Bargain airfare websites and startups take note: Google is about to cut you off from its airline ticket data. The tech giant announced Monday that it will phase out its QPX Express API, which currently provides key info regarding ticket prices, scheduling and seating availability to partners.
According to a post on Google’s developer page, the lights go out for QPX Express on April 11, 2018. After that date travel sites, booking agencies and ticketing apps must find an “alternate solution” to fulfil their information needs.
The move highlights the fact that search and big data remain crucial to Google’s business model. In this case, it provides its own airfare-tracking service, Google Flights. That’s despite the fact that the company has doubled down on its plans to make hardware, with the recent high-profile release of the Pixel 2 and 2 XL phones.
Google did not immediately respond to a request for further comment.
