Hotel review giant TripAdvisor launches a new service today in the US and UK allowing users to leave ratings for airlines featured on its flight search product.
Limited at this stage to ratings rather than full reviews, users logged in through Facebook or their own TripAdvisor account can leave a a score based on eight criteria for each airlines.
Aggregate reviews are then displayed when a user searches for a ticket on the TripAdvisor metasearch engine and clicks on the airline's logo.
Ratings can be left for the following:
- Value
- Check-in experience
- Punctuality
- Baggage handling
- Seat comfort
- In-flight service
- In-flight amenities
- Reasonableness of fees
TripAdvisor has been collecting data over recent months before launching the full product today - at this stage only on its US and UK sites, where the flight search product currently operates.
The idea of adding ratings to the air metasearch product has been on the agenda for quite some time, with TripAdvisor Flights general manager Bryan Saltzburg suggesting in October 2009 that it would consider such a service.
Another new feature, which TripAdvisor claims is a first for flight search engines, is the addition of a "fee estimator" into search results, allowing users to see what taxes and baggage costs will be added to the final ticket price.
Fees also cover items such as in-flight entertainment and onboard meals and drinks.