Orbitz Orbits Mobile Search Around Airports

Mon, 09/03/2007 - 23:00 by Dan Miller

For the frequent traveler, the most useful information is local, personal and mobile. Internet travel specialist Orbitz has launched Traveler Update, a web-based mash-up that includes flight information from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and security information from the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) as well as user-generated content, called "travelers' tips" regarding such things as nearby traffic conditions, weather, wait-times for check-in and even the state of free access to Wi-Fi. Information is organized by "airport" and made available to mobile phones through via the wireless web @ http://mobile.orbitz.com.

The good and bad of the wireless Web is on display. Because the site is updated frequently with live data from several sources, it stays fresh. Travelers can get general advisories on flight delays or search for the status of a specific flight by carrier and flight number. So-called "Travelers Tips" is a nice touch and appears to be pre-populated with information about such things as the location of full-service banks (as opposed to ATMs) or where one can get breakfast 24-hours a day. The social element is "Travleer Updates", which contains postings from other (usually disgruntled) airline passengers logging words of advice to others.

The lay-out is pretty much text-laden to suit the small displays that characterize wireless handsets. With screens that are two inches in width or less, the print can be pretty small.

There are no banner ads on the landing page, but it is easy to see where they would fit. Traveler Updates (E.g. "arrived 30 minutes ago, still waiting for luggage" or "The line for arrivals at American terminal is a mess....") are less likely to be adds, but "Traveler Tips" appear well-suited to be sponsored links (E.g. "Cereality Cereal Bar has locations in Terminals A and B"). Online travel companies have, to date, confined their mobile offers to promotional messages (fare alerts) that are delivered as automated voice phone calls or SMS/text messages. In the wake of Orbitz' IPO last month, this is a great way to draw attention to the beginnings of what could be a well-populated local mobile social site.

____

Other mobile travel sites (courtesy of ResourceShelf's Gary Price):