Google Assistant Can Now Predict Flight Delays With 85 Percent Confidence

After checking in for your flight, fueling up with snacks, and packing your carry-on to zipper-bursting capacity, there's one thing left to do before heading to the airport: confirm that your flight will actually leave when it's supposed to. While there's no gadget that will spare you the frustration of flight delays, a new feature from Google Assistant could at least make you better prepared for them.

According to The Verge, Google's voice-activated smart service Google Assistant can now predict if your flight will leave behind schedule before the airline makes an official announcement. Just ask it something like "Hey Google, is my flight on time?" or "What's the status of the Delta flight from New York to Chicago?" and Google will use machine learning and historical flight status data to make an informed guess. Predictions are given with an 85 percent confidence rate, so while you shouldn't totally change your plans based on the forecast, you can make some preparations in case they turn out to be correct.

The feature isn't completely new for Google—users can already see flight delay predictions through Google Flights—but it is the first time it's available for Google Home owners through Assistant. As is the case with Google Flights, Google Assistant will give a reason for its prognosis if it knows one. Users can also elect to receive notifications on their phone so they can learn about any potential delays as soon as possible.

If you're the type of traveler who needs even more intel than Google has to offer, there's an app for that. LiveATC provides live audio feeds of the air traffic control channels of 1200 airports, so you can hear about the status of your flight in real-time.

[h/t The Verge]