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Spirit Airlines

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Google Lands Spirit's Worker Data Auction, Prompting Flight Attendant Privacy Alarm
technology9 days ago

Google Lands Spirit's Worker Data Auction, Prompting Flight Attendant Privacy Alarm

Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy led to a $10 million auction of a vast, de-identified archive of Spirit employees’ emails, HR, payroll, and other workplace data (roughly 100 million emails); a third‑party scrubber will remove PII before transfer, and Google says it will not re-identify the data. The Association of Flight Attendants objects, arguing worker confidentiality isn’t adequately protected and asking the court to exclude flight-attendant data and require safeguards; Google maintains it aims to protect data, but privacy concerns linger, with a September court hearing to decide the sale.

Google Wins $10M Bid for Spirit’s Internal Data to Train AI
technology10 days ago

Google Wins $10M Bid for Spirit’s Internal Data to Train AI

Google won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Spirit Airlines’ internal records—including roughly 100 million emails, 500 million Teams chats, 17 million OneDrive files, 20 million SharePoint items, and 516 code repositories with about 30 million lines of software—for $10 million, with federal court approval still required. A third party will anonymize PII before transfer, and Google will not receive customer or credit-card data or attempt to identify individuals. The dataset, which also covers flight operations, pricing, crew schedules, and IT workflows, could help train AI that performs workplace tasks, though extracting value from such sensitive communications is complex. Spirit ceased operations earlier this year after a second Chapter 11 bankruptcy, underscoring a growing market for failed startups’ internal data for AI training.

Google buys Spirit Airlines’ data stash to power its AI
business10 days ago

Google buys Spirit Airlines’ data stash to power its AI

Google is paying $10 million to acquire Spirit Airlines’ data—emails, internal communications, bookings, frequent-flyer information and HR records—that have been de-identified for AI training; Google says no personal information will be provided. Mercor.io bid $7.5 million, and a bankruptcy judge will rule on the sale, a rare move for a bankrupt airline.

Google Wins Spirit Airlines Data Auction to Train AI
business11 days ago

Google Wins Spirit Airlines Data Auction to Train AI

Google won a bankruptcy auction to acquire Spirit Airlines’ enterprise data—about 100 million emails and 500 million Microsoft Teams chats plus related documents—for roughly $10 million. The data will be deidentified before transfer and used to train its AI models, with no passenger profiles or personal data included; federal judge approval is required. If the deal falls through, the next highest bidder was Mercor at $7.5 million.

Google Taps Spirit Data to Turbocharge AI
technology11 days ago

Google Taps Spirit Data to Turbocharge AI

Google won a $10 million bankruptcy auction to acquire Spirit Airlines’ deidentified data—emails, Teams chats, pricing and transaction records, code, and employee files—for use in improving its AI models. The dataset will be scrubbed of personally identifiable information by a third party, and personal data such as passenger profiles and loyalty program records are excluded. Spirit filed for Chapter 11; JetBlue separately won rights to Spirit’s LaGuardia slots for $58.5 million, with a hearing set for Aug. 19.

JetBlue wins Spirit’s LaGuardia slots, eyes a Terminal A comeback
business1 month ago

JetBlue wins Spirit’s LaGuardia slots, eyes a Terminal A comeback

JetBlue has won 12 takeoff/landing slots at New York’s LaGuardia formerly held by Spirit, with final court and regulatory approvals still required. The airline says it’s evaluating plans to move operations back to Terminal A, the Marine Air Terminal Spirit used before its May shutdown, though any expansion isn’t expected before 2027 as it reshapes its network after Spirit’s collapse.

U.S. Budget-Flight Model Faces Its Biggest Test Yet
business2 months ago

U.S. Budget-Flight Model Faces Its Biggest Test Yet

Spirit’s collapse and rising jet-fuel costs are reshaping the U.S. airline landscape: major carriers are leaning into premium cabins and loyalty programs, while ultra‑low-cost carriers struggle to achieve scale and fill routes, prompting consolidation and pivots toward underserved markets; Europe remains a stronger ULCC environment, and millennials’ willingness to pay modest premiums suggests a future where value and service may trump the absolute cheapest fare.

JetBlue Signals Major Fort Lauderdale Expansion as Spirit Collapse Frees Gates
business2 months ago

JetBlue Signals Major Fort Lauderdale Expansion as Spirit Collapse Frees Gates

JetBlue, already the largest carrier at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International, plans a major expansion with more gates, up to about 150 daily flights in peak winter, and more international and premium service, leveraging Spirit Airlines’ collapse to fill capacity and intensify competition with Miami; the airline has raised its revenue forecast on solid demand.

Spirit's LGA Slots Hit Auction Block in Bankruptcy Sale
news3 months ago

Spirit's LGA Slots Hit Auction Block in Bankruptcy Sale

Spirit Airlines is auctioning its 22 LaGuardia Airport slots in a bankruptcy sale; the winning bid will be approved by a court, and the slots—determining capacity and how often planes can fly there—could enable roughly 12 more daily flights once allocated, with carriers like American, Frontier, JetBlue, Southwest, and Porter eyeing the assets while Terminal A is redeveloped by the Port Authority.

Fuel costs push airfares higher as summer travel looms
business3 months ago

Fuel costs push airfares higher as summer travel looms

Airfares hit their highest level in nearly four years as jet-fuel costs surged (fuel is a major airline expense and is being passed to travelers), even with demand remaining strong for the summer. Gas prices are above $4 a gallon, and potential supply pressures could keep fares elevated. Spirit Airlines’ collapse removed a low-fare option, prompting capacity adjustments across carriers. TSA expects heavy travel around Memorial Day, while AAA notes roads won’t offer bargains; travelers can save by flexible dates, using tools like Google Flights Explorer, and redeeming miles or points.

Spirit Shutdown Pushes a Flight Attendant Toward Independence and New Opportunities
business3 months ago

Spirit Shutdown Pushes a Flight Attendant Toward Independence and New Opportunities

Julian Richardson, an eight-year Spirit Airlines flight attendant, was shocked by the shutdown despite years of rumors and is navigating unemployed status with no severance or clear final paycheck while pursuing a side-hustle and applying to other airlines. He plans to leverage his skills to find new flight-attendant work, values the travel benefits, and hopes to someday own his own business, viewing entrepreneurship as true job security.

Desert Dash: How a Repo Crew Snagged 20 Spirit Jets in Six Hours
business3 months ago

Desert Dash: How a Repo Crew Snagged 20 Spirit Jets in Six Hours

Spirit Airlines’ sudden bankruptcy left its fleet scattered. Nomadic Aviation Group retrieved the jets, racing to assemble crews—six hours to find 20 pilots—for ferry flights, then conducted airworthiness checks, refueling, and flight planning before moving the planes to two dry desert storage sites near Phoenix and Tucson to await leasing or scrapping decisions amid engine shortages.