
Wrong information on Google flight card meant we missed our flight - saisrirampur
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/jan/19/tigerair-google-flight-card-delay
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gdulli
I's so important for everyone to understand that Google can only approximate
describing the real world in a structured way based on vast inputs of
unstructured data with minimal human attention.

Twice that I can remember, I've gone to a restaurant that existed on Google
maps but when I got there I saw had been long closed. That's my fault, Google
isn't to blame because there were stale web pages somewhere indicating these
restaurants still existed.

But the more Google represents itself as presenting truth without significant
qualification, the more they do so with their signature lack of humility or
accountability, the more disingenuous it becomes.

I'm skeptical of Google and apparently even I still sometimes make the mistake
of assuming its data is correct. How many people don't understand even the
basics of how Google gets its data and don't distinguish between the real
world and the representation of the world in a database so vast that it could
never be vetted?

~~~
Eridrus
Google clearly has sources of data besides scraping the web.

I think the right way of looking at this is that if the information you're
getting is critical, you should verify it. Consider Google's notification that
your flight was delayed as a 99% chance of your flight being delayed (though
it is likely much better).

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thisrod
I use Google to introduce my new rock climbers to the principle of "Climb the
cliff, not the guidebook."

A group of 20 year olds are standing around their cars. "All right. Does every
car have someone who knows the way to the car park for Beginner Cliff?" They
all nod.

I drive to the car park, and wait for 5 minutes. My phone rings. "Hey, we're
driving along the freeway, and we can see Beginner Cliff on the other side of
Whopping Great Valley, but Google told us to drive here." I give them
directions, and remind them that they said they knew the route. We repeat this
for the other cars.

I sit back and read a book, and everyone else turns up 15 minutes later.

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drpgq
I'm amazed that there is a flight delay lawyer.

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graupel
Right, what I have learned is that just because a flight might be late for you
doesn't mean you can be late for it...

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WorldMaker
Flight delays have to be reported when it delays the arrival at destination
time. I think you should generally assume the flight loads on time or as soon
as possible after that, even in a delay situation.

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princeb
the letter to the columnist is ambiguous and did not say if the consumer knew
the email was from google or from the airline or from the agent. I can only
imagine the consumer could not tell the difference and simply assumed that the
advice came directly from the airline.

I have not seen this 'email' myself but I know that if the itinerary was
present in my gmail inbox the flight details, i get the flight card on the
google search engine when searching for the flight. definitely not in the form
of an email.

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iLoch
Avoid the problem: if you receive a flight delay notification, check the
airline's flight status website. Flight logistics are complicated and in
constant flux.

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saisrirampur
I myself faced this issue when google told different arriving-departing
terminals at transit. Called the airport and re-verified that it was wrong.

