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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
In December 2013, the Company entered into an agreement with Broward County, Florida, which owns and operates Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport ("FLL"), to oversee and manage the design and construction of the airport's Terminal 1 Modernization Project. Pursuant to an addendum entered into during 2016, the cost of the project is not to exceed $333 million. In addition to significant improvements to the existing Terminal 1, the project includes the design and construction of a new five-gate Concourse A with an international processing facility. Funding for the project has come directly from Broward County aviation sources, but flows through the Company in its capacity as manager of the project. Major construction on the project began during third quarter 2015. Construction of Concourse A was completed during second quarter 2017. Construction on Terminal 1 was substantially complete and operational as of the end of third quarter 2018. The Company has determined that due to its agreed upon role in overseeing and managing the project, it is considered the owner of the project for accounting purposes. As such, during construction the Company records expenditures as Assets constructed for others ("ACFO") in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet, along with a corresponding outflow within Assets constructed for others in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, and an increase to Construction obligation (with a corresponding cash inflow from financing activities in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows) as reimbursements are received from Broward County. Upon completion of different phases of the project, the Company has placed the associated assets in service and has begun depreciating the assets over their estimated useful lives.
Houston William P. Hobby Airport
In fourth quarter 2015, the Company effectively completed construction on a new international terminal at Houston William P. Hobby Airport ("HOU"). The project final cost was approximately $150 million, and the Company provided the funding for, as well as management over, the project. Upon completion of different phases of the project, the Company has placed the associated assets in service and has begun depreciating the assets over their estimated useful lives. In first quarter 2018, the Company received a reimbursement from the City of Houston of $116 million for the investment and updates made to HOU, representing the remaining unamortized net book value of the project as of the reimbursement date. With the reimbursement received, the Company created a Construction obligation in the unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet along with an inflow within the Reimbursement for assets constructed for others in the unaudited condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. The Construction obligation will be reduced primarily through the Company's airport rental payments to the City of Houston as the construction costs of this project are passed through to the Company via recurring airport rate charges.

Los Angeles International Airport
In March 2013, the Company executed a lease agreement (the "T1 Lease") with Los Angeles World Airports ("LAWA"), which owns and operates Los Angeles International Airport ("LAX"). Under the T1 Lease, which was amended in June 2014 and September 2017, the Company is overseeing and managing the design, development, financing, construction, and commissioning of the airport's Terminal 1 Modernization Project at a cost not to exceed $526 million (including proprietary renovations, or $510 million excluding proprietary renovations). In October 2017, the Company executed a separate lease agreement with LAWA (the "T1.5 Lease"). Under the T1.5 Lease, the Company will oversee and manage the design, development, financing, construction, and commissioning of a passenger processing facility between Terminals 1 and 2 (the "Terminal 1.5 Project"). The Terminal 1.5 Project is expected to include ticketing, baggage claim, passenger screening, and a bus gate at a cost not to exceed $479 million for site improvements and non-proprietary improvements.
These projects are being funded primarily using the Regional Airports Improvement Corporation (the "RAIC"), which is a quasi-governmental special purpose entity that acts as a conduit borrower under syndicated credit facilities provided by groups of lenders. Loans made under the separate credit facilities for the Terminal 1 Modernization Project and the Terminal 1.5 Project are being used to fund the development of each of these projects, and the outstanding loans will be repaid with the proceeds of LAWA’s payments to purchase completed construction phases. The Company has guaranteed the obligations of the RAIC under each of the credit facilities associated with the respective lease agreements. As of September 30, 2018, the Company's outstanding remaining guaranteed obligations under the credit facilities for the Terminal 1 Modernization Project and Terminal 1.5 Project were $137 million and $83 million, respectively.
Construction on the Terminal 1 Modernization Project began during 2014 and is estimated to be completed during fourth quarter 2018. Construction on the Terminal 1.5 Project began during third quarter 2017 and is estimated to be completed during 2020. The Company has determined that due to its agreed upon role in overseeing and managing these projects, it is considered the owner of these projects for accounting purposes. LAWA is reimbursing the Company (through the RAIC credit facilities) for the site improvements and non-proprietary improvements, while proprietary improvements will not be reimbursed. As a result, the costs incurred to fund these projects are included within ACFO and all amounts that have been or will be reimbursed will be included within Construction obligation on the accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.
Dallas Love Field
During 2008, the City of Dallas approved the LFMP, a project to reconstruct Dallas Love Field with modern, convenient air travel facilities. Pursuant to a Program Development Agreement with the City of Dallas and the Love Field Airport Modernization Corporation (or the "LFAMC," a Texas non-profit "local government corporation" established by the City of Dallas to act on the City of Dallas' behalf to facilitate the development of the LFMP), the Company managed this project.

Although the City of Dallas received commitments from various sources that helped to fund portions of the LFMP project, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and the City of Dallas' Aviation Fund, the majority of the funds used were from the issuance of bonds. The Company guaranteed principal and interest payments on $456 million of such bonds issued by the LFAMC. As of September 30, 2018, $424 million of principal remained outstanding. The Company utilized the accounting guidance provided for lessees involved in asset construction. Upon completion of different phases of the LFMP project, the Company has placed the associated assets in service and has begun depreciating the assets over their estimated useful lives. The corresponding LFMP liabilities are being reduced primarily through the Company's airport rental payments to the City of Dallas as the construction costs of this project are passed through to the Company via recurring airport rates and charges. Major construction was effectively completed by December 31, 2014. During second quarter 2017, the City of Dallas approved using the remaining bond funds for additional terminal construction projects, which were effectively completed in March 2018.

During 2015, the City of Dallas issued additional bonds for the construction of a new parking garage at Dallas Love Field. The Company has not guaranteed the principal or interest payments on these bonds, but remains the accounting owner of this project.

Construction costs recorded in ACFO for the Company's various projects as of September 30, 2018, and December 31, 2017, were as follows:

 
 
September 30, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
(in millions)
 
ACFO
ACFO,
Net (a)
Construction Obligation (b)
 
ACFO
ACFO,
Net (a)
Construction Obligation (b)
FLL Terminal
(c)
$
308

$
302

$
304

 
$
258

$
256

$
258

LAX Terminal 1
(c)
474

451

467

 
433

417

433

LAX Terminal 1.5
(c)
73

73

73

 
31

31

31

LFMP Terminal
 
545

464

506

 
543

474

516

LFMP Parking Garage
(c)
192

192

192

 
152

152

152

HOU International Terminal
 
126

116

116

 
126

118


 
 
$
1,718

$
1,598

$
1,658

 
$
1,543

$
1,448

$
1,390

(a) Net of accumulated depreciation.
(b) Construction obligation will be reduced through future facility rent payments. These future rent payments are not fixed per the lease agreement, but are variable and fluctuate based on various market and other factors outside the control of the Company.
(c) Projects still in progress.

Contingencies
The Company is from time to time subject to various legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of business, including, but not limited to, examinations by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS"). The Company's management does not expect that the outcome of any of its currently ongoing legal proceedings or the outcome of any adjustments presented by the IRS, individually or collectively, will have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations, or cash flow.