Newspaper Daily Times of India has reported that Google, is “very close” to introducing Flight Search in India. Flight Search – first launched in the US and then in parts of Europe – lets users compare fares offered by airlines and book tickets directly from airline websites. This service if launched in India will make services of flight aggregators such as Makemytrip, Yatra and Cleartrip less attractive, industry observers said.
In response, the aggregators are considering steps to protect their interests, including a possible complaint to the Competition Commission. They claim discrimination by Google when it comes to search results for queries relating to online travel.
Separately, Google is the subject of investigations by the Competition Commission based on complaints that it is abusing its dominance in the country’s search-engine market. In February last year, matrimonial site Bharatmatrimony.com had filed a complaint against it.
Last month, Google launched a ‘Start Searching India’ campaign aimed at providing users with instant responses on weather and flight status, among other things. This move was read as precursor to the eventual launch of Flight Search in India. Google India said in May that it does not comment on future plans or speculation when asked about its plans to launch Flight Search in the country.
Flight Search makes use of the vast amount of flight-related real-time information from US based travel information company ITA Software.
News Courtesy: Times of India
