Google Drops Access to Travel API - Affects Expedia & Orbitz

[martinibuster]

"Google announced its intention to acquire ITA Software, an MIT- spinoff that powered most online flight searches, in 2010. At the time, the move was scrutinized by the Obama Department of Justice, which was concerned it would allow Google to monopolize travel services. Antitrust officials eventually allowed the $700 million purchase to go through on the condition that the government would be allowed to monitor Google’s behavior, and that the search giant would continue to support its public-facing API program for five years.

But that five years is now up..."

https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/1/16591850/google-ita-matrix-shut-down-qpx-express-api [theverge.com]

[engine]

Google acquired the online flight search company, ITA Software, in 2010 [webmasterworld.com] and since then the API is used widely by major players in the flight and travel business.

Now, Google has said no new registrations are being allowed, and it's shutting off access of its QPX Express API service as of April 10, 2018.

Clearly, this will make a big difference, especially to the major travel services, and may signal Google is aiming to become a major competitor in the air travel sector.

[developers.google.com...]

[EditorialGuy]

TechCrunch has a more detailed article on the change:

[techcrunch.com...]

I read an another article earlier today (I can't remember where) that said the impact of the change should be fairly minimal.

[Robert Charlton]

Some highlights of further points made in The Verge's article after the initial link bait....

What isn’t clear, however, is how Google’s decision to shutdown its API service will specifically affect third-party travel sites....

Most likely saw this move coming and prepared for the eventuality....

Update November 1st, 2:06PM ET: A spokesperson for Kayak and its parent company The Priceline Group declined to comment because “this doesn’t affect Priceline.com or KAYAK.”

Update November 1st, 7:53PM ET: In a statement, a spokesperson for Google cited low usage numbers for shutting down the QPX Express service. “We decided to no longer support the QPX Express API given the low interest among our travel partners”....

[mack]

This does kinda highlight a broader issue of relying on another entitle for your critical data. This is something that could happen in many sectors. How prepared are you if your data plug was pulled?

Mack.

[graeme_p]

@tangor, that worries me too. Lots of people rely on a whole lot of data from multiple sources to make things work. If you have social media logins and deep integration with them, and then some industry specific APIs, externally hosted maps, reviews, and all the more general stuff, there are a lot of people who can break parts of your service.

[Sofia3500]

Google gives us the great MAP Facility that helps to make a Travel without any guide. So we can easily travel anywhere without any fear. Google API also access with our current location. so If you are missing on place then you can be easily find by google location.