general

Google is pulling a software tool that let small companies access search information on airfares, a potential blow to online travel newcomers. Google’s tool was opened in 2011 after its US$700m acquisition of ITA Software, an online airfare broker. In approving the deal, a federal judge required that Google keep an ITA flight search and pricing software, called QPX, accessible to third parties for at least 5 years. In 2014, Google created a cheaper version of the QPX software, called QPX Express, meant to target smaller companies and startups. Google shut that service down due to “low interest”. Google said it is keeping intact a version of the original software tool for corporate customers. Google used ITA’s tool to create Google Flights, which aggregates airline prices directly inside its search engine. <br/>

Thanksgiving air travel is set to be the busiest in over a decade. An estimated 28.5m passengers will travel on US airlines during the 12-day Thanksgiving air travel period, representing a 3% jump from 2016 A4A said Wednesday. "The 2.38m passengers per day expected to take to the skies represent an increase of 69,000 from the 2016 Thanksgiving travel period," A4A said. "Airlines are accommodating this increase in demand by adding 86,000 more seats in the marketplace each day, a 3.2% increase over 2016." This year, the Thanksgiving air-travel period begins Friday, Nov 17 and goes through Tuesday, Nov 28. The busiest projected day is Nov 26, when an estimated 2.88m passengers will fly. "Airline passengers continue to benefit from the highly competitive air-service landscape this holiday season," said A4A. <br/>