Google's $10M Spirit Airlines Data Deal Faces Objection Over Proprietary Records
A proposed sale of Spirit Airlines' data to Google has hit a roadblock. Springshot, an aviation software company, claims some of the assets in the archive are not owned by Spirit and should be excluded from the deal.
The archive includes around 100 million emails, 500 million Microsoft Teams messages, collaboration records, spreadsheets, code, and operational data. Springshot argues that this collection may contain proprietary records generated by its software, which could help a competitor build AI to manage airport operations.
According to Springshot CEO Doug Kreuzkamp, the company has developed its platform over 15 years and deployed it across more than 475 airports globally. It connects frontline workers with operational systems and real-time information to coordinate tasks such as preparing aircraft for departure and organizing ground services.
Kreuzkamp emphasizes that Springshot generates records by combining workers' interactions with its software, signals from other systems, and operational requirements into structured, flight-specific datasets. He claims these records are not just a digitized account of Spirit's business but also contain proprietary operational data and trade secrets.