ITA Software: Difference between revisions
Ehasbrouck (talk | contribs) No edit summary |
Disambiguated: United → United Airlines, ANA → All Nippon Airways |
||
| Line 18: | Line 18: | ||
==History== |
==History== |
||
ITA's first product was an airfare search and pricing system called QPX. This system is now used by travel companies such as [[Orbitz]], [[Bing Travel]], [[Kayak.com]], [[CheapTickets]], and [[airline]]s such as [[American Airlines|American]], [[United]], [[US Airways]], [[Virgin Atlantic]], [[Alitalia]], and [[ANA]]. ITA also hosts its own [http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ website] based on QPX, although it's not possible to buy tickets from it. |
ITA's first product was an airfare search and pricing system called QPX. This system is now used by travel companies such as [[Orbitz]], [[Bing Travel]], [[Kayak.com]], [[CheapTickets]], and [[airline]]s such as [[American Airlines|American]], [[United Airlines]], [[US Airways]], [[Virgin Atlantic]], [[Alitalia]], and [[All Nippon Airways|ANA]]. ITA also hosts its own [http://matrix.itasoftware.com/ website] based on QPX, although it's not possible to buy tickets from it. |
||
ITA is known for using programming puzzles to attract and evaluate potential employees since 2001. Some of these puzzles have appeared in ads on Boston's [[MBTA]] subway system. |
ITA is known for using programming puzzles to attract and evaluate potential employees since 2001. Some of these puzzles have appeared in ads on Boston's [[MBTA]] subway system. |
||
Revision as of 20:31, 1 April 2013
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software, Travel |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Headquarters | Cambridge, Massachusetts |
Key people | Jeremy Wertheimer: Vice President, Travel, Gianni Marostica: Commercial Director, Travel |
| Products | Software |
Number of employees | 450+ |
| Parent | |
| Website | ITAsoftware.com |
ITA Software is a travel industry software division of Google, formerly an independent company, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company was founded by Jeremy Wertheimer, a computer scientist from the MIT Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and his partner Richard Aiken in 1996. [1] On July 1, 2010 ITA agreed to be acquired by Google. On April 8, 2011, the US Department of Justice approved the buyout. As part of the agreement, Google must license ITA software to other websites for 5 years.[2]
History
ITA's first product was an airfare search and pricing system called QPX. This system is now used by travel companies such as Orbitz, Bing Travel, Kayak.com, CheapTickets, and airlines such as American, United Airlines, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Alitalia, and ANA. ITA also hosts its own website based on QPX, although it's not possible to buy tickets from it.
ITA is known for using programming puzzles to attract and evaluate potential employees since 2001. Some of these puzzles have appeared in ads on Boston's MBTA subway system.
In January 2006, ITA received $100 million in venture capital money from a syndicate of 5 investment firms led by Battery Ventures, marking the largest investment in a software firm in New England in 5 years.[3]
In September 2006, ITA announced a several million dollar deal with Air Canada[4] to develop a new computer reservations system to power its reservations, inventory control, seat availability, check-in, and airport operations.[5] In August 2009, Air Canada announced that the project had been suspended.[6]
In July 2010, Google announced the acquisition of ITA for $700 million in cash, subject to DOJ review and approval.[7] On April 8, 2011, the US Dept. of Justice and Google reached an agreement in terms to allow the purchase and dismiss a potential antitrust lawsuit. [8]
On March 1, 2012, Google and Cape Air announced that Cape Air had migrated to ITA Software's passenger reservations system. [9]
See also
- List of global distribution systems (computer reservation systems)
References
- ^ Edward Hasbrouck, The Practical Nomad blog, July 12, 2010: Google buys ITA Software, Part 1: The back story
- ^ Nightly Business Report for Friday, April 8th, 2011
- ^ Howe, Peter (2006-01-23). "Software firm gets $100m in backing". The Boston Globe.
- ^ "ITA Software signs deal with Air Canada". The Boston Globe. 2006-09-12.
- ^ General Catalyst Partners :: News
- ^ "Air Canada suspends implementation of next-gen Polaris reservations system." ATW Daily News, Aug 12, 2009.
- ^ "Facts about Google's acquisition of ITA Software". Google.com. Jul 1, 2010.
- ^ "Justice Dept. allows Google to buy online travel company". The Washington Post. Apr 8, 2011.
- ^ "Google is now in the PNR hosting business". PapersPlease.org. Mar 1, 2012.
External links
 | This Google-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article about an IT-related or software-related company or corporation is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |