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Google is shutting down the QPX Express API for airfare data

news.ycombinator.com

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

#21

Post by OzzyB »

danvoell wrote: post #11
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.

Just did a little sleuthing and see that it was ITA[0] that Google acquired in 2010/11.

Also I found this person on HN that looks like the guy you mentioned?[1] Lots of interesting comments for bedtime reading there.

In any case, It's pretty clear that this is not some small insignificant service, which makes this somewhat blazé announcement of it's imminent shutdown (just find another service!) all the more infuriating.

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

[1] https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=dmbaggett

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

#22

Post by nathancahill »

foota wrote: post #15
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.

The features I most need are: routing options, fare class codes and multi-month fare calendars. Only Matrix has all 3 as far as I know.

Often, when I call the airline to book a great itinerary I found on Matrix, the airline won't believe the time/price. I'll have to convince them to trust me and make an itinerary from the flight numbers. It's often faster and cheaper than anything on the airline's websites.

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

#23

Post by RestlessMind »

From [1]: "On April 8, 2011, the US Department of Justice approved the buyout (of ITA by Google). As part of the agreement, Google must license ITA software to other websites for five years."

Now that five years are up, Google would want to deny competitors access to that data. Seems like a good startup opportunity.

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

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

#24

Post by FeepingCreature »

helloguillecl wrote: post #16

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.

If a client hasn't learned by now, they're not gonna learn from this either.

For niche apis Google has no trust left to burn, because all trust in its products is either already burnt or inflammable.

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

#25

Post by tyingq »

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.

It's hard.

ITA had the best and brightest, and while they had great success with their shopping engine, no (notable) takers on their airline reservation system. It was likely a good product, but you are chasing a small pool of customers, many of them with low margins. Switching res systems is notoriously time consuming and expensive.

In the meantime, Sabre, Amadeus, etc, improved their shopping engines. Not as good as the ITA offering, but "good enough", and bundled with their res system.

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

#26

Post by compsciphd »

RestlessMind wrote: post #23

From [1]: "On April 8, 2011, the US Department of Justice approved the buyout (of ITA by Google). As part of the agreement, Google must license ITA software to other websites for five years." Now that five years are up, Google would want to deny competitors access to that data. Seems like a good startup opportunity. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITA_Software

seems a little bit more than 5 years...

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

#27

Post by throwaway613834 »

RestlessMind wrote: post #23

From [1]: "On April 8, 2011, the US Department of Justice approved the buyout (of ITA by Google). As part of the agreement, Google must license ITA software to other websites for five years." Now that five years are up, Google would want to deny competitors access to that data. Seems like a good startup opportunity. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITA_Software

> Now that five years are up

2018 - 2011 = 7?

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

#28

Post by saurik »

timdorr wrote: post #3

"You don't need to take any action. However, if you are actively using this product you may want to find an alternate solution before April 10, 2018." So, you do need to take action? That's a pretty terrible set of FAQs. They should at least provide a list of alternatives.

It is even better, as the question is "What steps should I take?", which is a very "just tell me what I need to do, step by step" way to ask this question, and yet the answer doesn't give you any concrete suggestions for what to do now other than "feel am impending sense of doom".

(Though given that Google knows the only people who care are people they likely consider to be competitors--as the whole reason they bought ITA in the first place was to obtain the power that comes from vertical integration--that is likely exactly what was going through their minds when they wrote that: "let's be particularly unhelpful".)

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

#30

Post by helloguillecl »

FeepingCreature wrote: post #24
helloguillecl wrote: post #16

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.

If a client hasn't learned by now, they're not gonna learn from this either. For niche apis Google has no trust left to burn, because all trust in its products is either already burnt or inflammable.

Sadly true
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