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Google has agreed to stronger privacy safeguards for its USD 10 million Spirit Airlines data deal in the US. The agreement, announced on November 10, 2026, followed objections from employee unions to Google's plan to use company records for AI training. The new rules exclude sensitive employee information and introduce independent checks before Google receives the data.
The agreement clears the way for a US bankruptcy judge to consider approving the deal next week. Google won an auction in August to acquire Spirit's emails, spreadsheets, calendars and business records. The airline stopped operations in May after financial difficulties led to its closure.
The revised agreement brings stronger protection for former Spirit employees. The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA secured stricter rules after raising concerns about personal information.
The revised terms exclude health and medical records, drug-testing information, and disciplinary records. Identification documents and workplace safety records also fall outside the sale.
An independent verification agent will review the data before Google receives it. Unions will help select the agent and monitor the verification process. Google must also keep the information confidential and process it in a secure environment. The company cannot attempt to identify individuals through the acquired records.
The proposed sale attracted criticism from around 120 US lawmakers last month. Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Steven Horsford questioned the scale of employee information involved.
They cited around 100 million emails and 500 million Microsoft Teams messages. The concerns increased pressure for stronger employee privacy protections.
A privacy ombudsman had earlier recommended approving the sale, subject to the exclusion of personal information belonging to 97 million Spirit passengers. The latest agreement extends these protections by addressing employee records separately. This gives former workers additional safeguards before the company transfers its digital records.
Google previously clarified its position on the proposed acquisition. The company said, "We are not looking to buy any personal information from Spirit." It also promised to exclude or independently de-identify information before receiving the data.
Spirit Airlines also welcomed the agreement with labor unions and other stakeholders. The airline said the cooperation would help maximize value for creditors. The revised deal highlights growing privacy concerns around corporate data used for AI development.
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