Can Google Flights Displace Agents?

Amadeus announced in February that it would begin displaying its airline inventory on Google Flights.

Industry insiders say that agents should be aware of this development and should not see it as a neutral move. An industry tech insider told Travel News that it was yet another attempt by airlines to cut out travel agents.

Amadeus says the Google Flight and the Google Offer Management system will benefit from Amadeus MetaConnect and Amadeus Nevio feed, improving flight search accuracy for travellers worldwide.

The industry expert who is known to Travel News but who wished to remain anonymous explained that the partnership included Amadeuss airline hosting system, Alta, and not Amadeuss GDS. Alta manages airline inventory, and talks to the various GDS systems to accept travel agency and OTA bookings.

It means that consumers will be able to search in Google for flights and Google will return the best offer from the airlines. Google may also display offers from OTAs such as Expedia. Then there will be a link to book on the airlines or OTAs website.