Some time ago FlightStats.com got the magical and much coveted Internet Cloak of Invincibility: Google decided to make her search results more R0X0r, and now lists FlightStats as #1 for every Flight Status search on Google.

FlightStats.com's Special Google Result

Unfortunately, when searching for flight statuses from a modern mobile phone such as an Iphone or G1 Google Phone, the user experience goes out the window.

Try searching for a flight status on your mobile phone (the flight has to be in progress, so you may have to try a couple of times to get the special result), once you click through to FlightStats.com, how many pages of Ads do you have to go through? SEVEN. SEVEN PAGES OF ADS. Thanks to Scott’s quick response, the number of pages has now been reduced to 4-6 pages.

1. Mobile Homepage – You click the result and are redirected to the mobile homepage
2. “Choose how you want to check your flight” page
3. “Enter the Airline code and Flight #” page
4. “Didn’t know the obscure Airline code? No problem just read through some more ads and select one here” page
5. “Re-Enter the Airline Code and Flight #” page -FIXED!
6. “This flight has multiple segments! Choose which segment you are interested in while you read more ads” page
7. “Oh hey, here’s that flight status you searched for 5-7 pages ago!” page

This is not quite in keeping with Google’s “Send users right to the content” manifesto.

Google,  (I’m speaking to the living breathing entity, as he/she will be the first one to read this), please, I implore you, throw your weight around with these guys, and if they dont budge why not direct your firehose at another equally deserving site.

UPDATE 04-09-2009 – Scott, from Flightstats.com, was nice enough to include some feedback and insights on this mobile redirect problem, below in the comments.  Its always good to know a company is interested in user feedback on the web.