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Employee Benefit Plans
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Employee Benefit Plans EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLANS
The following table shows the components of net periodic (benefit) cost:
Pension BenefitsOther Postretirement and Postemployment Benefits
(in millions)2020201920202019
Three Months Ended June 30,
Service cost$—  $—  $24  $21  
Interest cost175  208  28  34  
Expected return on plan assets(343) (296) (11) (12) 
Amortization of prior service credit—  —  (2) (2) 
Recognized net actuarial loss74  72  10   
Settlements  —  —  
Net periodic (benefit) cost$(91) $(14) $49  $50  
Six Months Ended June 30,
Service cost$—  $—  $48  $42  
Interest cost351  417  56  68  
Expected return on plan assets(687) (593) (22) (24) 
Amortization of prior service credit—  —  (4) (5) 
Recognized net actuarial loss149  145  21  20  
Settlements  —  —  
Net periodic (benefit) cost$(184) $(29) $99  $101  

Service cost is recorded in salaries and related costs in our income statement while all other components are recorded within miscellaneous, net under non-operating expense.

We have no minimum funding requirements for our defined benefit pension plans. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our liquidity, we no longer plan to make any voluntary contributions during 2020.
During the June 2020 quarter, we announced voluntary early retirement and separation programs. These primarily apply to eligible U.S. merit, ground and flight attendant and pilot employees. The enrollment period for these programs will close in July 2020. Employees electing to participate in the retirement programs will be eligible for separation payments, continued healthcare benefits and certain participants will receive enhanced retiree healthcare benefits. As the election windows will close in the September 2020 quarter, we did not record any charges for these programs in the June 2020 quarter.

We currently estimate we will record a $2.7 billion to $3.3 billion charge associated with these programs during the September 2020 quarter. We anticipate that approximately $500 million to $600 million of this charge will result in cash payments to participants in the September 2020 quarter. Certain of the programs remain open and these represent our best estimates based on the employees who have signed up to date.