Special Charges (Credits)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]

For the three months ended March 31, special charges (credits), certain credit losses and unrealized losses on investments in the statements of consolidated operations consisted of the following (in millions):


	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2021		2020
CARES Act grant	$	(1,810)	$	—
Severance and benefit costs	417		—
Impairment of assets	—		50
(Gains) losses on sale of assets and other special charges	16		13
Total operating special charges (credits)	(1,377)		63
Nonoperating special termination benefits	46		—
Nonoperating unrealized losses on investments, net	22		319
Nonoperating credit loss on BRW Term Loan and related guarantee	—		697
Total nonoperating special charges and unrealized losses on investments, net	68		1,016
Total operating and nonoperating special charges (credits) and unrealized losses on investments, net	(1,309)		1,079
Income tax expense (benefit), net of valuation allowance	291		(14)
Total operating and nonoperating special charges (credits) and unrealized losses on investments, net of income taxes	$	(1,018)	$	1,065

2021

CARES Act grant. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company received approximately $2.6 billion in funding pursuant to the PSP2 Agreement, which included a $753 million unsecured loan. The Company recorded $1.8 billion as grant income and $47 million for the PSP2 Warrants issued to Treasury as part of the PSP2 Agreement, within stockholders' equity, as an offset to the grant income.

Severance and benefit costs. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company recorded $417 million related to pay continuation and benefits-related costs provided to employees who chose to voluntarily separate from the Company. The Company offered, based on employee group, age and completed years of service, pay continuation, health care coverage, and travel benefits. Approximately 4,500 employees elected to voluntarily separate from the Company.

Impairment of assets. In February 2021, the Company voluntarily and temporarily removed all 52 Boeing 777-200/200ER aircraft powered by Pratt & Whitney 4000 series engines from its schedule due to an engine failure incident with one of its aircraft. The Company viewed this incident as an indicator of potential impairment. Accordingly, as required under relevant accounting standards only, United performed forecasted cash flow analyses and determined that the carrying value of the Boeing 777-200/200ER fleet is expected to be recoverable from future cash flows expected to be generated by that fleet and, consequently, no impairment was recorded.

(Gains) losses on sale of assets and other special charges. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company recorded $16 million of net charges, driven by charges for the termination of the lease associated with three floors of its headquarters at the Willis Tower in Chicago and utility charges related to the February winter storms in Texas, partially offset by net gains, primarily on sale-leaseback transactions (see Note 7 of this report for additional information on the sale-leaseback transactions).

Nonoperating special termination benefits. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, as part of a first quarter VSL program, the Company recorded $46 million of special termination benefits in the form of additional subsidies for retiree medical costs for certain U.S.-based front-line employees. The subsidies are in the form of a one-time contribution into the employee's Retiree Health Account of $125,000 for full-time employees and $75,000 for part-time employees.

Nonoperating unrealized losses on investments, net. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company recorded losses of $22 million primarily for the decrease in the market value of its investment in Azul.

2020

Impairment of assets. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded a $50 million impairment for its China routes, which was primarily caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Company's subsequent suspension of flights to China.

Gains (losses) on sale of other assets and other special charges. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded a $10 million one-time special charge related to the wind-down of the CPA with Trans States Airlines, LLC and $3 million for costs related to the transition of fleet types within other regional carrier contracts.

Nonoperating credit loss on BRW Term Loan and related guarantee. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded a $697 million expected credit loss allowance for the BRW Term Loan and related guarantee. AVH is currently in bankruptcy. See Notes 6 and 7 of this report for additional information.

Nonoperating unrealized losses on investments, net. During the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company recorded losses of $319 million primarily for the $293 million decrease in the market value of its investment in Azul and $24 million for the decrease in fair value of the AVH share call options, AVH share appreciation rights and AVH share-based upside sharing agreement.