MicroSectors(@msectors):Weekly Travel Update GOOGLE BUYS A DEAD AIRLINE'S DATA TO TRAIN ITS AI $GOOGL agreed to pay $10 million for Spirit Airlines' enterprise dataset, including internal emails, spreadsheets, booking and frequent flyer records, and HR files, all stripped of personally identifying information according to the bankruptcy filing. AI firm https://t.co/p0kUfmRL3S came in second at $7.5 million, with Judge Sean Lane set to rule on the sale Wednesday. The deal is a rare one because bankrupt airlines are usually bought whole by rivals, but Spirit became the first major US carrier in 25 years to shut down entirely rather than find a buyer. AMTRAK LANDS NEARLY $3B IN FEDERAL GRANTS FOR NEW TRAINS AND TRACK The Federal Railroad Administration awarded Amtrak funding for seven projects, headlined by $2.05 billion to buy up to 43 new trainsets that will replace aging equipment across 21 state supported routes and be built domestically with roughly 100 suppliers in 31 states. Another $659 million goes to relocating Midwest maintenance operations to Chicago's Canal St. Yard and rebuilding more than a dozen viaducts and bridges, plus $37.2 million to rehabilitate the 110 year old South Branch Bridge over the Chicago River. Additional awards fund track work with $CSX in South Carolina and six miles of second mainline track with BNSF near Havre, Montana, with Amtrak and partners contributing a 20% match on each project. EXPEDIA CUTS EIGHT TOP TECH EXECS IN AI DRIVEN SHAKEUP $EXPE removed one SVP and seven VPs from its product and technology ranks, telling staff in an internal memo from chief product officer Shilpa Ranganathan and CTO Ramana Thumu that the company needs to move faster because AI has radically changed what is possible. The reorg consolidates data, AI and agentic platforms under chief data and AI officer Xavi Amatriain and promotes Rick Fast to chief architect, with most affected employees shifting teams or reporting lines rather than exiting. It follows a steady shrinking of headcount from 17,100 at the end of 2023 to roughly 16,000 last year, about half of whom work in technology roles.

2026.08.21 18:16

Weekly Travel Update GOOGLE BUYS A DEAD AIRLINE'S DATA TO TRAIN ITS AI $GOOGL agreed to pay $10 million for Spirit Airlines' enterprise dataset, including internal emails, spreadsheets, booking and frequent flyer records, and HR files, all stripped of personally identifying information according to the bankruptcy filing. AI firm came in second at $7.5 million, with Judge Sean Lane set to rule on the sale Wednesday. The deal is a rare one because bankrupt airlines are usually bought whole by rivals, but Spirit became the first major US carrier in 25 years to shut down entirely rather than find a buyer. AMTRAK LANDS NEARLY $3B IN FEDERAL GRANTS FOR NEW TRAINS AND TRACK The Federal Railroad Administration awarded Amtrak funding for seven projects, headlined by $2.05 billion to buy up to 43 new trainsets that will replace aging equipment across 21 state supported routes and be built domestically with roughly 100 suppliers in 31 states. Another $659 million goes to relocating Midwest maintenance operations to Chicago's Canal St. Yard and rebuilding more than a dozen viaducts and bridges, plus $37.2 million to rehabilitate the 110 year old South Branch Bridge over the Chicago River. Additional awards fund track work with $CSX in South Carolina and six miles of second mainline track with BNSF near Havre, Montana, with Amtrak and partners contributing a 20% match on each project. EXPEDIA CUTS EIGHT TOP TECH EXECS IN AI DRIVEN SHAKEUP $EXPE removed one SVP and seven VPs from its product and technology ranks, telling staff in an internal memo from chief product officer Shilpa Ranganathan and CTO Ramana Thumu that the company needs to move faster because AI has radically changed what is possible. The reorg consolidates data, AI and agentic platforms under chief data and AI officer Xavi Amatriain and promotes Rick Fast to chief architect, with most affected employees shifting teams or reporting lines rather than exiting. It follows a steady shrinking of headcount from 17,100 at the end of 2023 to roughly 16,000 last year, about half of whom work in technology roles.