Updated October 2026
Spirit Airlines data sale: the docket, date by date
If you are following Spirit Airlines' internal-data sale, or planning a data sale of your own in a case, here is every dated step so far in In re Spirit Aviation Holdings, No. 25-11897 (SHL), before Judge Sean H. Lane in the Southern District of New York, from the first filing to the hearing that will decide it.1,2,3
Filing to procedures
2025-08-29 to 2026-06-22: the case and the rules for bidding
2025-08-29: Spirit files its second Chapter 11 case. 2026-05-02: the airline stops flying, which turns its operating records into something to be sold rather than used.1,4
2026-05-27: the debtors move for bidding procedures for the data (Dkt. 1117). 2026-06-22: the court enters the bidding procedures order (Dkt. 1213).5
Ombudsman and auction
July and August 2026: an ombudsman, an auction and a sale order
2026-07-17: the US Trustee appoints Lucy L. Thomson as consumer privacy ombudsman (Dkt. 1350). 2026-07-23: the court approves her appointment (Dkt. 1380).6
2026-08-14: a virtual auction of about two and a half hours, moderated by Davis Polk and PJT Partners. Google opens at $5.0M and wins at $10.0M; Mercor's $7.5M becomes the alternate bid. The ombudsman's report gives the date as 2026-08-13, a discrepancy the docket report notes.7,8
2026-08-17: the proposed sale order is filed (Dkt. 1469). As filed, it carries no privacy conditions, no re-identification ban and no reporting duty. A declaration about the auction (Dkt. 1470) says the way personal details are stripped out, and other privacy factors, may decide the outcome.9,10
| Fact | Value and source |
|---|---|
| Spirit data auction | Virtual auction of about two and a half hours on 2026-08-14, run by Davis Polk and PJT Partners. Google opened at $5.0M and won at $10.0M cash; Mercor is the alternate bidder at $7.5M |
| Mercor's bids at the Spirit auction | Mercor bid $5.2M (Google's form, third-party de-identification) or $7.0M (its own tools), then offered $10.0M conditioned on in-house de-identification. Google's $10.0M was chosen; Mercor's $7.5M stands as the alternate |
| Proposed sale order | Proposed sale order filed 2026-08-17 (Dkt. 1469). As filed, it contained no privacy conditions, no ban on re-identification and no reporting duty to the court |
Objections
August 18 to September 9: objections, a late bid and a narrower package
2026-08-18 to 2026-09-04: six objections or joinders arrive from AFA-CWA (Dkt. 1489), Springshot (Dkt. 1508), PAFCA (Dkt. 1521), International Aero Engines (Dkt. 1538), IAM and TWU Local 570 (Dkt. 1539) and ALPA (Dkt. 1558).11,12
2026-09-03: micro1 files a notice of intent at $12.5M cash with no financing contingency (Dkt. 1556). 2026-09-08: the ombudsman's first report lists five categories of conditions (Dkt. 1581). 2026-09-09: Google removes five datasets and holds its price (Dkt. 1594).13,14,15
| Fact | Value and source |
|---|---|
| Objections to the Spirit data sale | Six objections or joinders filed 2026-08-18 to 2026-09-04: AFA-CWA, Springshot, PAFCA, International Aero Engines, IAM and TWU Local 570, and ALPA |
| micro1's notice of intent | micro1 filed a notice of intent on 2026-09-03 (Dkt. 1556): $12.5M cash from cash on hand, no financing contingency, $2.5M (25%) above Google's successful bid and $5M above Mercor's alternate bid |
| Ombudsman's first report | Report of 2026-09-08 (Dkt. 1581) set five categories of conditions: verified de-identification with certification, transparency, protection of children and teens, no re-identification, and security in the AI training environment |
| Datasets Google dropped | On 2026-09-09 (Dkt. 1594) Google agreed to remove the PNR and transaction, refunds, inflight purchases, timecard and WiFi sales datasets, with the price unchanged at $10.0M |
Now
October 2026: a recommendation and a new hearing date
2026-10-05: the ombudsman recommends approving the sale to Google, with Tonic.ai certifying before each transfer that personal details were stripped out. October: 121 lawmakers led by Sen. Warren and Rep. Horsford write to the CEOs of Spirit and Google, and EPIC files an amicus brief.2,16
Next: the sale hearing on 2026-11-06, after earlier settings in September and on 2026-10-14. We will add the outcome here when it is reported.3
FAQ
Questions, answered with sources
2026-11-06, according to Skift. It was moved from earlier dates, most recently 2026-10-14.3
2026-08-14 per the auction notice, though the ombudsman's report says 2026-08-13. It lasted about two and a half hours.7
In re Spirit Aviation Holdings, No. 25-11897 (SHL), in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.1
On 2026-09-03, by a notice of intent filed as Dkt. 1556, about three weeks after the auction.13
Davis Polk and PJT Partners moderated it, according to the declaration filed after the auction.7
Every business is different, so this one is best talked through with the buyer you're working with. Their team goes over it with you before anything is signed.
Before you sign
Questions to talk through with your buyer
Every business is different, so these are best talked through with the buyer you're working with. Their team goes over them with you before anything is signed.
Questions for this kind of business
- Is a consumer privacy ombudsman, court approval, or notice and a hearing needed?
Questions for any buyer
- Is the license exclusive, and for how long?
- Can you sublicense the data, and to whom?
- Which AI labs will receive it, and will you tell us?
- How long do you keep it, and how is it deleted?
- What is your liability cap, and who indemnifies whom?
- Will the contract ban re-identification of people in the data?
- Who removes personal data, by what method, and do we approve it first?