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Google bought the main provider of flight information in 2010 (ITA). ITA had such a monopoly that Google was required to continue licensing their software out f

Google bought the main provider of flight information in 2010 (ITA). ITA had such a monopoly that Google was required to continue licensing their software out for years afterwards, though I think it expired in ~2016.

dataflow 4y ago
Minor note: they announced it in 2010, but the acquisition closed on April 12, 2011. [1] [1] https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/ita-software-acquisition-cleared-for.html https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/ita-software-acquisi...
discordance 4y ago
ITA Matrix is still available and is my preferred flight search tool. Still find the old interface much better than the new: https://oldmatrix.itasoftware.com/ https://oldmatrix.itasoftware.com/
- nerdponx 4y ago
  I wonder how much of the old Lisp codebase is left. Also, it looks like the Matrix might go extinct soon: > This interface runs on a deprecated web platform. At some point in the near future, we will be forced to shut it down. We unfortunately do not have a timeline on when this will happen. We welcome feedback about features missing from the new interface, we read all feedback and open bugs accordingly.
- Markoff 4y ago
  it's pretty horrible, I just search my vacation destination and it doesn't have LCC Wizzair I'm flying with in Europe = useless search tool
  - kchoudhu 4y ago
    That's on the LCC, not the aggregator. They don't want to pay commission, and that's fine. If you want to fly on them you have to actually go on their website.
    - Markoff 4y ago
      I don't really care who pays who, but search engine which can't find me cheapest flights it's useless
      - samhw 4y ago
        Well, you're getting it free: if you don't get any use from it, don't use it. Try doing an iterated search of every possible route on every possible airline website and let us know how you get on!
        Markoff 4y ago
        1. just because something is free it's not excuse to provide poor service 2. I don't use it, I point out for others facts about service OP recommends so they don't waste their time or you prefer everyone wasting their time?
  - seymore_12 4y ago
    At least on my searches with Google Flights, Wizzair shows up as a carrier for EU flights. Good search engine for low cost EU carriers is https://www.azair.eu/ https://www.azair.eu/
    - Markoff 4y ago
      Azair doesn't really work either anymore, they will show you non-existent flights or wrong prices, for rough idea is OK, but data is wrong
namdnay 4y ago
ITA wasn’t in any way to e main provider of flight information in 2010. It’s a relatively minor player, but with great features
- pweezy 4y ago
  ITA powered the backend flight search functionality for virtually every OTA, even if the ITA Matrix website wasn’t popular among end users.
simplebutimpact 4y ago
Here is the latest version of ITA Matrix as a google hack https://partnerdash.google.com/apps/matrix/search https://partnerdash.google.com/apps/matrix/search

dataflow 4y ago

Minor note: they announced it in 2010, but the acquisition closed on April 12, 2011. [1] [1] https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/ita-software-acquisition-cleared-for.html https://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/04/ita-software-acquisi...

discordance 4y ago

ITA Matrix is still available and is my preferred flight search tool. Still find the old interface much better than the new: https://oldmatrix.itasoftware.com/ https://oldmatrix.itasoftware.com/

nerdponx 4y ago
I wonder how much of the old Lisp codebase is left. Also, it looks like the Matrix might go extinct soon: > This interface runs on a deprecated web platform. At some point in the near future, we will be forced to shut it down. We unfortunately do not have a timeline on when this will happen. We welcome feedback about features missing from the new interface, we read all feedback and open bugs accordingly.
Markoff 4y ago
it's pretty horrible, I just search my vacation destination and it doesn't have LCC Wizzair I'm flying with in Europe = useless search tool
- kchoudhu 4y ago
  That's on the LCC, not the aggregator. They don't want to pay commission, and that's fine. If you want to fly on them you have to actually go on their website.
  - Markoff 4y ago
    I don't really care who pays who, but search engine which can't find me cheapest flights it's useless
    - samhw 4y ago
      Well, you're getting it free: if you don't get any use from it, don't use it. Try doing an iterated search of every possible route on every possible airline website and let us know how you get on!
      - Markoff 4y ago
        1. just because something is free it's not excuse to provide poor service 2. I don't use it, I point out for others facts about service OP recommends so they don't waste their time or you prefer everyone wasting their time?
- seymore_12 4y ago
  At least on my searches with Google Flights, Wizzair shows up as a carrier for EU flights. Good search engine for low cost EU carriers is https://www.azair.eu/ https://www.azair.eu/
  - Markoff 4y ago
    Azair doesn't really work either anymore, they will show you non-existent flights or wrong prices, for rough idea is OK, but data is wrong

namdnay 4y ago

ITA wasn’t in any way to e main provider of flight information in 2010. It’s a relatively minor player, but with great features

pweezy 4y ago
ITA powered the backend flight search functionality for virtually every OTA, even if the ITA Matrix website wasn’t popular among end users.

simplebutimpact 4y ago

Here is the latest version of ITA Matrix as a google hack https://partnerdash.google.com/apps/matrix/search https://partnerdash.google.com/apps/matrix/search