Indebtedness (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Payments Not Made Due to Chapter 11 Proceedings	73,000,000
Collateral Already Posted, Aggregate Fair Value	2,000,000
Remainder of 2012	259,000,000
2013	935,000,000
2014	873,000,000
2015	807,000,000
2016	733,000,000
2017 and beyond	4,700,000,000
Boeing 737-800 Aircraft [Member]
Number of aircrafts delivered	21
Number of Aircraft Included in Sale-Leaseback Arrangement	35
10.5% Senior Secured Notes Due 2012 [Member]
Collateral Already Posted, Aggregate Fair Value	41,000,000
Secured Debt, Tax Exempt [Member]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	1,500,000,000
Secured Debt [Member]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	4,700,000,000
Unsecured Debt [Member]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	842,000,000
Lease [Member]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	3,700,000

Number of Aircraft Delivered And Financed Under Sale-Leaseback Arrangement

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- Definition

Number of Aircraft Included in Sale-Leaseback Arrangement With a Leasing Company

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Payments Not Made Due to Chapter 11 Proceedings

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The aggregate fair value of assets that are already posted, at the end of the reporting period, as collateral for derivative instruments with credit-risk-related contingent features.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4H

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-Subparagraph c

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- Definition

Maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees before reduction for potential recoveries under recourse or collateralization provisions.

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

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-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher FASB

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-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (b)(1)

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- Definition

For leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within one year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.

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-Publisher FASB

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-Topic 840

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-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

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For leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within the fifth year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.

+ References

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For leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within the fourth year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.

+ References

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For leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within the third year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.

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For leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due within the second year of the balance sheet date relating to leases defined as operating.

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For leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year, required rental payments due after the fifth year from the balance sheet date on leases defined as operating.

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