Google Flights
Screenshot  | |
| Owner | Google, Inc. |
|---|---|
| URL | www |
| Commercial | yes |
| Registration | not required |
Google Flights is an online flight booking service which facilitates the purchase of airline tickets through third party suppliers.
History
In April 2011, the Federal government of the United States approved Google's $700 million purchase of ITA Software.[1] On September 13, 2011 Google launched Google Flights, which used algorithms gained from this purchase.[2]
Features
An innovation of Google Flights is that it allows open-ended searches based on criteria other than destination; for example, a user may search for flights within a range of times and a budget and be offered various destination choices.[3]
Response
The service was immediately compared to competitors such as Expedia, Orbitz, Kayak.com, and Bing.[4] Competitor Kayak.com issued a statement that their service was superior to Google's and that they would be competitive.[5]
There was no immediate change in the price of stocks for Priceline, Expedia, or Travelzoo in response to the opening of Google Flights.[6]
Shortly after the site launched counsel for Expedia testified to the Senate Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee that Google failed to keep a promise to rank Google Flight listings below the listings of competitors in a Google search.[7]
References
- ^ Ryan Singel (8 April 2011). "Feds Clear Google to Buy ITA Travel Search Company, Conditions Apply". wired.com. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Ryan Singel (13 September 2011). "Google Upgrades Flight Search to the Jet Age". wired.com. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Julianne Pepitone (13 September 2011). "Google launches Flight Search - with a feature rivals lack - Sep. 13, 2011". cnn.com. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Rebeccas Greenfield (13 September 2011). "Google Travel: Not a Kayak Killer, Yet". theatlanticwire.com. Atlantic Media Company. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Mills, Elinor (13 September 2011). "Google flight-search service takes off | Digital Media". CNET News. San Francisco: CBS. Retrieved 13 September 2011.
- ^ Ivan Hoff (14 September 2011). "Will Google's flight search hurt Priceline and Expedia?". cnn.com. Retrieved 15 September 2011.
- ^ Forden, Sara (20 September 2011). "Google's Flight Search Breaks Promise on ITA Deal, Expedia Says". bloomberg.com. Retrieved 23 September 2011.
