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Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Contingencies | Contingencies We self-insure a portion of our losses from claims related to workers’ compensation, environmental issues, property damage, medical insurance for crewmembers, and general liability. Losses are accrued based on an estimate of the ultimate aggregate liability for claims incurred, using standard industry practices and our actual experience. We are a party to many routine contracts under which we indemnify third parties for various risks. These indemnities consist of the following: All of our bank loans, including our aircraft mortgages, obligate us to reimburse the bank for any increased costs arising from regulatory changes, including changes in reserve requirements and bank capital requirements; these obligations are standard terms present in loans of this type. These indemnities would increase the interest rate on our debt if they were to be triggered. In all cases, we have the option to repay the loan and avoid the increased costs. These terms match the length of the related loan up to 15 years. Under both aircraft leases with foreign lessors and aircraft mortgages with foreign lenders, we have agreed to customary indemnities concerning withholding tax law changes. Under these contracts we are responsible, should withholding taxes be imposed, for paying such amount of additional rent or interest as is necessary so that the lessor or lender still receives, after taxes, the rent stipulated in the lease or the interest stipulated under the loan. The term of these indemnities matches the length of the related lease o r loan up to 25 years. We have various leases with respect to real property as well as various agreements among airlines relating to fuel consortia or fuel farms at airports. Under these contracts we have agreed to standard language indemnifying the lessor against environmental liabilities associated with the real property or operations described under the agreement, even if we are not the party responsible for the initial event that caused the environmental damage. In the case of fuel consortia at airports, these indemnities are generally joint and several among the participating airlines. We have purchased a standalone environmental liability insurance policy to help mitigate this exposure. Our existing aviation hull and liability policy includes some limited environmental coverage when a cleanup is part of an associated single identifiable covered loss. Under certain contracts, we indemnify specified parties against legal liability arising out of actions by other parties. The terms of these contracts range up to 25 years. Gener ally, we have liability insurance protecting ourselves for the obligations we have undertaken relative to these indemnities. We are unable to estimate the potential amount of future payments under the foregoing indemnities and agreements. Under a certain number of our operating lease agreements we are required to restore certain property or equipment to its original form upon expiration of the related agreement. We have recorded the estimated fair value of these retirement obligations of approximatel y $15 million and $6 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively. For leases expiring within one year, the retirement obligation is recorded in other accrued liabilities within current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. For leases expiring beyond one year, the retirement obligation is recorded in other within deferred taxes and other liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets. Legal Matters Occasionally, we are involved in various claims, lawsuits, regulatory examinations, investigations, and other legal matters involving suppliers, crewmembers, customers, and governmental agencies, arising, for the most part, in the ordinary course of business. The outcome of litigation and other legal matters is always uncertain. The Company believes it has valid defenses to the legal matters currently pending against it, is defending itself vigorously, and has recorded accruals determined in accordance with GAAP, where appropriate. In making a determination regarding accruals, using available information, we evaluate the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome in legal or regulatory proceedings to which we are a party and record a loss contingency when it is probable a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. These subjective determinations are based on the status of such legal or regulatory proceedings, the merits of our defenses, and consultation with legal counsel. Actual outcomes of these legal and regulatory proceedings may materially differ from our current estimates. It is possible that resolution of one or more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened could result in losses material to our consolidated results of operations, liquidity, or financial condition. To date, none of these types of litigation matters, most of which are typically covered by insurance, has had a material impact on our operations or financial condition. We have insured and continue to insure against most of these types of claims. A judgment on any claim not covered by, or in excess of, our insurance coverage could materially adversely affect our consolidated results of operations, liquidity, or financial condition. In July 2020, JetBlue and American entered into the NEA which was designed to optimize our respective networks at JFK, LaGuardia Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, and Boston Logan International Airport (the “NEA Airports”). Following review and agreement by the DOT, JetBlue and American began implementing the NEA in July 2021. On September 21, 2021, the United States Department of Justice, along with the Attorneys General of six states and the District of Columbia filed suit against JetBlue and American Airlines seeking to enjoin the NEA, alleging that it violates Section 1 of the Sherman Act. The court issued a decision on May 19, 2023, permanently enjoining the NEA. On July 5, 2023, we announced that we do not plan to appeal the court’s determination that the NEA cannot continue as currently crafted, and instead had initiated a wind down of the NEA. On July 14, 2023, JetBlue and American Airlines announced that beginning on July 21, 2023, JetBlue customers will no longer be able to book new codeshare bookings on American Airlines and vice versa. On July 28, 2023, the court issued its Final Judgement and Order Entering Permanent Injunction (“Final Injunction”). The Final Injunction, which took effect on August 18, 2023, sets forth, among other things, provisions for the prompt and certain termination of the NEA, including applicable dates for the termination of JetBlue and American Airlines' revenue-sharing arrangements and procedures governing the termination of any remaining slot-sharing agreements. Pursuant to the Final Injunction, JetBlue and American Airlines may not enter into any new alliance, partnership, joint venture, or other agreement with each other, if such agreement provides for revenue sharing, or for coordination of routes or capacity, in a manner substantially similar to the NEA for a period of ten years following the effectiveness of the Final Injunction. On September 25, 2023, American Airlines filed an appeal of the court's ruling. The wind down of the NEA is substantially complete, but remaining impacts could require us to incur additional costs and therefore have an impact on our financial condition and results of operations. In December 2022 and February 2023, four putative class actions lawsuits were filed in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York and the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, respectively, alleging that the NEA violates Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act. Among other things, plaintiffs seek monetary damages on behalf of a putative class of direct purchasers of airline tickets from JetBlue and American Airlines and, depending on the specific case, other airlines on flights to or from the NEA Airports from July 16, 2020 through the present. Plaintiffs in these actions also seek to enjoin the NEA. JetBlue believes these lawsuits are without merit and has moved to dismiss the claims. We are also subject to a number of legal proceedings initiated by individual consumers, the Department of Justice and Attorneys General in six states and the District of Columbia alleging that our pending acquisition of Spirit violates Section 7 of the Clayton Act. For more information, see Note 18.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for loss and gain contingencies. Describes any existing condition, situation, or set of circumstances involving uncertainty as of the balance sheet date (or prior to issuance of the financial statements) as to a probable or reasonably possible loss incurred by an entity that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur, and typically discloses the amount of loss recorded or a range of possible loss, or an assertion that no reasonable estimate can be made. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.Y.Q2) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480102/450-20-S99-1 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-1 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB Topic 5.Y.Q4) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147480102/450-20-S99-1 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//450-20/tableOfContent Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-4 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483076/450-20-50-9 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 450 -SubTopic 30 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//450-30/tableOfContent Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Topic 450 -SubTopic 30 -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Publisher FASB -URI https://asc.fasb.org//1943274/2147483049/450-30-50-1 + Details
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