Google’s Flight Search Tool Reaches Indian Shores
Google’s Flight Search Tool Reaches Indian Shores
Online travel aggregators in India have competition around the corner after search engine giant Google’s flight search tool finally landed in India. Indian online travel agencies such as Yatra.com, Cleartrip.com, and Makemytrip will now have a tougher journey ahead of them with Google Flight Search on the horizon.
Google Flight Search For Smoother Journeys
Search engine company Google has just introduced the Flight Search tool for Indian internet users on Tuesday, 13th January 2015. Flight Search will enable users to search for flights and compare as well as book flights on mobile devices. Users planning a vacation can use this tool to check the cost and duration of the flight based on preferences, requirements and previous searches. Users have to enter the destination and departure cities for getting all the flight details.
Eliminating the Middleman
Travel portals have been getting queries and resolving them using searches from Google. Google will now use this data directly for Flight Search. When users click on the departure date field, they will get a calendar with the lowest fares for the routes in highlight for each of the days. Lowest fares in a graph can be seen below the calendar to observe how prices fluctuate in accordance with seasons, events or holidays. While scrolling through the months, users can also find out the best time to fly.
Best Flights: Money and Convenience Considerations
When it comes to the best flights, numbers always matter. Google will be presenting the list of “Best Flights” once the users have selected their departure and return dates. These flights will be the ones which are the most cost effective and convenient from the user’s point of view. Other flights can also be seen by scrolling through the summary list or choosing “show longer or more expensive flights.”
High Flying Partners
Leading aviation company Jet Airways has shared its flight details with Google for this initiative. Gaurang Shetty, senior VP, commercial, Jet Airways, has been quoted as saying, “Giving our guests access to our flights for bookings through Flight Search will offer another convenient channel to shop for and book flights via their preferred search engine. This is just one more way we’re collaborating with Google on new and innovative technologies.”
OTA On Its Way
Google’s gain is not every online travel aggregator’s loss also. The search engine company has roped in Goibibo as the partner for the Flight Search.
“Goibibo.com is the first OTA in India to partner with Google for Flight Search. This is in line with our philosophy and core differentiation of delivering the fastest booking experience to our travellers,” Ashish Kashyap, founder cum CEO of ibiboGroup has been quoted by Business Standard as saying.
“Whether you know where you want to go or you’re open to inspiration, we make it easy for you to explore travel options and figure out the best time to travel. When you’re ready, quickly find, compare and book the flight that works best for you. We hope you’ll enjoy planning your next domestic or international trip with Flight Search!” Kashyap has also said.
Multiple-Device Friendly Search Initiative
Users can search for the flights on mobile devices, personal computers as well as tablets through Google Flight Search. Users can search for round trip, one way as well as multiple city flights. Users can also book flights via a Google Partner and the results are displayed under a blue coloured “Ads” box. Users can also share itineraries with others or save them. This service offers fares for all major flights and provides an edge to online travel agents and partners associated with this venture namely Goibibo and Jet Airways, not to mention millions of Indian online users.
