Priceline.com, the Internet service that lets visitors name their
own price for travel-related and other products, trumpeted the
success of its foray into hotel bookings and said it plans to
expand the service. Here's an idea: An agent could name his or her
own commission payment, and Priceline.com could locate an airline
that would pay it. OK, maybe that wouldn't work so well...
American will acquire Reno Air in an effort to bolster its West
Coast presence. Seems a gamble, but certainly AA thinks it's a sure
bet.
The Transportation Department said it expects to finish its
review of travel agent commission override by the end of 1998. That
seems like more than enough time to determine that agents aren't
making any overrides.