by Laurie Sullivan @lauriesullivan, November 1, 2017

In a move that could negatively impact third-party travel sites, Google is pulling a software tool that allows companies to access search information on airlines through a data feed.

On its FAQ page, Google warns that it plans to cut off developers from accessing the data feed that pulls and aggregates travel information for airfare search engines like Expedia.

The FAQ page states that it would shutter its QPX Express API service as of April 10, 2018, ending new user registrations for the flight service. The page reads that “new users can no longer sign up for the QPX Express API service.” It also suggests that users may want to find an alternative solution before the deadline.

Google provides data on air travel from its search engine, along with a tool that enables consumers to get an alert when a price has dropped.

It’s not clear whether Google will provide another way to feed the data to travel sites. The tool came from the $700 million acquisition of ITA Software in 2011.

Securing the deal, a federal judge required Google to keep QPX, an ITA flight search and pricing software, operational and accessible to third parties for at least five years.

MediaPost.com: Search Marketing Daily

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