out a form online with Priceline; the same kid responded.

I sent a certified letter to Mr. Jeff B. at Priceline back in August. Phoned at the beginning of October, they told me upper management extremely busy should be hearing something soon. Still, no acknowledgement, no response.

I contacted the hotel in Boston; they told me the room had been rebooked; sounds like they weren't out any money so neither was Priceline I would assume. I am a single mom with four kids; I cannot afford to be out this money and Priceline won't even give me the courtesy of a response. Loss of 702. Please help. Thank you

Alana of Clarkston, WA November 12, 2009

A friend of mine has cancer and is having to travel back and forth from Spokane, WA to Rochester, MN to the Mayo Clinic for treatment.

She purchased tickets through Priceline.com and accidently purchased 2 sets of tickets for the same destination at the same time. She emailed customer service as instructed and asked that they cancel one of the reservations. She never heard back from them so we called customer service and after 15 minutes of choosing this option and that, wecfinally were able to talk to a representative. After being placed on hold for several minutes was told that they would not cancel the reservation. Their site leads you to believe that if the tickets are purchased the regular way and not bid on that they can be cancelled or changed. They said they could exchange them for future travel but she it will cost her almost 1000.00 for tickets she purchased for 600.00.

I went on the web and found complaint after complaint stating the same scenario! Is there any recourse or way to get help for her? She can barley afford the trips as it is and then to have them rip people off this way is just wrong!

Carol of Portland, OR November 11, 2009

On 11/10/09, Priceline posted upon its website one way fares & return flights, from PDX to LAX and back, for 180 each way. I selected the flights & completed all steps, receiving a confirmation #. At the end of this transaction, a message window popped up stating (paraphrasing) "We're sorry, but we're unable to confirm your selected flights. Please start again." Surprising, since during seat selection there were plenty of seats remaining. I again went through the entire process, again (flights were slightly changed but 180 fare remained), again receiving a confirmation #, and then the same message that Priceline was unable to complete my transaction, asking that I start over, (for the second time)much to my frustration.

When I started again for the third time, to book the flights, the fares had increased from 180. to 245. I was, needless to say, stunned. All of this took place in the space of 30 minutes and, again, when selecting seats there was no idication that these flights were anywhere near being full.

The response I got from all three "800" or "877" nmbers was a continuous loop of numbers to press that were not only misleading, & did not allow assistance access, but led one into a continuous loop of listening to ads while waiting for the next "press one" which led nowhere, with no live person access (which in the past has been available). Extremely poor customer service.

I've had positive experiences with Priceline, but was extremely dismayed at the time-wasting abuse of its customers, that I experienced last night. I will not book with them again.

Sonny of Pensacola, FL November 10, 2009

I bought return ticket from Pensacola to Melbourne, Australia. Upon arriving there, I discovered I had booked my ticket for longer then I need to so I called Priceline to see if I can either change my return date and come home early or make changes to the ticket so I can stop over in another country (Fiji) and then come home. All I had was the same old routine someone who really does not speak english much. I emailed them but still no help. I was told I can change the ticket...I could not do it online so I called again to no help at all. I went to a local travel agent (in Australia) with my sister to see if they can help me. I was told to call Qantas Airline. I did call them but I was told by Qantas that they can not change my ticket, it has to be done by Priceline. I called again (priceline)still no help from priceline. So I ended up stuck in Australia for 2 months.

Kathleen of Portland, ME November 1, 2009

reserved a rental car through priceline.com with my debit card on line. Lost internet connection as transaction was completing. Called to cancel within one minute and was told no refunds. They have taken 282.44 from my checking account and will not give it back. I never picked up car wanted my funds put back into my checking account. I am elderly, disabled and this was 50% of my monthly income and need this money. I was going to see my sister who is sick. How can they do this????? If I had taken their car without paying for it I would be chjarged with "THEFT OF SERVICES". What is it called when it is reversed - it has to be illegal. The name of the rental car company that they made the reservation with is Avis at Portland Maine Jetport, in Portland, Maine, no telephone number provided. I talked to about 6 different people and got "the run around".

steve of milltown, NJ October 21, 2009

Purchased 4 tickets and insurance online then called and said I had hit the wrong button need to change my departure time. They said they couldn't change it so they would cancel my tickets and I could re-book. They said they would refund eveything but insuurance now its less then 5 minutes and i'm out 64.00 for 4 tickets. They said i didn't read the small print and refused to give me any type of credit so I would re-book. Well you just lost another customer. Never again hope you go out of business

H. of Collierville, TN October 13, 2009

After exhausting all searches on line for a great price on hotel rooms in Orlando, I decided to give Priceline.Com a try. Buyer beware...from now on I will read any comments about a company that starts their website with the no refund, no exchange policy. I went to their website just like I had done with Hotel.Com, Expedia, ect. I was looking for a deal and unfortunately, received a dud! They are not honest because you have to give your credit card information before you are given a choice of location or hotels. If I wanted to stay 10 miles away from my destination, I would have done that on my own with less hastle. I am stuck with a 4 star hotel 10 miles from where I need to be with no transportation to and from the airport. Also...have to pay 12 a day to park at the Renaissance Hotel. Not to mention, I now have to purchase car rental for at least 33 per day to drive back and forth to where I need to be for 5 days. Don't use Priceline unless you have money to burn and you don't mind getting a room 10 to 20 miles from where you need to be! I am appauld that such a business exists and that they get away with the way ther rip people off. Priceline I will never even look at your website again and I will post this wherever...facebook, Myspace, blog...etc. to warn people about you! YOU SUCK and you are thieves! William Shatner...shame on you for representing such a scam!

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