Kayak Goes After Bing Travel Search

Bing does bring a host of new features loved by some and criticized by others. But, this time, the criticism isn't about a feature's failing or lack of functionality, it's actually about the abundance of functionality. Abundance of functionality eerily similar to that of Kayak, the travel search engine, a similarity that made the search company send a “legal letter” to Microsoft concerning the matter.

As many have noticed, Bing's new travel search is looking a lot like Kayak and it goes beyond just the aesthetics, the functionality is very similar, even the results are identical most of the times. And, now, it looks like Kayak noticed that too and isn't too happy about it.

“We have contacted them through official channels about concerns about the similarities between Bing and Kayak,” Kayak’s Chief Marketing Officer Robert Birge told Wired.com. “From the look and feel of their travel product, they seem to agree with our approach to the market.”

Microsoft responded that it wasn't the case, as Bing's new travel feature was based on the Farecast travel search engine, which the company had acquired earlier. “We are discussing the matter with Kayak,” Microsoft spokesperson Whitney Burk said in an emailed statement on behalf of the company. “Bing Travel is based on independent development by Microsoft and Farecast.com, which Microsoft acquired in 2008. Any contrary allegations are without merit.”

However, Kayak isn't concerned about the technology that Bing uses, which is quite different, since Kayak doesn't have a predictive price feature, it's concerned just about the design and the user interface. One of the biggest issues is the use of “sliders,” which have also become a popular tool on many other sites, like the travel search startup InsideTrip.com, which also shares a big similarity with Kayak and Bing.