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Long-Term Debt, Finance Leases, and Other Borrowings
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Long-Term Debt, Finance Leases, and Other Borrowings

10.

Long-Term Debt, Finance Leases, and Other Borrowings

Long-term debt as of September 30, 2022 and 2021, consisted of the following (in thousands):

 

 

 

September 30,

 

 

September 30,

 

 

 

2022

 

 

2021

 

Senior and subordinated notes payable to secured parties, due in monthly installments, interest based on LIBOR plus interest spread at 2.71% through 2027, collateralized by the underlying aircraft

$

 

73,850

 

$

 

86,551

 

Notes payable to secured parties, due in semi-annual installments, interest based on LIBOR plus interest spread at 4.75% to 6.25% through 2028, collateralized by the underlying aircraft

 

 

131,010

 

 

 

152,100

 

Notes payable to secured parties, due in quarterly installments, interest based on LIBOR plus interest at spread 2.20% to 2.32% for senior note & 4.50% for subordinated note through 2028, collateralized by the underlying aircraft

 

 

106,865

 

 

 

122,762

 

Other obligations due to financial institution, monthly and/or quarterly interest due from 2022 through 2031, collateralized by the underlying equipment

 

 

18,038

 

 

 

4,581

 

Notes payable to financial institution, due in monthly installments, interest based on LIBOR plus interest spread at 3.10% through 2024, collateralized by the underlying equipment

 

 

26,758

 

 

 

45,559

 

Notes payable to financial institution, due in monthly installments, plus interest spread at 5.00% through 2022, collateralized by the underlying aircraft

 

 

-

 

 

 

30,625

 

Notes payable to financial institution, due in monthly installments, plus interest spread at 5.00% through 2023, secured by flight equipment

 

 

2,000

 

 

 

4,000

 

Revolving credit facility, monthly interest based on LIBOR plus interest spread at 3.75% through 2022

 

 

15,630

 

 

 

22,930

 

Notes payable to financial institution, quarterly interest based on LIBOR plus interest spread at 3.50% through 2027

 

 

204,947

 

 

 

201,227

 

Notes payable to financial institution, due in monthly installments, interest based on LIBOR plus interest spread at 4.24%, through 2027, collateralized by the underlying equipment

 

 

36,212

 

 

 

-

 

Gross long-term debt, including current maturities

$

 

615,310

 

$

 

670,335

 

Less unamortized debt issuance costs

 

 

(8,303

)

 

 

(9,295

)

Less notes payable warrants

 

 

(7,272

)

 

 

(9,630

)

Net long-term debt, including current maturities

$

 

599,735

 

$

 

651,410

 

Less current portion, net of unamortized debt issuance costs

 

 

(97,218

)

 

 

(111,710

)

Net long-term debt

$

 

502,517

 

$

 

539,700

 

 

 

 

 

Principal maturities of long-term debt as of September 30, 2022, and for each of the next five (5) years are as follows (in thousands):

 

 

 

Total Principal

 

Periods Ending September 30,

 

Amount

 

2023

 

$

99,102

 

2024

 

 

73,374

 

2025

 

 

64,512

 

2026

 

 

271,824

 

2027

 

 

63,958

 

Thereafter

 

 

42,540

 

 

 

$

615,310

 

 

The net book value of collateralized aircraft and equipment as of September 30, 2022 was $856.9. million.

Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificate ("EETC")

In December 2015, an Enhanced Equipment Trust Certificate ("EETC") pass-through trust was created to issue pass-through certificates to obtain financing for new E-175 aircraft. At September 30, 2022, Mesa has $131.0 million of equipment notes outstanding issued under the EETC financing included in long-term debt on the consolidated balance sheets. The structure of the EETC financing consists of a pass-through trust created by Mesa to issue pass-through certificates, which represent fractional undivided interests in the pass-through trust and are not obligations of Mesa.

The proceeds of the issuance of the pass-through certificates were used to purchase equipment notes which were issued by Mesa and secured by its aircraft. The payment obligations under the equipment notes are those of Mesa. Proceeds received from the sale of pass-through certificates were initially held by a depositary in escrow for the benefit of the certificate holders until Mesa issued equipment notes to the trust, which purchased such notes with a portion of the escrowed funds.

Mesa evaluated whether the pass-through trust formed for its EETC financing is a variable interest entity ("VIE") and required to be consolidated. The pass-through trust was determined to be a VIE; however, the Company has determined that it is not the primary beneficiary of the pass-through trust, and therefore, has not consolidated the pass-through trust with its financial statements.

CIT Revolving Credit Facility

On June 30, 2022, we entered into the Second Amended and Restated Credit and Guaranty Agreement by and among Mesa Airlines and Mesa Air Group Airline Inventory Management, L.L.C., as borrowers, Mesa Air Group, as a Guarantor, the other guarantors party thereto from time to time, CIT Bank, as Administrative Agent, and the other lenders party thereto, which was effective as of June 30, 2022 and extended the maturity date of the facility by three (3) months to December 31, 2022.

As of September 30, 2022, $15.6 million of the draw loan remained outstanding. Future borrowings, if any, under this facility are subject to, among other things, the Company having sufficient unencumbered assets to meet the borrowing base requirements under the facility.

Our CIT revolving credit facility includes a minimum interest and rental coverage ratio covenant. In March and April 2022, we entered into amendments to the CIT revolving credit facility which lowered the minimum interest and rental coverage ratio covenant for the year September 30, 2022. As a result, we are in compliance with this covenant.

Loan Agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury

On October 30, 2020, the Company entered into a Loan and Guarantee Agreement with U.S. Department of the Treasury (the “U.S. Treasury”) for a secured loan facility of up to $200.0 million that matures in October 2025 (“the Treasury Loan”). On October 30, 2020, the Company borrowed $43.0 million and on November 13, 2020, the Company borrowed an additional $152.0 million. No further borrowings are available under the Treasury Loan. The Company also issued warrants to purchase shares of common stock to the U.S. Treasury.

The Treasury Loan bears interest at a variable rate equal to (a)(i) the LIBOR rate divided by (ii) one minus the Eurodollar Reserve Percentage plus (b) 3.50%. Accrued interest on the loans is payable in arrears on the first business day following the 14th day of each March, June, September, and December, beginning with December 15, 2020.

All principal amounts outstanding under the Treasury Loan are due and payable in a single installment on October 30, 2025 (the “Maturity Date”). Interest is paid in kind by increasing the principal amount of the loan by the amount of such

interest due on an interest payment date for the first 12 months of the loan. Mesa's obligations under the Treasury Loan are secured by certain aircraft, aircraft engines, accounts receivable, ground service equipment, and tooling (collectively, the “Collateral”). The obligations under the Treasury Loan are guaranteed by the Company and Mesa Air Group Inventory Management. The proceeds were used for general corporate purposes and operating expenses, to the extent permitted by the CARES Act. Voluntary prepayments of loans under the Treasury Loan may be made, in whole or in part, by Mesa Airlines, without premium or penalty, at any time and from time to time. Amounts prepaid may not be reborrowed. Mandatory prepayments of loans under the Treasury Loan are required, without premium or penalty, to the extent necessary to comply with the covenants discussed below, certain dispositions of the Collateral, certain debt issuances secured by liens on the Collateral and certain insurance payments related to the Collateral. In addition, if a “change of control” (as defined in the Treasury Loan) occurs with respect to Mesa Airlines, Mesa Airlines will be required to repay the loans outstanding under the Treasury Loan.

The Treasury Loan requires the Company, under certain circumstances, including within 10 business days prior to the last business day of March and September of each year beginning March 2021, to appraise the value of the Collateral and recalculate the collateral coverage ratio. If the calculated collateral coverage ratio is less than 1.6 to 1.0, Mesa Airlines will be required either to provide additional Collateral (which may include cash collateral) to secure its obligations under the Treasury Loan or repay the term loans under the Treasury Loan, in such amounts that the recalculated collateral coverage ratio, after giving effect to any such additional Collateral or repayment, is at least 1.6 to 1.0.  

The Treasury Loan contains two (2) financial covenants, a minimum collateral coverage ratio and a minimum liquidity level. The Treasury Loan also contains customary negative and affirmative covenants for credit facilities of this type, including, among others: (a) limitations on dividends and distributions; (b) limitations on the creation of certain liens; (c) restrictions on certain dispositions, investments and acquisitions; (d) limitations on transactions with affiliates; (e) restrictions on fundamental changes to the business, and (f) restrictions on lobbying activities. Additionally, the Company is required to comply with the relevant provisions of the CARES Act, including limits on employment level reductions after September 30, 2020, restrictions on dividends and stock buybacks, limitations on executive compensation, and requirements to maintain certain levels of scheduled service.

In connection with the Treasury Loan and as partial compensation to the U.S. Treasury for the provision of financial assistance under the Treasury Loan, the Company issued to the U.S. Treasury warrants to purchase an aggregate of 4,899,497 shares of the Company’s common stock at an exercise price of $3.98 per share, which was the closing price of the Common Stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on April 9, 2020. The exercise price and number of shares of common stock issuable under the Warrants are subject to adjustment as a result of anti-dilution provisions contained in the Warrants for certain stock issuances, dividends, and other corporate actions. The warrants expire on the fifth anniversary of the date of issuance and are exercisable either through net share settlement or net cash settlement, at the Company’s option. For accounting purposes, the fair value for the Warrant was estimated using a Black-Scholes option pricing model and recorded in stockholders' equity with an offsetting debt discount to the Treasury Loan in the consolidated balance sheet.

The Company incurred $3.1 million in debt issuance costs relating to the Treasury Loan. In accordance with the applicable guidance, Mesa allocated the debt issuance costs between the Treasury Loan and related warrants. At funding on October 30, 2020, the initial $43.0 million was recorded net of $0.7 million in capitalized debt issuance costs. At funding on November 13, 2020, the remaining $152.0 million was recorded net of $2.3 million in capitalized debt issuance costs. The remaining $0.1 million in debt issuance costs was allocated to the warrants as a reduction to the warrant value within additional paid-in capital. Debt issuance costs allocated to the debt are amortized into interest expense using the effective interest method over the term of the related loan.

Prior to the November 13, 2020 funding of the $152.0 million portion of the Treasury Loan, the Company repaid $167.7 million in existing aircraft debt covering 44 aircraft, including indebtedness under its (a) Senior Loan Agreements, dated June 27, 2018, (b) Junior Loan Agreements, also dated June 27, 2018, (c) Credit Agreements, dated January 31, 2007, April 16, 2014, and May 23, 2014, (d) Senior Loan Agreements, dated December 27, 2017, and (e) Junior Loan Agreements, also dated December 27, 2017 (collectively, “the EDC Loans”). The Company made payments totaling $164.2 million to repay the EDC Loans, consisting of principal of $167.7 million, and a $3.5 million discount on the balance owed. Additionally, in connection with the repayment, $2.5 million of unamortized original issue discount and deferred financing costs were recorded as a loss on debt extinguishment, resulting in a net gain on extinguishment of $1.0 million recorded within other income.

In April 2022, we entered into an agreement with the U.S. Treasury to lower the minimum collateral coverage ratio covenant to 1.5 to 1.0 through September 30, 2022. As of September 30, 2022, the Company is in compliance with all debt covenants.

Spare Engine Financing

In December 2021, we entered into a loan agreement with a financing institution to finance certain purchases of spare engines via a newly formed limited liability company (“LLC”). The loan agreement provides for aggregate borrowings of up to $54.0 million through November 2022. In December 2021, we borrowed an aggregate of $35.3 million under the loan agreement, which matures in December 2027. The borrowed amounts are collateralized by the underlying engines and require monthly principal and interest payments until maturity. Borrowings under the loan agreement bear interest at the monthly LIBOR plus 4.25%. The borrowings are the obligation of the newly formed LLC and are guaranteed by Mesa Airlines, Inc.

The newly formed LLC, which is wholly owned by Mesa, was determined to be a VIE for which we are the primary beneficiary because we have the power to direct the activities of the LLC that most significantly impact the LLC’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses and right to receive benefits from the LLC in our capacity as sole member of the LLC and guarantor of the borrowings. Therefore, the LLC is consolidated in our financial statements and the borrowings are reflected as long-term debt in our consolidated balance sheets.

The loan agreement contains a loan-to-value (“LTV”) financial covenant pursuant to which we are required to prepay certain amounts of the loan if the aggregate outstanding principal balance of the loan exceeds a specified percentage of the appraised value of the engines beginning in the 12th full month after closing and each June 1 and December 1 thereafter.

As of September 30, 2022, we were in compliance with all debt covenants.