Collectors and bargain-hunters have long been devotees of eBay, but the online auction site may have won a new group of converts. On September 8th JetBlue, America's eighth-largest airline, put 300 tickets up for sale on eBay, with prices starting at five cents. Bidders snapped them up. Might this be a new way for struggling airlines to fill their planes?rnThe auction, which ended on September 14th, took place during a particularly slow period for the travel industry. September and October are never busy months, but America's economic woes mean flights are expected to be emptier than usual this year. By offering tickets (with fixed routes and dates) on eBay, JetBlue hoped to attract leisure travellers who had not considered going away this autumn, or did not know that JetBlue flew on certain routes. The company also auctioned package holidays with secret destinations, betting that the aura of mystery would bring in bids. (It did.)rnOn average, buyers paid 40% less for tickets sold at auction than they would have done at jetblue.com. But not all customers walked away with savings. Perhaps because of the novelty of the auction, or the competition that eBay auctions often foster, some paid more for flights and holidays than they would have done on the airline's website.
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