Originally published November 29 2005
Google to provide search feature for flight information.
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Users can now type two city names or airport codes into Google and flight dates will appear with links to Expedia, Hotwire or Orbitz. Yahoo! has also launched Trip Planner to create and share trip itineraries.
Google has plunged its fingers into the online travel pie with the beta launch of a search feature that provides swift access to airline flight information.
Typing in two city names or airport codes into the Google search engine will now bring up a box for flight dates, which will then connect directly to either Expedia, Hotwire or Orbitz travel sites.
Clicking one of these options opens a page listing all available flights on the date selected.
As one of the largest sectors in the ecommerce universe, internet companies are keen to increase their footprint in the travel sector.
Dr Robert Steele, a senior technology lecturer at UTS, said Google's evolution into travel posed the question of whether it should now be considered a portal - a direction the search engine company originally said it would not pursue.
"Google seems to be introducing a virtual portal themselves and doing it just by having a search form and intelligently identifying specialist parts of queries.
Advertisement AdvertisementThe launch of Google's new flight search tool also coincided with a new beta offering from Yahoo!
Trip Planner allows users to create and share trip itineraries and travel tips using a combination of search technology, maps, bulletin boards, and local listings.
The planner will also invite users to submit reviews and ratings of destinations, hotels and restaurants and Yahoo!
plans to add additional travel-related content to beef up the offering.
It is expected to seek a return from the venture through advertising on the site.
Other recent activity in the sector includes the acquisition of travel community site IgoUgo.com by Travelocity's parent Sabre earlier this year.
And IAC/InterActiveCorp, the web group owned by Barry Diller, last year acquired hotel review site TripAdvisor.
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