- New website lets Australians bid on flights
- Melbourne to Sydney flight sold for 49 cents
- Founded by a 19-year-old student, the son of a pilot
FANCY flying from Sydney to Melbourne for just 49 cents?
It may sound too good to be true but rest assured it’s for real – a new Australian website is offering heavily discounted flights to popular destinations by letting travellers bid on them.
But be warned, there's a catch - each bid costs you, so if you don't end up making the highest offer you would have completely wasted your money.
The One Cent Flights auction website, founded by 19-year-old Sydney university student Elliott Donazzan, has sold more than 30 return flights since it was launched in August. Many of the deals offer a choice of departure points and airlines.
While the majority of the flights are domestic, Mr Donazzan plans to expand the website to include more international deals.
Flights that have gone under the hammer include Hobart to Melbourne for 82 cents and Adelaide to Sydney for $2.92, with travellers able to opt for either Qantas or Virgin Australia. Another flight from Sydney or Melbourne to Auckland, New Zealand, went for $2.54.
There's one international return flight currently on offer from Melbourne, Sydney or Perth to London – the bidding is at 50 cents with five days remaining. The winning bidder can choose from Emirates, Etihad, Singapore Airlines or Malaysia Airlines.
The son of a pilot, Donazzan said he wanted to make his jet-setting lifestyle more attainable for others.
“I’ve been lucky enough to travel the world because my dad is a pilot, but most of my friends cannot afford to spend hundreds of dollars on flights,” Donazzan said. “I founded One Cent Flights because I wanted to give them, and everyone else, the chance to go travelling.
“Simply, why pay hundreds of dollars for flights when you could pay only a few dollars - or cents?”
So how does it work?
It’s free to join up, but to bid you must have bidding credits in your account. You’ll receive five free bids upon signing up but additional bids must be purchased via PayPal.
Every time you bid, one bidding credit will be deducted from your account and the auction price will increase by one cent.
If a bid is placed during the last 10 seconds of the countdown the clock will reset, allowing an extra 10 seconds. This gives all participants the chance to make a final bid.
Travellers are allowed a maximum of six auctions for flights per month.
Last month a website was launched allowing Australian travellers to haggle directly – and in secret – with hotels over the price of their rooms.