A bargain from American Express? An under-the-counter fare from America's most distinguished travel company? Believe it! For the past several years, an American Express retail outlet has been placing tiny nationwide ads (rarely more than half an inch deep, a column wide) in distinguished U.S. newspapers claiming it can enable you to "Save 60% First/Business".

It's a real-life American Express agency, making copious use of the classic American Express logotype and other design features. It's located at an out-of-the-center 108 W 81st St in New York City, and alternates between the use of two different telephone numbers: a toll-free 800/435-8776, and a local 212/201-1824. Its website is Cookamerican.travel (www.cookamerican.travel).

And finally, it adds another world-famous name -- "Cook" -- to its title (thus, "Cook American Express Travel"), but never explains the identification. Despite all the confusion, it boldly offers "Last Minute Business Class Deals" and "Last Minute Domestic & Economy Deals", stressing (in its website) that it mainly provides cut-rate tickets for All Nippon Airlines, American Airlines, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa, and Singapore Airlines.

I'd be interested to learn whether any of our readers have successfully used Cook American Express. I've seen these ads for years, have always been intrigued by them, but have never myself purchased a business class or first class ticket.