System And Method For Negotiating A Shared Flight Itinerary

Abstract

A system and method whereby an air charter brokerage service enables users with similar or matching travel plans to find each other to directly negotiate a shared flight itinerary using a web-based negotiation software application. The air charter brokerage service further enables users to directly book the shared itinerary using a web-based negotiation software application, whereby the air charter brokerage service provides a charter aircraft for the shared flight itinerary.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for allowing searching users and proposing users to directly negotiate a shared flight itinerary for an on-demand charter flight, the method comprising the steps of:
 permitting access to a computer software application;   enabling a proposing user to propose a flight itinerary to be shared with searching users, said proposed flight itinerary having associated therewith a plurality of flight parameters, wherein one of the plurality of flight parameters is the proposed departure time of day, and wherein said proposed departure time of day further must not be expressed as an exact numerical value;   associating said proposed flight itinerary with the proposing user that proposed said flight itinerary and uniquely identifying and storing said proposed flight itinerary and associated plurality of flight parameters in a computer searchable database associated with said software application, said database storing a plurality of proposed flight itineraries, each having associated flight parameters;   enabling a searching user to enter at least one of a plurality of search parameters and searching said database for proposed flight itineraries having associated flight parameters that match at least some of said search parameters;   displaying to said searching user all proposed flight itineraries having at least some matching flight parameters;   enabling said searching user to directly access one or more of said matching proposed flight itineraries to directly negotiate with one or more of said proposing users that have proposed said displayed matching flight itineraries; whereby at the beginning of said negotiation requiring the entry of a numerical value for a specific desired departure time of day by said searching user to in order to negotiate a shared flight itinerary; and   enabling the negotiation of one or more of said plurality of flight parameters of said proposed flight itinerary directly between said searching user and said proposing user and storing updated flight parameters in said database, whereby an agreement between said searching user and said proposing user with respect to all of said plurality of said proposed flight parameters causes that proposed flight itinerary to become a common shared flight itinerary.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said plurality of flight parameters proposed by said proposing user includes at least a departure location, a destination location, a departure date and a departure time of day, said departure time of day being described as a part of the day. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said plurality of flight parameters proposed by said proposing user further includes one or more of the following flight parameters:
 a) the number of seats required by said proposing user; 
 b) the number of seats available to be shared; 
 c) whether children will be on the flight; 
 d) whether children are welcome on the flight; 
 e) whether pets will be on the flight; 
 f) whether pets are welcome on the flight; 
 g) whether the flight is primarily for business; and 
 h) whether the flight is primarily for leisure. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of displaying proposed flight itineraries having at least some matching flight parameters includes displaying information indicative of how many of the proposed flight parameters are an exact match to the searching user's search parameters. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of enabling said proposing user to determine for how long the proposed flight itinerary shall be searchable in said database. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of enabling said proposing user to invite another user to negotiate said proposed flight itinerary. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further including the step of permitting any user to invite other users to together book a shared flight itinerary. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said step of negotiating of said plurality of flight parameters includes enabling any negotiating user to calculate the cost of the proposed flight itinerary based on said associated flight parameters at the time the costs are calculated. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said software application is being executed on a computer system that is accessible via the Internet. 
     
     
         10 . A method for allowing users to directly book a shared flight itinerary for an on-demand charter flight, the method comprising the steps of:
 permitting access to a computer software application providing user accessible flight itineraries;   enabling a plurality of users to negotiate directly with each other one or more of a plurality of flight parameters associated with a particular proposed flight itinerary, wherein an agreement between some or all of said users causes said proposed flight itinerary to become a shared flight itinerary;   transmitting said flight parameters of said shared flight itinerary to a charter brokerage service for chartering an aircraft for said shared flight itinerary.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said step of negotiating of said plurality of flight parameters includes the ability of any negotiating user to calculate the cost of the proposed flight itinerary based on said associated flight parameters at the time the costs are calculated. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  further including the step of enabling said users to invite other users with identical flight parameters to book said shared flight itinerary. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  further including the step of automatically inviting users with identical flight parameters to book said shared flight itinerary. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said software application is being executed on a computer system that is accessible via the Internet. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-based system for negotiating shared flight itineraries for on-demand charter flights, the system comprising:
 a first computer, executing at least a part of a software application for negotiating shared flight itineraries;   a data storage device coupled to said first computer, comprising a computer-searchable database;   a second computer, having a display and an input device, and capable of accessing said first computer via the Internet and further capable of executing at least a part of said software application for:
 a) enabling proposing users to propose flight itineraries to be shared with searching users, each of said proposed flight itineraries having associated a plurality of flight parameters, wherein one of the plurality of flight parameters is the proposed departure time of day, and wherein said proposed departure time of day further must not be expressed as an exact numerical value; whereby said software application associates said proposed flight itinerary with the proposing user that proposed said flight itinerary and uniquely identifies and stores said proposed flight itinerary and associated plurality of flight parameters in said computer searchable database; 
 b) enabling searching users to enter at least one of a plurality of search flight parameters to search said data base for proposed flight itineraries having associated flight parameters that match at least some of said search flight parameters; 
 c) displaying matching proposed flight itineraries; 
 d) enabling said searching user to directly access one or more of said matching proposed flight itineraries to directly negotiate with one or more of said proposing users that have proposed said displayed matching flight itineraries, whereby at the beginning of said negotiation said searching user must propose at least a numerical value for a specific desired departure time of day; and 
 e) enabling the ability to negotiate one or more of said plurality of flight parameters of said proposed flight itinerary directly between said searching user and said proposing user, whereby an agreement between said searching user and said proposing user with respect to all of said plurality of said proposed flight parameters causes that proposed flight itinerary to become a common shared flight itinerary. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said plurality of flight parameters proposed by said proposing user includes at least a departure location, a destination location, a departure date and a departure time of day, said departure time of day being described as a part of the day. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said plurality of flight parameters proposed by said proposing user further includes one or more of the following flight parameters:
 a) the number of seats required by said proposing user; 
 b) the number of seats available to be shared; 
 c) whether children will be on the flight; 
 d) whether children are welcome on the flight; 
 e) whether pets will be on the flight; 
 f) whether pets are welcome on the flight; 
 g) whether the flight is primarily for business; and 
 h) whether the flight is primarily for leisure. 
 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15  wherein said software application further enables said members to directly book a shared flight itinerary.