Retirement Benefits

The following tables provide the components of net periodic benefit cost for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2013 and 2012 (in millions):



	Pension Benefits
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2013			2012			2013			2012
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	1		$	104		$	3		$	312
Interest cost	164			191			490			573
Expected return on assets	(180		)	(166		)	(540		)	(498		)
Amortization of:
Prior service cost	7			3			21			10
Unrecognized net (gain) loss	23			63			69			187
Net periodic benefit cost	$	15		$	195		$	43		$	584



	Retiree Medical and Other Benefits
	Three Months Ended September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2013			2012			2013			2012
Components of net periodic benefit cost:
Service cost	$	—		$	15		$	—		$	45
Interest cost	13			38			39			114
Expected return on assets	(4		)	(4		)	(12		)	(12		)
Amortization of:
Prior service cost	(61		)	(7		)	(183		)	(21		)
Unrecognized net (gain) loss	(2		)	(2		)	(6		)	(6		)
Net periodic benefit cost	$	(54	)	$	40		$	(162	)	$	120

The Company is required to make minimum contributions to its defined benefit pension plans under the minimum funding requirements of ERISA, the Pension Funding Equity Act of 2004, the Pension Protection Act of 2006, and the Pension Relief Act of 2010. As a result of the Chapter 11 Cases, AMR contributed $87.6 million to its U.S. defined benefit pension plans during the first nine months of 2013 covering post-petition periods. On October 15, 2013, the Company contributed an additional $16.8 million to its defined benefit pension plans. Prior to emerging from Chapter 11 (see Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for further information), AMR and/or its subsidiaries will make all minimum required contributions to each AMR compensation and benefit plan that are required to have been made and were not made prior to emergence. As a result of the Company contributing only the post-petition portion of required contributions, the PBGC filed a lien against certain assets of the Company in 2012.

Recent Modifications to Pension and Other Post-Employment Benefits

The Company's defined benefit pension plans were frozen effective November 1, 2012. Eligible employees began to receive a replacement benefit under the $uper $aver 401(k) Plan on November 1, 2012.

In December 2012, the Pilot A Plan, a defined benefit plan, was amended to remove the lump-sum option and the installment option forms of benefit effective December 31, 2012. A small group of American pilots is appealing the Bankruptcy Court's decision authorizing American to eliminate the lump sum option and installment option forms of benefit. This is the same group of pilots that is appealing the Bankruptcy Court's decisions authorizing American to reject the pilot CBA and approving the new pilot CBA. All of these appeals have been consolidated, and are pending in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

The Pilot B Plan, a defined contribution plan, was terminated on November 30, 2012. As of September 30, 2013, more than 99% of Plan B assets have been distributed and, with the exception of a small residual balance to cover final plan expenses, we expect the remaining funds to be distributed by the end of the fourth quarter of 2013.

On July 6, 2012, the Company commenced an adversary proceeding in the Bankruptcy Court seeking a determination on the issue of vesting for former employees who retired before November 1, 2012 and were eligible for certain retiree medical coverage. The Court held a hearing on January 23, 2013 and has not ruled on this matter as of the date of this report. The Company has been negotiating with the retiree committee since July 2012, seeking a consensual agreement to terminate subsidized retiree medical coverage and life insurance coverage.

As a result of the modifications to the retirement benefits as discussed above, a portion of the pension and postretirement benefits liability, primarily relating to retiree medical and other benefits, was classified as liabilities subject to compromise. See Note 1 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the breakout of liabilities subject to compromise, including that related to pension and postretirement benefits.