COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments

The Company has contractual obligations and commitments primarily with regard to future purchases of aircraft, repayment of debt (see Note 6), and lease arrangements (see Note 7). During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company leased three new 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The Company has firm orders in place with Boeing for 219 737 MAX 8 aircraft and 30 737 MAX 7 aircraft, as well as options for 115 737 MAX 8 aircraft as of December 31, 2019. All 34 of the Company's Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft have remained grounded since March 13, 2019, upon the FAA emergency order for all U.S. airlines to ground all MAX aircraft. See Note 16 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information. In addition, MAX deliveries were suspended as of March 13, 2019, and the timeline of future deliveries is uncertain. The FAA will ultimately determine the timing of MAX return to service, and the Company therefore offers no assurances that current estimations and timelines are correct. Based on the Company's current contractual obligations and shifting 40 MAX aircraft originally scheduled for delivery in 2019 into 2020 and one into 2021, the Company's capital commitments associated with these contractual firm orders and additional aircraft are as follows: $2.1 billion in 2020, $1.7 billion in 2021, $1.2 billion in 2022, $1.6 billion in 2023, $1.9 billion in 2024, and $1.5 billion thereafter.

The Company adopted the provisions of the New Lease Standard effective January 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective adoption method. The New Lease Standard eliminated the previous build-to-suit lease accounting guidance and resulted in the derecognition of build-to-suit assets and liabilities that remained on the balance sheet after the end of the construction period. See Note 2 for further information. Descriptions of the Company's recently completed and current build-to-suit projects follows.

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. In addition to significant improvements to the existing Terminal 1, the project included the design and construction of a new five-gate Concourse A with an international processing facility. Funding for the project came directly from Broward County aviation sources, but flowed through the Company in its capacity as manager of the project. Construction of Concourse A was completed during second quarter 2017, and construction on Terminal 1 was substantially complete and operational as of the end of third quarter 2018. As construction was completed prior to adoption of the New Lease Standard, the Company derecognized the FLL related Assets constructed for others ("ACFO") and Construction obligation within the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 1, 2019.

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 oversaw and managed the design, development, financing, construction, and commissioning of the airport's Terminal 1 Modernization Project. Construction on the Terminal 1 Modernization Project began during 2014 and was substantially complete and operational during fourth quarter 2018. As construction was completed prior to adoption of the New Lease Standard, the Company derecognized the LAX T1 Lease related ACFO and Construction obligation within the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 1, 2019.

In October 2017, the Company executed a separate lease agreement with LAWA (the "T1.5 Lease"). Under the T1.5 Lease, the Company is overseeing and managing the design, development, financing, construction, and commissioning of a passenger processing facility between Terminal 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. 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 role in the project, it is considered the owner of the Terminal 1.5 Project for accounting purposes under the New Lease Standard.

As a result, the costs incurred to fund the Terminal 1.5 Project are included within ACFO and all amounts that have been or will be reimbursed will be included within Construction obligation on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet. Upon completion of the Terminal 1.5 Project, the Company will perform an evaluation to determine the treatment of these associated assets and liabilities.

Funding for the Terminal 1.5 Project is primarily through the Regional Airports Improvement Corporation (the "RAIC"), which is a quasi-governmental special purpose entity that acts as a conduit borrower under a syndicated credit facility provided by a group of lenders. A loan made under the credit facility for the Terminal 1.5 Project is being used to reimburse the Company for the site improvements and non-proprietary improvements of the Terminal 1.5 Project, and the outstanding loan will be repaid with the proceeds of LAWA’s payments to purchase completed construction phases. The Company guaranteed the obligation of the RAIC under the credit facility associated with the T1.5 Lease. As of December 31, 2019, the Company's outstanding guaranteed obligation under the credit facility for the Terminal 1.5 Project was $176 million.

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. Major construction was effectively completed in 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 2018. As construction was completed prior to adoption of the New Lease Standard, the Company derecognized the LFMP Terminal related ACFO and Construction obligation within the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 1, 2019.

Although the City of Dallas received commitments from various sources that helped to fund portions of the LFMP project, including the FAA, 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 December 31, 2019, $407 million of principal remained outstanding. The net present value of the future principal and interest payments associated with the bonds was $444 million as of December 31, 2019, and was reflected as part of the Company's operating lease right-of-use assets and lease obligations in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. See Notes 2 and 7 for further information.

During 2015, the City of Dallas issued additional bonds for the construction of a new parking garage at Dallas Love Field, which was completed and operational in fourth quarter 2018. As construction was completed prior to adoption of the New Lease Standard, the Company derecognized the LFMP Parking Garage related ACFO and Construction obligation within the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of January 1, 2019. The Company has not guaranteed the principal or interest payments on these bonds.

Construction costs recorded in ACFO for the Company's various projects as of December 31, 2019, and December 31, 2018, were as follows:



		December 31, 2019						December 31, 2018
(in millions)		ACFO		ACFO, Net (a)		Construction Obligation		ACFO		ACFO, Net (a)		Construction Obligation
FLL Terminal		$	—	$	—	$	—	$	313	$	304	$	308
LAX Terminal 1		—		—		—		485		459		476
LAX Terminal 1.5	(b)	164		164		164		99		99		99
LFMP Terminal		—		—		—		545		460		502
LFMP Parking Garage		—		—		—		200		200		200
HOU International Terminal	(c)	—		—		—		126		115		116
		$	164	$	164	$	164	$	1,768	$	1,637	$	1,701

(a) Net of accumulated depreciation.

(b) Project 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.