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Legal Proceedings
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2023
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]  
Legal Proceedings Legal Proceedings
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 U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (Bankruptcy Court). The complaint named as defendants US Airways Group, US Airways, Inc., AMR Corporation and American, alleged that the effect of the merger of US Airways Group and AMR Corporation (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. On March 25, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered judgment affirming the Bankruptcy Court’s decision. On April 21, 2022, plaintiffs appealed that decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. On March 20, 2023, the Second Circuit affirmed in full the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York’s decision. On June 20, 2023, plaintiffs filed a petition seeking a writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court, which was docketed on June 22, 2023. Our brief in opposition, if any, is due July 24, 2023. We believe this lawsuit is without merit and intend to continue to vigorously defend against any further appeals by the plaintiffs.
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) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts alleging that American and JetBlue violated U.S. antitrust law in connection with the previously disclosed Northeast Alliance arrangement (NEA). The parties presented their respective cases in a bench trial that commenced on September 27, 2022. The parties presented closing arguments on November 18, 2022.
On May 19, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued an order permanently enjoining American and JetBlue from continuing and further implementing the NEA. The parties submitted respective proposals regarding the timing and terms of the final injunction order on June 9, 2023, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts scheduled a hearing for July 26, 2023 to discuss the proposals. The injunction will take effect 21 days after the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issues a final judgment and permanent injunction. American plans to appeal the final judgment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Private Party Antitrust Actions Related to the Northeast Alliance. On December 5, 2022 and December 7, 2022, two private party plaintiffs filed putative class action antitrust complaints against American and JetBlue in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging that American and JetBlue violated U.S. antitrust law in connection with the previously disclosed NEA. These actions were consolidated on January 10, 2023. The private party plaintiffs filed an amended consolidated complaint on February 3, 2023. On February 2, 2023 and February 15, 2023, private party plaintiffs filed two additional putative class action antitrust complaints against American and JetBlue in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, respectively. On May 12, 2023 and May 24, 2023, respectively, the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York was consolidated with the other actions and the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts was transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. On June 23, 2023, the private party plaintiffs filed a second amended consolidated complaint. We believe these lawsuits are without merit and are defending against them vigorously.
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.
American Airlines, Inc.  
Long-term Purchase Commitment [Line Items]  
Legal Proceedings Legal Proceedings
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 U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (Bankruptcy Court). The complaint named as defendants US Airways Group, US Airways, Inc., AMR Corporation and American, alleged that the effect of the merger of US Airways Group and AMR Corporation (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. On March 25, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York entered judgment affirming the Bankruptcy Court’s decision. On April 21, 2022, plaintiffs appealed that decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. On March 20, 2023, the Second Circuit affirmed in full the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York’s decision. On June 20, 2023, plaintiffs filed a petition seeking a writ of certiorari to the U.S. Supreme Court, which was docketed on June 22, 2023. American’s brief in opposition, if any, is due July 24, 2023. American believes this lawsuit is without merit and intends to continue to vigorously defend against any further appeals by the plaintiffs.
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) in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts alleging that American and JetBlue violated U.S. antitrust law in connection with the previously disclosed Northeast Alliance arrangement (NEA). The parties presented their respective cases in a bench trial that commenced on September 27, 2022. The parties presented closing arguments on November 18, 2022.
On May 19, 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued an order permanently enjoining American and JetBlue from continuing and further implementing the NEA. The parties submitted respective proposals regarding the timing and terms of the final injunction order on June 9, 2023, and the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts scheduled a hearing for July 26, 2023 to discuss the proposals. The injunction will take effect 21 days after the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issues a final judgment and permanent injunction. American plans to appeal the final judgment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Private Party Antitrust Actions Related to the Northeast Alliance. On December 5, 2022 and December 7, 2022, two private party plaintiffs filed putative class action antitrust complaints against American and JetBlue in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York alleging that American and JetBlue violated U.S. antitrust law in connection with the previously disclosed NEA. These actions were consolidated on January 10, 2023. The private party plaintiffs filed an amended consolidated complaint on February 3, 2023. On February 2, 2023 and February 15, 2023, private party plaintiffs filed two additional putative class action antitrust complaints against American and JetBlue in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, respectively. On May 12, 2023 and May 24, 2023, respectively, the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York was consolidated with the other actions and the complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts was transferred to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. On June 23, 2023, the private party plaintiffs filed a second amended consolidated complaint. American believes these lawsuits are without merit and is defending against them 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.