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Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]

Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees

(a) Aircraft, Engine and Other Purchase Commitments

Under all of our aircraft and engine purchase agreements, our total future commitments as of December 31, 2021 are expected to be as follows (approximately, in millions):


	2022		2023		2024		2025		2026		2027 and Thereafter		Total
Payments for aircraft and engine commitments (1)	$	1,987	$	1,851	$	3,358	$	3,535	$	1,663	$	688	$	13,082

(1)These amounts are net of purchase deposits currently held by the manufacturers. Our purchase deposits held by all manufacturers totaled $517 million and $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Due to the uncertainty surrounding the timing of delivery of certain aircraft, the amounts in the table represent our most current estimate; however, the actual delivery schedule may differ from the table above, potentially materially.

On January 31, 2022, we entered into an amended purchase agreement with The Boeing Company (Boeing) pursuant to which we agreed to purchase 23 additional Boeing 737 MAX Family aircraft through the conversion of existing purchase options. We also intend to exercise purchase options for an additional seven aircraft in 2022, bringing our total incremental firm order of Boeing 737 MAX Family aircraft to 30, with 15 of such aircraft scheduled to be delivered in 2023 and 15 scheduled to be delivered in 2024. In addition, we entered into an amended purchase agreement with Boeing to defer the delivery of certain Boeing 787 Family aircraft previously scheduled to be delivered beginning in January 2023. Pursuant to this amendment, deliveries of these aircraft are now scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2023 and will continue into 2027. The table above reflects our purchase commitments after giving effect to these amendments and assumes our exercise of the seven 737 MAX Family aircraft purchase options mentioned above.

Additionally, the amounts in the table exclude 10 and three Boeing 787-8 aircraft scheduled to be delivered in 2022 and 2023, respectively, and four and one Boeing 787-9 aircraft scheduled to be delivered in 2023 and 2024, respectively, for which we have obtained committed lease financing. See Note 5 for information regarding this operating lease commitment.

Additionally, we have purchase commitments related to aircraft fuel, flight equipment maintenance, construction projects and information technology support as follows (approximately): $4.4 billion in 2022, $1.8 billion in 2023, $1.4 billion in 2024, $154 million in 2025, $610 million in 2026 and $942 million in 2027 and thereafter.

(b) Capacity Purchase Agreements with Third-Party Regional Carriers

American has capacity purchase agreements with third-party regional carriers. The capacity purchase agreements provide that all revenues, including passenger, in-flight, ancillary, mail and freight revenues, go to American. American controls marketing, scheduling, ticketing, pricing and seat inventories. In return, American agrees to pay predetermined fees to these airlines for operating an agreed-upon number of aircraft, without regard to the number of passengers on board. In addition, these agreements provide that American either reimburses or pays 100% of certain variable costs, such as airport landing fees, fuel and passenger liability insurance.

As of December 31, 2021, American’s capacity purchase agreements with third-party regional carriers had expiration dates ranging from 2022 to 2033, with rights of American to extend the respective terms of certain agreements.

As of December 31, 2021, American’s minimum obligations under its capacity purchase agreements with third-party regional carriers are as follows (approximately, in millions):


	2022		2023		2024		2025		2026		2027 and Thereafter		Total
Minimum obligations under capacity purchase agreements with third-party regional carriers (1)	$	1,495	$	1,834	$	1,875	$	1,729	$	1,123	$	2,317	$	10,373

(1)Represents minimum payments under capacity purchase agreements with third-party regional carriers, which are estimates of costs based on assumed minimum levels of flying under the capacity purchase agreements and American’s actual payments could differ materially. Excludes payments for the lease of certain aircraft under capacity purchase agreements, which are reflected in the operating lease obligations in Note 5.

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

From time to time, airports where we have operations engage in construction projects, often substantial, that result in new or improved facilities that are ultimately funded through increases in the rent and other occupancy costs payable by airlines using the airport. Unlike this construction and funding model, we are managing a project at LAX where we have legal title to the assets during construction. In 2018, we executed a lease agreement with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), which owns and operates LAX, in connection with a $1.6 billion modernization project related to LAX Terminals 4 and 5. Construction, which started in October 2018 and is expected to be completed in 2028, will occur in a phased approach. The modernization project will include a unified departure hall to the entranceway of Terminals 4 and 5, reconfigured ticket counter and check-in areas with seamless access to security screening areas, 10 new security screening lanes with automated technology in addition to the existing Terminal 5 lanes, and a new Terminal 4 South concourse with more open and upgraded amenities at gate areas. The project will also include renovated break rooms, multi-use meeting rooms and team gathering spaces throughout the terminals to support our team members at LAX.

As each phase is completed and ready for use, the assets will be sold and transferred to LAWA, including the site improvements and non-proprietary improvements. As we control the assets during construction, they are recognized on our balance sheet until the assets are sold and transferred to LAWA. As of December 31, 2021, we have incurred approximately $338 million in costs relating to the LAX modernization project, of which $112 million, $114 million and $98 million were incurred during 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and have been included within operating property and equipment on our consolidated balance sheets and included within airport construction projects, net of reimbursements on our consolidated statements of cash flows. As of December 31, 2021, we have sold and transferred $132 million of non-proprietary improvements to LAWA, of which $21 million occurred during 2021. For non-proprietary improvements which are not yet ready for use, any cash payments received from LAWA will be reflected as a financial liability. As of December 31, 2021, we have received $88 million in cash proceeds for non-proprietary improvements which are not yet ready for use, and therefore have not been sold and transferred back to LAWA. These proceeds are currently included in other accrued liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet and are reflected as financing activities on our consolidated statement of cash flows.

JFK

In January 2020, American and British Airways announced the start of construction projects to upgrade New York's JFK Terminal 8 (the Terminal). The renovation projects at the Terminal include: (i) the reconfiguration or elimination of certain existing gates and the construction of widebody gates, (ii) the construction of approximately 51,000 square feet of new terminal building space and the refurbishment of 73,300 square feet of existing terminal space, (iii) the expansion of the baggage system capacity of the Terminal, (iv) improvements to the premium passenger lounges, check-in and, potentially, security access areas, and (v) bathroom refreshment, new signage, and other upgrades. The construction project is currently scheduled to be completed in 2023 and is estimated to cost $439 million. In 2021, $118 million was spent on construction projects to upgrade the Terminal and has been included in airport construction projects, net of reimbursements on our consolidated statement of cash flows.

(d) Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

Pass-Through Trusts

American currently has 344 owned aircraft, 11 leased aircraft and 60 owned spare aircraft engines, which in each case were financed with EETCs issued by pass-through trusts. These trusts are off-balance sheet entities, the primary purpose of which is to finance the acquisition of flight equipment or to permit issuance of debt backed by existing flight equipment. In the case of aircraft EETCs, rather than finance each aircraft separately when such aircraft is purchased, delivered or refinanced, these trusts allow American to raise the financing for a number of aircraft at one time and, if applicable, place such funds in escrow pending a future purchase, delivery or refinancing of the relevant aircraft. Similarly, in the case of the spare engine EETCs, the trusts allow American to use its existing pool of spare engines to raise financing under a single facility. The trusts have also been structured to provide for certain credit enhancements, such as liquidity facilities to cover certain interest payments, that reduce the risks to the purchasers of the trust certificates and, as a result, reduce the cost of aircraft financing to American.

Each trust covers a set number of aircraft or spare engines scheduled to be delivered, financed or refinanced upon the issuance of the EETC or within a specific period of time thereafter. At the time of each covered aircraft or spare engine financing, the relevant trust used the proceeds of the issuance of the EETC (which may have been available at the time of issuance thereof or held in escrow until financing of the applicable aircraft following its delivery) to purchase equipment notes relating to the financed aircraft or engines. The equipment notes are issued, at American’s election, in connection with a mortgage financing of the aircraft or spare engines or, in certain cases, by a separate owner trust in connection with a leveraged lease financing of the aircraft. In the case of a leveraged lease financing, the owner trust then leases the aircraft to American. In both cases, the equipment notes are secured by a security interest in the aircraft or engines, as applicable. The pass-through trust certificates are not direct obligations of, nor are they guaranteed by, AAG or American. However, in the case of mortgage financings, the equipment notes issued to the trusts are direct obligations of American and, in certain instances, have been guaranteed by AAG. As of December 31, 2021, $9.4 billion associated with these mortgage financings is reflected as debt in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.

With respect to leveraged leases, American evaluated whether the leases had characteristics of a variable interest entity. American concluded the leasing entities met the criteria for variable interest entities; however, American concluded it is not the primary beneficiary under these leasing arrangements and accounts for the majority of its EETC leveraged lease financings as operating leases. American’s total future payments to the trusts of each of the relevant EETCs under these leveraged lease financings are $20 million as of December 31, 2021, which are reflected in the operating lease obligations in Note 5.

Letters of Credit and Other

We provide financial assurance, such as letters of credit, surety bonds or restricted cash and investments, primarily to support projected workers’ compensation obligations and airport commitments. As of December 31, 2021, we had $439 million of letters of credit and surety bonds securing various obligations, of which $94 million is collateralized with our restricted cash. The letters of credit and surety bonds that are subject to expiration will expire on various dates through 2025.

(e) Legal Proceedings

Chapter 11 Cases. On November 29, 2011, AMR, American, and certain of AMR’s other direct and indirect domestic subsidiaries (the Debtors) filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the Bankruptcy Court). On October 21, 2013, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order approving and confirming the Debtors’ fourth amended joint plan of reorganization (as amended, the Plan). On the Effective Date, December 9, 2013, the Debtors consummated their reorganization pursuant to the Plan and completed the Merger.

The Plan established a DCR to hold shares of AAG common stock reserved for issuance to disputed claimholders at the Effective Date that ultimately become holders of allowed claims. The shares of AAG common stock issued to the DCR were originally issued on December 13, 2013, and have at all times since been included in the number of shares issued and outstanding as reported from time to time in our quarterly and annual reports, including for calculating earnings per common share. As disputed claims are resolved, the claimants receive distributions of shares from the DCR. We are not required to distribute additional shares above the limits contemplated by the Plan, even if the shares remaining for distribution in the DCR are not sufficient to pay any additional allowed unsecured claims. On November 29, 2021, the Bankruptcy Court granted our motion to close the bankruptcy case. The motion authorized us to settle various bankruptcy-related claims, distribute excess reserved funds held in the DCR, excluding shares set aside for an earlier settlement of a claim that cannot be distributed until all appeals are final, and to close the Chapter 11 cases. On December 7, 2021, in accordance with the approval granted by the Bankruptcy Court, we distributed approximately 4.5 million shares of AAG common stock from the DCR to former AMR stockholders, to former convertible noteholders treated as stockholders under the Plan and to claimants. As of December 31, 2021, 0.3 million shares of AAG common stock remain in the DCR to be available to resolve an outstanding claim.

Private Party Antitrust Action Related to Passenger Capacity. We, along with Delta Air Lines, Inc., Southwest Airlines Co., United Airlines, Inc. and, in the case of litigation filed in Canada, Air Canada, were named as defendants in approximately 100 putative class action lawsuits alleging unlawful agreements with respect to air passenger capacity. The U.S. lawsuits were consolidated in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia (the DC Court). On June 15, 2018, we reached a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs in the amount of $45 million to resolve all class claims in the U.S. lawsuits. That settlement was approved by the DC Court on May 13, 2019, however three parties who objected to the settlement have appealed that decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. We believe these appeals are without merit and intend to vigorously defend against them.

Private Party Antitrust Action Related to the Merger. On August 6, 2013, a lawsuit captioned Carolyn Fjord, et al., v. AMR Corporation, et al., was filed in the Bankruptcy Court. The complaint named as defendants US Airways Group, US Airways, Inc., AMR and American, alleged that the effect of the Merger may be to create a monopoly in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act, and sought injunctive relief and/or divestiture. On November 27, 2013, the Bankruptcy Court denied plaintiffs’ motion to preliminarily enjoin the Merger. On August 29, 2018, the Bankruptcy Court denied in part defendants' motion for summary judgment, and fully denied plaintiffs' cross-motion for summary judgment. The parties' evidentiary cases were presented before the Bankruptcy Court in a bench trial in March 2019 and the parties submitted proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law and made closing arguments in April 2019. On January 29, 2021, the Bankruptcy Court published its decision finding in our favor. The plaintiffs have appealed this ruling to the U.S. District Court, which remains pending. We believe this lawsuit is without merit and intend to continue to vigorously defend against it, including against plaintiffs' appeal of the Bankruptcy Court's January 29, 2021 ruling.

Government Antitrust Action Related to the Northeast Alliance. On September 21, 2021, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), joined by Attorneys General from six states and the District of Columbia, filed an antitrust complaint against American and JetBlue Airways Corporation (JetBlue) alleging that American and JetBlue violated U.S. antitrust laws in connection with the previously disclosed Northeast Alliance (NEA) arrangement. We believe the complaint is without merit and intend to defend against it vigorously.

Also on September 21, 2021, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) published a Clarification Notice relating to the agreement that had been reached between the DOT, American, and JetBlue in January 2021, at the conclusion of the DOT’s review of the NEA (DOT Agreement). The DOT Clarification Notice stated, among other things, that the DOT Agreement remains in force during the pendency of the DOJ action against the NEA and, while the DOT retains independent statutory authority to prohibit unfair methods of competition in air transportation, the DOT intends to defer to DOJ to resolve the antitrust concerns that DOJ has identified with respect to the NEA. The DOT simultaneously published a Notice Staying Proceeding in relation to a complaint by Spirit Airlines, Inc. regarding the NEA, pending resolution of the DOJ action described above.

General. In addition to the specifically identified legal proceedings, we and our subsidiaries are also engaged in other legal proceedings from time to time. Legal proceedings can be complex and take many months, or even years, to reach resolution, with the final outcome depending on a number of variables, some of which are not within our control. Therefore, although we will vigorously defend ourselves in each of the actions described above and such other legal proceedings, their ultimate resolution and potential financial and other impacts on us are uncertain but could be material.

(f) Guarantees and Indemnifications

We are party to many routine contracts in which we provide general indemnities in the normal course of business to third parties for various risks. We are not able to estimate the potential amount of any liability resulting from the indemnities. These indemnities are discussed in the following paragraphs.

In our aircraft financing agreements, we generally indemnify the financing parties, trustees acting on their behalf and other relevant parties against liabilities (including certain taxes) resulting from the financing, manufacture, design, ownership, operation and maintenance of the aircraft regardless of whether these liabilities (including certain taxes) relate to the negligence of the indemnified parties.

Our loan agreements and other LIBOR-based financing transactions (including certain leveraged aircraft leases) generally obligate us to reimburse the applicable lender for incremental costs due to a change in law that imposes (i) any reserve or special deposit requirement against assets of, deposits with or credit extended by such lender related to the loan, (ii) any tax, duty or other charge with respect to the loan (except standard income tax) or (iii) capital adequacy requirements. In addition, our loan agreements and other financing arrangements typically contain a withholding tax provision that requires us to pay additional amounts to the applicable lender or other financing party, generally if withholding taxes are imposed on such lender or other financing party as a result of a change in the applicable tax law.

In certain transactions, including certain aircraft financing leases and loans, the lessors, lenders and/or other parties have rights to terminate the transaction based on changes in foreign tax law, illegality or certain other events or circumstances. In such a case, we may be required to make a lump sum payment to terminate the relevant transaction.

We have general indemnity clauses in many of our airport and other real estate leases where we as lessee indemnify the lessor (and related parties) against liabilities related to our use of the leased property. Generally, these indemnifications cover liabilities resulting from the negligence of the indemnified parties, but not liabilities resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the indemnified parties. In addition, we provide environmental indemnities in many of these leases for contamination related to our use of the leased property.

Under certain contracts with third parties, we indemnify the third-party against legal liability arising out of an action by the third-party, or certain other parties. The terms of these contracts vary and the potential exposure under these indemnities cannot be determined. We have liability insurance protecting us for some of the obligations we have undertaken under these indemnities.

American is required to make principal and interest payments for certain special facility revenue bonds issued by municipalities primarily to build or improve airport facilities and purchase equipment, which are leased to American. The payment of principal and interest of certain special facility revenue bonds is guaranteed by AAG. As of December 31, 2021, the remaining lease payments through 2035 guaranteeing the principal and interest on these bonds are $555 million and the current carrying amount of the associated operating lease liability in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet is $321 million.

As of December 31, 2021, AAG had issued guarantees covering approximately $19.8 billion of American’s secured debt (and interest thereon), including the Credit Facilities, the AAdvantage Financing, certain EETC financings and $1.1 billion of American’s special facility revenue bonds (and interest thereon).

(g) Credit Card Processing Agreements

We have agreements with companies that process customer credit card transactions for the sale of air travel and other services. Our agreements allow these credit card processing companies, under certain conditions, to hold an amount of our cash (referred to as a holdback) equal to all or a portion of advance ticket sales that have been processed by that company, but for which we have not yet provided the air transportation. These holdback requirements can be modified at the discretion of the credit card processing companies upon the occurrence of specific events, including material adverse changes in our financial condition or the triggering of a liquidity covenant. These credit card processing companies are not currently entitled to maintain any holdbacks. The imposition of holdback requirements would reduce our liquidity.

(h) Labor Negotiations

As of December 31, 2021, we employed approximately 123,400 active full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, of which 26,600 were employed by our wholly-owned regional subsidiaries. Of the total active FTE employees, 86% are covered by collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with various labor unions and 45% are covered by CBAs that are currently amendable or that will become amendable within one year. Joint collective bargaining agreements covering our mainline pilots, flight attendants, passenger service, flight simulator engineers and dispatchers are now amendable. The CBAs covering certain employee groups at our wholly-owned regional subsidiaries are also amendable.

American Airlines, Inc.

Commitments and Contingencies [Line Items]

Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees

(a) Aircraft, Engine and Other Purchase Commitments

Under all of American’s aircraft and engine purchase agreements, its total future commitments as of December 31, 2021 are expected to be as follows (approximately, in millions):


	2022		2023		2024		2025		2026		2027 and Thereafter		Total
Payments for aircraft and engine commitments (1)	$	1,987	$	1,851	$	3,358	$	3,535	$	1,663	$	688	$	13,082

(1)These amounts are net of purchase deposits currently held by the manufacturers. American’s purchase deposits held by all manufacturers totaled $517 million and $1.4 billion as of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, respectively.

Due to the uncertainty surrounding the timing of delivery of certain aircraft, the amounts in the table represent American’s most current estimate; however, the actual delivery schedule may differ from the table above, potentially materially.

On January 31, 2022, American entered into an amended purchase agreement with The Boeing Company (Boeing) pursuant to which it agreed to purchase 23 additional Boeing 737 MAX Family aircraft through the conversion of existing purchase options. American also intends to exercise purchase options for an additional seven aircraft in 2022, bringing its total incremental firm order of Boeing 737 MAX Family aircraft to 30, with 15 of such aircraft scheduled to be delivered in 2023 and 15 scheduled to be delivered in 2024. In addition, American entered into an amended purchase agreement with Boeing to defer the delivery of certain Boeing 787 Family aircraft previously scheduled to be delivered beginning in January 2023. Pursuant to this amendment, deliveries of these aircraft are now scheduled to commence in the fourth quarter of 2023 and will continue into 2027. The table above reflects American’s purchase commitments after giving effect to these amendments and assumes American’s exercise of the seven 737 MAX Family aircraft purchase options mentioned above.

Additionally, the amounts in the table exclude 10 and three Boeing 787-8 aircraft scheduled to be delivered in 2022 and 2023, respectively, and four and one Boeing 787-9 aircraft scheduled to be delivered in 2023 and 2024, respectively, for which American has obtained committed lease financing. See Note 4 for information regarding this operating lease commitment.

Additionally, American has purchase commitments related to aircraft fuel, flight equipment maintenance, construction projects and information technology support as follows (approximately): $4.4 billion in 2022, $1.8 billion in 2023, $1.4 billion in 2024, $154 million in 2025, $610 million in 2026 and $942 million in 2027 and thereafter.

(b) Capacity Purchase Agreements with Third-Party Regional Carriers

As of December 31, 2021, American’s minimum obligations under its capacity purchase agreements with third-party regional carriers are as follows (approximately, in millions):


	2022		2023		2024		2025		2026		2027 and Thereafter		Total
Minimum obligations under capacity purchase agreements with third-party regional carriers (1)	$	1,495	$	1,834	$	1,875	$	1,729	$	1,123	$	2,317	$	10,373

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

From time to time, airports where American has operations engage in construction projects, often substantial, that result in new or improved facilities that are ultimately funded through increases in the rent and other occupancy costs payable by airlines using the airport. Unlike this construction and funding model, American is managing a project at LAX where it has legal title to the assets during construction. In 2018, American executed a lease agreement with Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA), which owns and operates LAX, in connection with a $1.6 billion modernization project related to LAX Terminals 4 and 5. Construction, which started in October 2018 and is expected to be completed in 2028, will occur in a phased approach. The modernization project will include a unified departure hall to the entranceway of Terminals 4 and 5, reconfigured ticket counter and check-in areas with seamless access to security screening areas, 10 new security screening lanes with automated technology in addition to the existing Terminal 5 lanes, and a new Terminal 4 South concourse with more open and upgraded amenities at gate areas. The project will also include renovated break rooms, multi-use meeting rooms and team gathering spaces throughout the terminals to support American’s team members at LAX.

As each phase is completed and ready for use, the assets will be sold and transferred to LAWA, including the site improvements and non-proprietary improvements. As American controls the assets during construction, they are recognized on its balance sheet until the assets are sold and transferred to LAWA. As of December 31, 2021, American has incurred approximately $338 million in costs relating to the LAX modernization project, of which $112 million, $114 million and $98 million were incurred during 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and have been included within operating property and equipment on its consolidated balance sheets and included within airport construction projects, net of reimbursements on its consolidated statements of cash flows. As of December 31, 2021, American has sold and transferred $132 million of non-proprietary improvements to LAWA, of which $21 million occurred during 2021. For non-proprietary improvements which are not yet ready for use, any cash payments received from LAWA will be reflected as a financial liability. As of December 31, 2021, American has received $88 million in cash proceeds for non-proprietary improvements which are not yet ready for use, and therefore have not been sold and transferred back to LAWA. These proceeds are currently included in other accrued liabilities on American’s consolidated balance sheet and are reflected as financing activities on its consolidated statement of cash flows.

JFK

(d) Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

Pass-Through Trusts

Letters of Credit and Other

American provides financial assurance, such as letters of credit, surety bonds or restricted cash and investments, primarily to support projected workers’ compensation obligations and airport commitments. As of December 31, 2021, American had $439 million of letters of credit and surety bonds securing various obligations, of which $94 million is collateralized with American’s restricted cash. The letters of credit and surety bonds that are subject to expiration will expire on various dates through 2025.

(e) Legal Proceedings

The Plan established a disputed claims reserve (DCR) to hold shares of AAG common stock reserved for issuance to disputed claimholders at the Effective Date that ultimately become holders of allowed claims. The shares of AAG common stock issued to the DCR were originally issued on December 13, 2013, and have at all times since been included in the number of shares issued and outstanding as reported by AAG from time to time in its quarterly and annual reports, including for calculating earnings per common share. As disputed claims are resolved, the claimants receive distributions of shares from the DCR. American is not required to distribute additional shares above the limits contemplated by the Plan, even if the shares remaining for distribution in the DCR are not sufficient to pay any additional allowed unsecured claims. On November 29, 2021, the Bankruptcy Court granted American’s motion to close the bankruptcy case. The motion authorized American to settle various bankruptcy-related claims, distribute excess reserved funds held in the DCR, excluding shares set aside for an earlier settlement of a claim that cannot be distributed until all appeals are final, and to close the Chapter 11 cases. On December 7, 2021, in accordance with the approval granted by the Bankruptcy Court, American distributed approximately 4.5 million shares of AAG common stock from the DCR to former AMR stockholders, to former convertible noteholders treated as stockholders under the Plan and to claimants. As of December 31, 2021, 0.3 million shares of AAG common stock remain in the DCR to be available to resolve an outstanding claim.

Private Party Antitrust Action Related to Passenger Capacity. American, along with Delta Air Lines, Inc., Southwest Airlines Co., United Airlines, Inc. and, in the case of litigation filed in Canada, Air Canada, were named as defendants in approximately 100 putative class action lawsuits alleging unlawful agreements with respect to air passenger capacity. The U.S. lawsuits were consolidated in the Federal District Court for the District of Columbia (the DC Court). On June 15, 2018, American reached a settlement agreement with the plaintiffs in the amount of $45 million to resolve all class claims in the U.S. lawsuits. That settlement was approved by the DC Court on May 13, 2019, however three parties who objected to the settlement have appealed that decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. American believes these appeals are without merit and intends to vigorously defend against them.

Private Party Antitrust Action Related to the Merger. On August 6, 2013, a lawsuit captioned Carolyn Fjord, et al., v. AMR Corporation, et al., was filed in the Bankruptcy Court. The complaint named as defendants US Airways Group, US Airways, Inc., AMR and American, alleged that the effect of the Merger may be to create a monopoly in violation of Section 7 of the Clayton Antitrust Act, and sought injunctive relief and/or divestiture. On November 27, 2013, the Bankruptcy Court denied plaintiffs’ motion to preliminarily enjoin the Merger. On August 29, 2018, the Bankruptcy Court denied in part defendants' motion for summary judgment, and fully denied plaintiffs' cross-motion for summary judgment. The parties' evidentiary cases were presented before the Bankruptcy Court in a bench trial in March 2019 and the parties submitted proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law and made closing arguments in April 2019. On January 29, 2021, the Bankruptcy Court published its decision finding in American’s favor. The plaintiffs have appealed this ruling to the U.S. District Court, which remains pending. American believes this lawsuit is without merit and intends to continue to vigorously defend against it, including against plaintiffs' appeal of the Bankruptcy Court's January 29, 2021 ruling.

Government Antitrust Action Related to the Northeast Alliance. On September 21, 2021, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), joined by Attorneys General from six states and the District of Columbia, filed an antitrust complaint against American and JetBlue Airways Corporation (JetBlue) alleging that American and JetBlue violated U.S. antitrust laws in connection with the previously disclosed Northeast Alliance (NEA) arrangement. American believes this complaint is without merit and intends to defend against it vigorously.

General. In addition to the specifically identified legal proceedings, American and its subsidiaries are also engaged in other legal proceedings from time to time. Legal proceedings can be complex and take many months, or even years, to reach resolution, with the final outcome depending on a number of variables, some of which are not within American’s control. Therefore, although American will vigorously defend itself in each of the actions described above and such other legal proceedings, their ultimate resolution and potential financial and other impacts on American are uncertain but could be material.

(f) Guarantees and Indemnifications

American is a party to many routine contracts in which it provides general indemnities in the normal course of business to third parties for various risks. American is not able to estimate the potential amount of any liability resulting from the indemnities. These indemnities are discussed in the following paragraphs.

In its aircraft financing agreements, American generally indemnifies the financing parties, trustees acting on their behalf and other relevant parties against liabilities (including certain taxes) resulting from the financing, manufacture, design, ownership, operation and maintenance of the aircraft regardless of whether these liabilities (including certain taxes) relate to the negligence of the indemnified parties.

American’s loan agreements and other LIBOR-based financing transactions (including certain leveraged aircraft leases) generally obligate American to reimburse the applicable lender for incremental costs due to a change in law that imposes (i) any reserve or special deposit requirement against assets of, deposits with or credit extended by such lender related to the loan, (ii) any tax, duty or other charge with respect to the loan (except standard income tax) or (iii) capital adequacy requirements. In addition, American’s loan agreements and other financing arrangements typically contain a withholding tax provision that requires American to pay additional amounts to the applicable lender or other financing party, generally if withholding taxes are imposed on such lender or other financing party as a result of a change in the applicable tax law.

In certain transactions, including certain aircraft financing leases and loans, the lessors, lenders and/or other parties have rights to terminate the transaction based on changes in foreign tax law, illegality or certain other events or circumstances. In such a case, American may be required to make a lump sum payment to terminate the relevant transaction.

American has general indemnity clauses in many of its airport and other real estate leases where American as lessee indemnifies the lessor (and related parties) against liabilities related to American’s use of the leased property. Generally, these indemnifications cover liabilities resulting from the negligence of the indemnified parties, but not liabilities resulting from the gross negligence or willful misconduct of the indemnified parties. In addition, American provides environmental indemnities in many of these leases for contamination related to American’s use of the leased property.

Under certain contracts with third parties, American indemnifies the third-party against legal liability arising out of an action by the third-party, or certain other parties. The terms of these contracts vary and the potential exposure under these indemnities cannot be determined. American has liability insurance protecting American for some of the obligations it has undertaken under these indemnities.

American is required to make principal and interest payments for certain special facility revenue bonds issued by municipalities primarily to build or improve airport facilities and purchase equipment, which are leased to American. The payment of principal and interest of certain special facility revenue bonds is guaranteed by American. As of December 31, 2021, the remaining lease payments through 2035 guaranteeing the principal and interest on these bonds are $555 million and the current carrying amount of the associated operating lease liability in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet is $321 million.

As of December 31, 2021, American had issued guarantees covering AAG’s $1.8 billion aggregate principal amount of the PSP1 Promissory Note due April 2030, $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of the PSP2 Promissory Note due January 2031, $946 million aggregate principal amount of the PSP3 Promissory Note due April 2031, $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of 6.50% convertible senior notes due July 2025, $750 million aggregate principal amount of 5.000% senior notes due June 2022 and $500 million aggregate principal amount of 3.75% senior notes due March 2025.

(g) Credit Card Processing Agreements

American has agreements with companies that process customer credit card transactions for the sale of air travel and other services. American’s agreements allow these credit card processing companies, under certain conditions, to hold an amount of its cash (referred to as a holdback) equal to all or a portion of advance ticket sales that have been processed by that company, but for which American has not yet provided the air transportation. These holdback requirements can be modified at the discretion of the credit card processing companies upon the occurrence of specific events, including material adverse changes in American’s financial condition or the triggering of a liquidity covenant. These credit card processing companies are not currently entitled to maintain any holdbacks. The imposition of holdback requirements would reduce American’s liquidity.

(h) Labor Negotiations

As of December 31, 2021, American employed approximately 96,800 active full-time equivalent (FTE) employees. Of the total active FTE employees, 87% are covered by collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) with various labor unions and 54% are covered by CBAs that are currently amendable or that will become amendable within one year. Joint collective bargaining agreements covering American’s mainline pilots, flight attendants, passenger service, flight simulator engineers and dispatchers are now amendable.