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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Commitments. As of June 30, 2018, United had firm commitments and options to purchase aircraft from The Boeing Company ("Boeing") and Airbus S.A.S. ("Airbus") presented in the table below:
Aircraft Type
 
Number of Firm
Commitments (a)
Airbus A350
 
45

Boeing 737 MAX
 
155

Boeing 777-300ER
 
1

Boeing 787
 
18

(a) United also has options, purchase and other rights for additional aircraft.

The aircraft listed in the table above are scheduled for delivery through 2027. To the extent the Company and the aircraft manufacturers with whom the Company has existing orders for new aircraft agree to modify the contracts governing those orders, the amount and timing of the Company's future capital commitments could change. For the remainder of 2018, the Company expects to take delivery of three Boeing 787 aircraft, four Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, one Boeing 777-300ER aircraft and three used Boeing 767-300ER aircraft. In July 2018, United entered into an agreement to purchase 25 new Embraer E175 aircraft with expected delivery dates scheduled in 2019. United also has an agreement to purchase 20 used Airbus A319 aircraft with expected delivery dates scheduled in 2020 and 2021.
The table below summarizes United's commitments as of June 30, 2018, which primarily relate to the acquisition of aircraft and related spare engines, aircraft improvements and include other capital purchase commitments. Any new firm aircraft orders, including through the exercise of purchase options and purchase rights, will increase the total future capital commitments of the Company.
 
 
(in billions)
Last six months of 2018
 
$
1.7

2019
 
3.3

2020
 
3.0

2021
 
2.8

2022
 
1.8

After 2022
 
9.8

 
 
$
22.4


Facility and Other Operating Leases. In March 2018, United entered into a new Airline Use and Lease Agreement at Chicago O'Hare International Airport ("Chicago O'Hare") with the City of Chicago with a lease term of approximately 15 years, effective May 12, 2018 through December 31, 2033. In the second quarter of 2018, United entered into several new ground and facility leases at Chicago O'Hare, effective May 12, 2018, for hangars, a ground equipment maintenance building, and employee parking with lease terms ranging from 15 years to 30 years.
The table below summarizes the Company's scheduled future minimum lease payments under facility operating leases having initial or remaining noncancelable lease terms of more than one year as of June 30, 2018 (in millions):
 
 
Facility and Other Operating Leases
Last six months of 2018
 
$
689

2019
 
1,244

2020
 
1,338

2021
 
1,104

2022
 
966

After 2022
 
7,934

 
 
$
13,275


Guarantees. As of June 30, 2018, United is the guarantor of approximately $2.0 billion in aggregate principal amount of tax-exempt special facilities revenue bonds and interest thereon. These bonds, issued by various airport municipalities, are payable solely from rentals paid under long-term agreements with the respective governing bodies. The leasing arrangements associated with approximately $1.4 billion of these obligations are accounted for as operating leases with the associated expense recorded on a straight-line basis resulting in ratable accrual of the lease obligation over the expected lease term. The leasing arrangements associated with approximately $454 million of these obligations are accounted for as capital leases. All of these bonds are due between 2019 and 2038.
As of June 30, 2018, United is the guarantor of $151 million of aircraft mortgage debt issued by one of United's regional carriers. The aircraft mortgage debt is subject to similar increased cost provisions as described above for the Company's debt, and the Company would potentially be responsible for those costs under the guarantees.
Increased Cost Provisions. In the Company's financing transactions that include loans, the Company typically agrees to reimburse lenders for any reduced returns with respect to the loans due to any change in capital requirements and, in the case of loans in which the interest rate is based on the London Interbank Offered Rate, for certain other increased costs that the lenders incur in carrying these loans as a result of any change in law, subject, in most cases, to obligations of the lenders to take certain limited steps to mitigate the requirement for, or the amount of, such increased costs. At June 30, 2018, the Company had $3.3 billion of floating rate debt and $44 million of fixed rate debt with remaining terms of up to 11 years that are subject to these increased cost provisions. In several financing transactions involving loans or leases from non-U.S. entities, with remaining terms of up to 11 years and an aggregate balance of $3.2 billion, the Company bears the risk of any change in tax laws that would subject loan or lease payments thereunder to non-U.S. entities to withholding taxes, subject to customary exclusions.
Labor Negotiations. As of June 30, 2018, United had approximately 91,400 employees, of whom approximately 80% were represented by various U.S. labor organizations. UNITE HERE is attempting to organize United's Catering Operations employees, who are currently unrepresented, and filed an application to do so with the National Mediation Board on January 24, 2018.