Google Clears Major Hurdle in Spirit Airlines Data Purchase

Google has secured a significant victory in its pursuit to acquire Spirit Airlines' old data for $10 million. A court-appointed consumer privacy ombudsman recommended the sale be approved, citing measures taken by both companies to protect passenger privacy. The ombudsman, Lucy Thomson, noted that the revised scope of the data, exclusion of passenger databases, and the use of Tonic.ai for de-identification significantly reduced potential risks to the 97 million consumers whose data was collected by Spirit Airlines.

The sale, which follows Spirit Airlines' shutdown in May, still requires final court approval. A hearing on the proposed sale is scheduled for October 14. The ombudsman's review focused solely on consumer privacy risks and did not extend to potential privacy concerns for employees. Lawyers previously highlighted that employee data generally belongs to the company and is not private.

Unions representing flight attendants and pilots, including those from American Airlines, have objected to the sale. They argue that the data sale could undermine privacy and even pose risks to aviation safety. Despite these objections, the ombudsman's recommendation strengthens Google's case, though the court's decision remains pending. If other bids, such as those from AI training companies Mercor and Micro1, are considered, additional privacy reviews will be necessary.