Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data • Hacker News Board

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#11

Post by danvoell » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 6:45 PM UTC

OzzyB wrote: post #10

So is this a new opportunity for someone to fill this need, or this is a really hard service to offer? As per other comments: doesn't seem to be much choice in the space anymore.

Hard service to offer. The guy who originally built this and sold it to Google has posted on HN a few times about the intricacies of the industry.

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#12

Post by acomjean » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 6:47 PM UTC

Part of Googles killing all of ITA public facing software and keeping the rest to itself. Google purchased ITA in 2010. QPX was used by a lot of online travel companies.[1]

Already canceled was the flight booking software for airlines.

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITA_Software

oddly the guy teaching the hadoop class is retired from ITA and talked about them a little in class last night.

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#13

Post by danvoell » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 6:47 PM UTC

My guess is that they are making peanuts selling the API service vs. the handy-dandy rich snippet which allows you to buy tickets (airline, hotel and coming soon packages) right from the SERPs.

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#14

Post by pinko » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 6:50 PM UTC

4ad wrote: post #7

I think they want to shutdown the matrix[1]. They already discontinued the matrix smartphone app a year back. I will be truly lost (quite literally) once matrix is unavailable. I plan out very complex trips and only the matrix can do it. [1] https://matrix.itasoftware.com

Likewise. I would gladly pay to continue using Matrix. I can't imagine planning flights without it.

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#15

Post by foota » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 6:51 PM UTC

4ad wrote: post #7

I think they want to shutdown the matrix[1]. They already discontinued the matrix smartphone app a year back. I will be truly lost (quite literally) once matrix is unavailable. I plan out very complex trips and only the matrix can do it. [1] https://matrix.itasoftware.com

Try kiwi.com? It's not as good I'm, but is fairly full featured.

You can also use a spreadsheet to generate search urls for Google flights.

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#16

Post by helloguillecl » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 6:57 PM UTC

Six months ago, I started developing a Flight Alerting service for QPX Express API.

I was always skeptical as to how long would they keep this API running, since it was a byproduct of a previous acquisition.

But I said to myself, wishfully thinking: Why would they shut down this and lose their clients trust in developing with their APIs?

Sadly, I was again proven wrong.

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#17

Post by tomc1985 » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 6:59 PM UTC

When you build your house out of sticks (other people's cloud apis) can you really get angry when the big bad wolf comes to blow it down?

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#18

Post by teemwerk » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 7:00 PM UTC

acomjean wrote: post #12

Part of Googles killing all of ITA public facing software and keeping the rest to itself. Google purchased ITA in 2010. QPX was used by a lot of online travel companies.[1] Already canceled was the flight booking software for airlines. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITA_Software oddly the guy teaching the hadoop class is retired from ITA and talked about them a little in class last night.

From the wikipedia entry and the court documents it references, Google was required to make ITA's software available for licensees for five years after the judgement in October 2011.

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#19

Post by helloguillecl » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 7:01 PM UTC

tomc1985 wrote: post #17

When you build your house out of sticks (other people's cloud apis) can you really get angry when the big bad wolf comes to blow it down?

Bad analogy. Here you are building your house relaying on services you cannot provide yourself (Water supply, electricity),

You could at least feel a bit betrayed.

Re: Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

#20

Post by tomc1985 » Tue, Oct 31, 2017, 7:05 PM UTC

helloguillecl wrote: post #19

tomc1985 wrote: post #17

When you build your house out of sticks (other people's cloud apis) can you really get angry when the big bad wolf comes to blow it down?

Bad analogy. Here you are building your house relaying on services you cannot provide yourself (Water supply, electricity), You could at least feel a bit betrayed.

There are guarantees associated with water and electrical services, and their sudden disappearance is grounds for riots and civil unrest. Cloud services are not conceived or configured for durability beyond financial stability, which makes them inherently unstable. A poor foundation for anything you want to last or not be bothered with.