Orbitz has introduced a service fee for passengers buying airline tickets, although fare searches will continue to be free.

A charge of $5 will be levied for each airline ticket, although for those buying 2 to 4 tickets, the fee is capped at $10 and Orbitz will waive the fee one time per customer until 14th January 2002. There is no service fee on hotel, rental car, cruise and vacation package transactions.

Orbitz says that it will always offer an unbiased search. Meanwhile, a report on cnet.com suggests that Orbitz intends to announce a partnership with Comet Systems, in which they will introduce a Sidestep type of comparison option; this will kick in when a Comet cursor user accesses either Expedia or Travelocity.

 

www.orbitz.com

www.cometsystems.com

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