UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
(Mark One)
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| ☒ | ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 20202023
or
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| ☐ | TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 |
For the transition period from to
Commission File No. 001-35186
Spirit Airlines, Inc.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
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| Delaware | | 38-1747023 |
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization) | | (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.) |
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| 2800 Executive Way | Miramar | Florida | | 33025 |
| (Address of principal executive offices) | | (Zip Code) |
(954) 447-7920
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
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| Title of Each Class | | Trading Symbol | | Name of Each Exchange on Which Registered |
| Common Stock, $0.0001 par value | | SAVE | | New York Stock Exchange |
| Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Rights | | SAVE | | New York Stock Exchange
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
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| Large accelerated filer | ☒ | Accelerated filer | ☐ |
| Non-accelerated filer | ☐ | Smaller reporting company | ☐ |
| Emerging growth company | ☐ |
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C.7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report Yes ☒ No ☐
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements. ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
The aggregate market value of the common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant was approximately $1.6$1.9 billion computed by reference to the last sale price of the common stock on the New York Stock Exchange on June 30, 2020,2023, the last trading day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. Shares held by each executive officer, director and by certain persons that own 10 percent or more of the outstanding Common Stock have been excluded in that such persons may be deemed to be affiliates. This determination of affiliate status is not necessarily a conclusive determination for other purposes.
The number of shares of each registrant's classes of common stock outstanding as of the close of business on February 3, 2021:
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| Class | Number of Shares |
| Common Stock, $0.0001 par value per share | 97,783,282109,477,999 |
Documents Incorporated by Reference
Portions of the registrant's Proxy Statement for the registrant's 20212024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders are incorporated by reference into Part III of this Form 10-K to the extent stated herein. The Proxy Statement will be filed within 120 days of the registrant's fiscal year ended December 31, 2020.2023.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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| PART I | Page |
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| PART II | |
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| PART III | |
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| Item 12. Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters | |
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| PART IV | |
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PART I
ITEM 1. BUSINESS
Overview
Spirit Airlines, Inc. ("Spirit Airlines"), headquartered in Miramar, Florida, offers affordable travel to value-conscious customers.guests ("Guests"). Our all-Airbus fleet is one of the youngest and most fuel efficient in the United States. We serve 78During 2023, we served 93 destinations in 1615 countries throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our stock trades under the symbol "SAVE" on the New York Stock Exchange ("NYSE").
Our ultra low-cost carrier, or ULCC, business model allows us to compete principally by offering customersGuests unbundled base fares that remove components traditionally included in the price of an airline ticket. By offering customersGuests unbundled base fares, we give customersGuests the power to save by paying only for the Á ÀLa SmarteTM® options they choose, such as checked and carry-on bags, advance seat assignments, priority boarding, refreshments and refreshments.Wi-Fi. We record revenue related to these options as non-fare passenger revenue, which is recorded within passenger revenues in our consolidated statements of operations.
Our History
We were founded in 1964 as Clippert Trucking Company, a Michigan corporation. We began air charter operations in 1990 and renamed ourselves Spirit Airlines, Inc. in 1992. In 1994, we reincorporated in Delaware, and in 1999 we relocated our headquarters to Miramar, Florida.
Our Corporate Information
Our mailing address and executive offices are located at 2800 Executive Way, Miramar, Florida 33025, and our telephone number at that address is (954) 447-7920. We are subject to the information and periodic reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or Exchange Act, and, in accordance therewith, file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC. Such periodic reports, proxy statements and other information are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. We also post on the Investor Relations page of our website, www.spirit.com, a link to our filings with the SEC, our Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Business Conduct and Ethics, which applies to all directors and all our employees, and the charters of our Audit, Compensation, Finance, Safety, Security and Operations and Nominating and Corporate Governance committees. Our filings with the SEC are posted as soon as reasonably practical after they are filed electronically with the SEC. Please note that information contained on our website is not incorporated by reference in, or considered to be a part of, this report.
Changes to Our Corporate Structure
In August 2020, Spirit Airlines formed several new subsidiaries; Spirit Finance Cayman 1 Ltd. (“HoldCo 1”), Spirit Finance Cayman 2 Ltd. (“HoldCo 2), Spirit IP Cayman Ltd. (“Spirit IP”) and Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd. (“Spirit Loyalty”). Each are Cayman Islands exempted companies incorporated with limited liability. Spirit IP and Spirit Loyalty are wholly-owned subsidiaries of HoldCo 2 (other than the special share issued to the special shareholder, who granted a proxy to vote such share to the collateral agent for the 8.00% senior secured notes (as defined herein)). HoldCo 1 and HoldCo 2 are special purpose holding companies. HoldCo 2 is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of HoldCo 1 (other than the special share issued to the special shareholder, who granted a proxy to vote such share to the collateral agent for the 8.00% senior secured notes). HoldCo 1 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spirit Airlines (other than the special share issued to the special shareholder, who granted a proxy to vote such share to the collateral agent for the 8.00% senior secured notes).
Current Developments
JetBlue Merger
On July 28, 2022, we entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with JetBlue Airways Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“JetBlue”), and Sundown Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of JetBlue (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which and subject to the terms and conditions therein, Merger Sub will merge with and into Spirit, with Spirit continuing as the surviving entity (the “Merger”). As a result of the Merger, each existing share of Spirit's common stock (except for dissenting shares, treasury stock, and shares of Spirit's common stock owned by JetBlue, Merger Sub or any of their respective wholly owned subsidiaries), will be converted into the right to receive an amount in cash per share, without interest, equal to (such amount, the “Merger Consideration”) (i) $33.50 minus (ii) (A) $2.50 (the “Approval Prepayment Amount”), paid on October 26, 2022 following the adoption by Spirit stockholders of the Merger Agreement on October 19, 2022, and (B) an additional monthly per share prepayment amount calculated as the product
of $0.10 and the number of additional prepayments paid (or, in the event the Closing occurs after the record date of, but before the payment date of any such additional prepayment, to the extent payable after the Closing), not to exceed $1.15 per share of Spirit common stock, by JetBlue to Spirit stockholders in accordance with the Merger Agreement (each such payment is referred to as an “Additional Prepayment” and such $0.10 amount is referred to as the “Additional Prepayment Amount”). If an aggregate of $1.15 of Additional Prepayment Amounts has been paid out before consummation or termination of the Merger, Spirit stockholders will thereafter continue to receive monthly Additional Prepayments, at the same $0.10 per month rate until the transaction closes or the Merger Agreement is terminated. The Merger Agreement becomes unilaterally terminable by either JetBlue or Spirit after July 24, 2024.
In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, JetBlue is required to pay or cause to be paid the Approval Prepayment Amount to Spirit stockholders as of the record date established by Spirit for the special meeting to approve the Merger Agreement within five business days following such Spirit stockholder approval. Thereafter, on or prior to the last business day of each month beginning after December 31, 2022 until the earlier of the Closing or termination of the Merger Agreement, JetBlue will also pay or cause to be paid the Additional Prepayment Amount to Spirit stockholders as of a record date not more than five business days prior to the last business day of such month. Payments made from JetBlue to Spirit stockholders do not impact our results of operations or cash flows.
On October 19, 2022, Spirit’s stockholders approved the Merger Agreement at a special meeting of stockholders. The record date for both Spirit's special meeting and the Approval Prepayment was September 12, 2022. In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, on October 26, 2022, JetBlue paid the Spirit stockholders the Approval Prepayment Amount of $2.50 per share. Additionally, beginning January 2023, JetBlue paid on a monthly basis the Additional Prepayments of $0.10 per share of common stock to all Spirit stockholders as of each record date per the agreement.
Due to the payment of the Approval Prepayment and each of the Additional Prepayment Amounts, in accordance with the terms of the respective debt indentures and warrant agreements, we announced related adjustments to the conversion rates of our convertible notes due 2025 and our convertible notes due 2026 as well as adjustments to the exercise prices and warrant shares of the outstanding warrants issued in connection with our participation in the Payroll Support Program authorized by the CARES Act (“PSP1”), as extended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (“PSP2”) and the American Rescue Plan Act (“PSP3”). As of December 31, 2023, the conversion rates of the convertible notes due 2025 and 2026 were 94.9262 and 24.6649 shares of voting common stock per $1,000 principal amount of convertible notes, respectively. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, the exercise prices of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants were $11.663, $20.229 and $30.196, respectively, and the number of warrant shares issuable upon the exercise of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants were adjusted to 628,725.19, 166,292.37 and 97,219.73, respectively.
Completion of the Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain closing conditions, including, among other things: (1) approval of the transactions by Spirit’s stockholders, which was received on October 19, 2022; (2) receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, including approvals from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation and the expiration or early termination of the statutory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other competition laws, and other required regulatory approvals; (3) the absence of any law or order prohibiting the consummation of the transactions; and (4) the absence of any material adverse effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) on Spirit.
On March 7, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) filed suit to block the Merger and a trial was held in late 2023. On January 16, 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts (the “District Court”) granted a permanent injunction against the Merger (the "Injunction"). On January 19, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a notice of appeal to reverse the District Court's decision and allow Spirit and JetBlue to complete the Merger. On January 25, 2024, JetBlue made a public filing stating that certain closing conditions required by the Merger Agreement may not be satisfied prior to the outside dates set forth in the Merger Agreement and, accordingly, the Merger Agreement may be terminable on and after January 28, 2024. We do not believe there is a basis for terminating the Merger Agreement, and we will continue to abide by all of our obligations under the Merger Agreement. On January 29, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a request with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (the "Court of Appeals") seeking an expedited schedule for their appeal. On February 2, 2024, the Court of Appeals granted our motion, stating it would hear arguments in June 2024.
In addition, Spirit has agreed, among other things, that neither it nor any of its directors, officers, employees and representatives will (1) solicit alternative transactions, (2) participate in any discussions or negotiations relating to alternative transactions, (3) furnish any non-public information in connection with alternative transactions or (4) enter into any agreement relating to alternative transactions, except under limited circumstances described in the Merger Agreement. However, in certain circumstances, Spirit may terminate the Merger Agreement to enter into a definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal (as
defined in the Merger Agreement). In addition, Spirit, JetBlue and Merger Sub each make certain customary representations, warranties and covenants, as applicable, in the Merger Agreement.
The Merger Agreement contains certain termination rights for Spirit and JetBlue, including, without limitation, a right for either party to terminate if the Merger is not consummated on or before July 28, 2023 (the "Outside Date"), subject to certain automatic extensions up to July 24, 2024 if needed to obtain regulatory approvals. Since all regulatory approvals required to consummate the Merger were not obtained as of July 28, 2023 and January 28, 2024, the current Outside Date has been automatically extended to July 24, 2024. Upon termination of the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, Spirit will be required to pay JetBlue a termination fee of $94.2 million. Upon the termination of the Merger Agreement by JetBlue because of a material uncured breach by Spirit of the Merger Agreement, Spirit will be required to pay JetBlue an amount equal to the sum of all amounts paid by JetBlue to the Spirit stockholders. Upon the termination of the Merger Agreement for failure to obtain antitrust regulatory clearance, JetBlue will be required to pay (i) to Spirit, $70.0 million, and (ii) to the Spirit stockholders, the excess of (A) $400.0 million minus (B) the sum of the Approval Prepayment Amount and all Additional Prepayment Amounts previously paid by JetBlue to the Spirit stockholders.
Pratt & Whitney
On July 25, 2023, RTX Corporation, parent company of Pratt & Whitney, announced that it had determined that a rare condition in the powdered metal used to manufacture certain engine parts will require accelerated inspection of the PW1100G-JM ("GTF") fleet, which powers our A320neo family of aircraft.
In September 2023, Pratt & Whitney notified us that all the geared turbofan GTF neo engines in our fleet, including the engines slotted for future aircraft deliveries, for a yet to be determined period, are subject to the inspection and possible replacement, of the powdered metal high-pressure turbine and compressor discs. In addition, Pratt & Whitney issued a special instruction ("SI"), requiring accelerated engine removals and inspections covering the initial tranche of operational engines, no later than September 15, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, in accordance with the SI issued by Pratt & Whitney, we have removed five engines from service, three of which are currently awaiting induction for inspection.
For the remaining engines, Pratt & Whitney has provided an initial analysis on an inspection and removal schedule for these engines. In addition, to the 5 engines removed from service, we had 12 neo aircraft grounded as of December 31, 2023 for reliability, durability, and inspection requirements combined. For 2024, we had an average of 13 grounded neo aircraft in January 2024, and we expect the average number of grounded neo aircraft will increase to approximately 40 in December 2024, averaging approximately 25 grounded for the full year. We currently estimate the majority of affected engines will require removal and inspection in 2024, but will continue through 2026, based on service bulletins ("SB") issued by Pratt & Whitney and related airworthiness directives issued by the FAA.
The temporary removal of engines from service is expected to drive a significant decrease in our near-term growth projections. We have reduced capacity in amounts and timing commensurate with the initially scheduled removal and inspection of these impacted engines; however, we continue to assess the impact on our future capacity plans. Pratt & Whitney stated that it is focused on addressing the challenges arising from the powdered metal manufacturing issue and will proactively take steps to support and mitigate the operational impact to its customers. We are in discussions with Pratt & Whitney regarding compensation for the loss of utilization; however, the amount, timing or structure of the compensation that will be agreed upon is not yet known.
Retirement of A319 Aircraft
We operate a single-fleet type of Airbus A320-family aircraft that is one of the youngest in the United States. During the fourth quarter of 2022, we made the decision to accelerate the retirement of 29 of our A319 aircraft. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, we completed the sale of 12 A319 airframes and 20 A319 engines. The remaining A319 aircraft had an average age of 16.9 years as of December 31, 2023. Excluding the A319 aircraft to be sold, the average age of our fleet would have been 5.5 years as of December 31, 2023. In addition, we are scheduled to take delivery of 121 new Airbus A320-family aircraft through 2029, potentially making ours the youngest fleet in the United States. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements— 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" for additional information.
Summary Risk Factors
Our business is subject to a number of risks, including risks that may prevent us from achieving our business objectives or may adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations, cash flows and prospects. These risks are discussed more fully in Item 1A. Risk Factors herein. These risk factors include, but are not limited to, the following:
•The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business results of operationsthe Merger and financial condition;our ability to complete the Merger in a timely manner;
•The competitiveness of our industry;
•Volatility in fuel costs or significant disruptions in the supply of fuel, in particular the impact on our single service provider on whom we rely to manage the majority of our fuel supply;fuel;
•Adverse domestic or global economic conditions on our business, results of operations and financial condition, including our ability to obtain financing or access capital markets;
•Factors beyond our control, including air traffic congestion at airports, air traffic control inefficiencies, major construction or improvements at airports, adverse weather conditions, increased security measures, new travel related taxes or the outbreak of disease;
•Increased labor costs, union disputes, employee strikes and other labor-related disruption;
•Our maintenance costs, which will increase as our fleet ages;
•The extensive regulation by the FAA, DOT, TSA and other U.S. and foreign governmental agencies to which we are subject;
•Our reliance on technology and automated systems to operate our business;
•Our reliance on third-party service providers to perform functions integral to our operations, including for ground handling, fuel, catering, passenger handing,handling, maintenance, reservations and other services;
•Our reliance on a limited number of suppliers for our aircraft and engines;
•Reduction in demand for air transportation, or governmental reduction or limitation of operating capacity, in the domestic U.S., Caribbean or Latin American markets;
•The success of the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM®; program; and
•Our significant amount of aircraft-related fixed obligations and additional debt that we have incurred, and may incur in the future.
Our Business Model
Our ULCC business model provides customersGuests low, unbundled base fares with a range of optional services, allowing customersGuests the freedom to choose only the options they value. The success of our model is driven by our low-cost structure, which has historically, permittedup to 2020, allowed us to offermaintain high profit margins while offering low base fares while maintainingfares. Our low-cost structure is primarily driven by having a high profit margins. During 2020,fleet utilization. Throughout most of 2023, we were unable to deliver a profitachieve historical high levels of fleet utilization primarily due to pilot and industry infrastructure constraints. In the impact ofpost-pandemic period, lower utilization as well as wage and other inflationary pressures, have increased our operating costs. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemicindustry has experienced capacity increases, leading to increased competition in the markets we serve and resulting in a decrease on our airline.average fares.
We are focused on value-conscious travelers who pay for their own travel, and our business model is designed to deliver what our customersGuests want: low fares and a great experience. We use low fares to address underserved markets, which helps us to increase passenger volume and load factors on the flights we operate. We also have high-density seating configurations on our aircraft and a simplified onboard product designed to lower costs. High passenger volumes and load factors help us sell moreincrease our sales of ancillary products and services, which in turn allows us to reduce the base fare we offer even further. We strive to be recognized by our customersGuests and potential customersGuests as the low-fare leader in the markets we serve.
We compete based on total price. We believe that we and our customersGuests benefit when we allow our customersGuests to know the total price of their travel by breaking out the cost of optional products or services. We allow our customersGuests to see all available options and their respective prices prior to purchasing a ticket, and this full transparency illustrates that our total price, including the options selected is lower, on average, than other airlines.
Through branded campaigns, we educate the public on how our unbundled pricing model works, and show them how it provides a choice on how they spend their money and how it saves them money compared to other airlines. We show our commitment to delivering the best value in the sky by continuing to make improvements to the customerGuest experience, including a freshly updated cabin interior with ergonomically-designed seats and self bag-tagging in most airports to reduce check-in processing time.
Our Strengths
We believe we compete successfully in the airline industry by leveraging the following demonstrated business strengths:
Ultra Low-Cost Structure. Our unit operating costs are among the lowest of all airlines operating in the United States. We believe this unit cost advantage helps protect our market position and enables us to offer some of the lowest base fares in our markets sustain among the highest operating margins in our industry and support continued growth. Our operating costs per available seat mile ("CASM") of 8.3610.52 cents in 2020 were2023 was significantly lower than those of the major domestic network carriers and among the lowest of the domestic low-cost carriers. We achieve these low unit operating costs in large part due to:
•high aircraft utilization;
•high-density seating configurations on our aircraft along with a simplified onboard product designed to lower costs;
•minimal hub-and-spoke network inefficiencies;
•highly productive workforce;
•opportunistic outsourcing of operating functions;
•operating a single-fleet type of Airbus A320-family aircraft that is one of the youngest and most fuel efficient in the United States and operated by common flight crews;
•reduced sales, marketing and distribution costs through direct-to-consumer marketing;
•efficient flight scheduling, including minimal ground times between flights; and
•a company-wide business culture that is keenly focused on driving costs lower.
Innovative Revenue Generation. We execute our innovative, unbundled pricing strategy to generate significant non-ticket revenue, which allows us to lower base fares and enables our passengers to identify, select and pay for only the products and services they want to use. In implementing our unbundled strategy, we have grown non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment from approximately $5 in 2006 to $57$69 in 20202023 generally by:
•charging for checked and carry-on baggage;
•passing through most distribution-related expenses;
•charging for premium seats and advance seat selection;
•applying dynamic pricing for ancillary products and services;
•maintaining consistent ticketing policies, including service charges for changes and cancellations;
•generating subscription revenue from our $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® (the “$9 Fare ClubTM”) low-fare subscription service;;
•deriving brand-based revenues from proprietary services, such as our FREE SPIRITFree Spirit affinity credit card program;
•offering a combination of our most popular Á La Smarte® items at a discount, such as boost-it and bundle-it combos;
•offering third-party travel products (travel packages), such as hotel rooms, ground transportation (rental and hotel shuttle products) and attractions (show or theme park tickets) packaged with air travel on our website; and
•selling third-party travel insurance through our website.
Resilient Business Model and Customer Base. By focusing on price-sensitive travelers, we have generally maintained profitability or been impacted to a lesser degree than most of our competitors during volatile economic periods because we are not highly dependent on premium-fare business traffic. We believe our growing customer base is more resilient than the customer bases of most other airlines because our low fares and unbundled service offering appeal to price-sensitive travelers.
Well Positioned for GrowthOur Network. We have developed a substantial network of destinations in profitable U.S. domestic niche markets, targeted growth markets in the Caribbean and Latin America and high-volume routes flown by price-sensitive travelers. In the United States, we also have grown into large markets that, due to higher fares, have priced out those more price-sensitive travelers. We seek to balance growth between large domestic markets, large leisure destinations and opportunities in the Caribbean and Latin America according to current economic and industry conditions.
Experienced International Operator. We believe we have substantial experience in foreign aviation, security and customs regulations, local ground operations and flight crew training required for successful international and overwater flight operations. All of our aircraft are certified for overwater operations. We believe we compete favorably against other low-cost carriers because we have been conducting international flight operations since 2003 and have developed substantial experience in complying with the various regulations and business practices in the international markets we serve. During 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, no revenue from any one foreign country represented greater than 4% of our total passenger revenue. We attribute operating revenues by geographic region based upon the origin and destination of each passenger flight segment.
Financial Strength Achieved with Focus on Cost Discipline. We believe our ULCC business model has delivered strong financial results in both favorable and more difficult economic times. We have generated these results by:
•keeping a consistent focus on maintaining low unit operating costs;
•ensuring our sourcing arrangements with key third parties are regularly benchmarked against the best industry standards;
•generating and maintaining an adequate level of liquidity to insulate against volatility in key cost inputs, such as fuel, and in passenger demand that may occur as a result of changing general economic conditions.
Loyalty Programs
We operate the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM®, which is a subscription-based loyalty program that allows members access to unpublished, extra-low fares as well as discounted prices on bags and seats, shortcut boarding and security, "Flight Flex" flight modification product, and exclusive offers on hotels, rental cars and other travel necessities. We also operate the Free Spirit
loyalty program (the “Free Spirit Program”), which attracts members and partners and builds customer loyalty for us by offering a variety of awards, benefits and services. Free Spirit Program members earn and accrue milespoints for dollars spent on our flights and services from non-air partners such as retail merchants, hotels or car rental companies or by making purchases with credit cards issued by partner banks and financial services providers. MilesPoints earned and accrued by Free Spirit Program members can be redeemed for travel awards such as free (other than taxes and government-imposed fees), discounted or upgraded travel.
In January 2021, we launched a more expansive Free Spirit Program with extended mileage expirations, additional benefits based on status tiers, and other changes. In addition, beginning on January 21, 2021, the benefits of the $9 Fare ClubTM, now known as the Spirit Saver$ ClubTM, were expanded to include discounts on seats, shortcut boarding and security, and "Flight Flex" flight modification product.
Contribution Transactions
In connection with the consummation of the private offering of the 8.00% senior secured notes, Spirit, HoldCo 1, HoldCo 2 and Spirit IP or Spirit Loyalty, as applicable, transferred to (a) Spirit Loyalty (i) Spirit’s, HoldCo 1’s and HoldCo 2’s rights to the intellectual property and data that we own (or purport to own) and which is required or necessary to operate, or used, generated or produced as part of, the Free Spirit Program and $9 Fare ClubTM (such assets, with certain exclusions, the “Transferred Loyalty Program IP”), (ii) all of Spirit’s, HoldCo 1’s and HoldCo 2’s payment rights under any co-branding, partnering or similar agreements related to or entered into in connection with the Free Spirit Program, with certain exclusions (each a “Free Spirit Agreement”) (but not any of its obligations thereunder), including its rights to receive payment under or with respect to the Free Spirit Agreements and all payments due and to become due thereunder, (iii) membership fees from members of the $9 Fare ClubTM and (iv) all rights to establish, create, organize, initiate, participate, operate, assist, benefit from, promote or otherwise be involved in or associated with, in any capacity, the Free Spirit Program, the $9 Fare ClubTM or any other customer loyalty miles program or any similar customer loyalty program, other than in connection with any permitted loyalty programs (clauses (i) through (iv) collectively, the “Transferred Loyalty Program Assets”) and (b) Spirit IP, Spirit’s, HoldCo 1’s and HoldCo 2’s rights to the intellectual property, including trademarks and domain names of Spirit or including “Spirit” (collectively, with certain exceptions, the “Transferred Brand Assets” and, together with the Transferred Loyalty Program Assets, the “Transferred Spirit Assets”). For further discussion on our 8.00% senior secured notes private offering, refer to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—14. Debt and Other Obligations."
Additionally, Spirit Loyalty and Spirit IP entered into agreements with each of HoldCo 2 and Spirit to grant each of them exclusive, worldwide, perpetual and royalty-bearing licenses for the use of the Transferred Loyalty Program IP and the Transferred Brand Assets, and Spirit IP entered into an agreement with Spirit Loyalty to grant to Spirit Loyalty an exclusive, worldwide, perpetual and royalty-bearing license for the use of the Transferred Brand Assets, effective solely upon the termination of certain management agreements. Spirit also entered into management agreements with Spirit IP, Spirit Loyalty and HoldCo 2 to perform certain management services for Spirit IP and Spirit Loyalty, including as it relates to certain contributed intellectual property.
Route Network
During 2020,2023, our route network included 332over 420 markets served by 7893 airports throughout the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Below is a current For more details on the destinations to which we fly, refer to our route map ofon our network, including seasonal destinations we serve:
website,
Our network expansion targets underserved and/or overpriced markets. We employ a rigorous process to identify opportunities to deploy new aircraft where we believe they will be most profitable. To monitor the profitability of each route, we analyze weekly and monthly profitability reports as well as near-term forecasting.
Competition
The airline industry is highly competitive. The principal competitive factors in the airline industry are fare pricing, total price, flight schedules, aircraft type, passenger amenities, number of routes served from a city, customer service, safety record and reputation, code-sharing relationships and frequent flyerloyalty programs and redemption opportunities. We typically compete in markets served by traditional U.S. network airlines, and other low-cost carriers and ULCCs, and, to a lesser extent, regional airlines.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, our top twothree largest network overlaps, as measured by overlapping available seat miles in metro markets, are with Southwest Airlines, and American Airlines at approximately 59% and 48% of our markets, respectively. Our principal competitors on domestic routes are Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and Frontier Airlines. Our principal competitors to our markets in the Caribbean and Latin America are JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. Our principal
competitive advantage is our relative cost advantage which allows us to offer low base fares profitably.fares. In 2020,2023, our unit operating costs were among the lowest in the U.S. airline industry. WeIn most operating environments, we believe our low unit costs coupled with our relatively stable non-ticket revenues allow us to price our fares at levels where we can be profitable while our primary competitors cannot.
The airline industry is particularly susceptible to price discounting because, once a flight is scheduled, airlines incur only nominal incremental costs to provide service to passengers occupying otherwise unsold seats. The expenses of a scheduled aircraft flight do not vary significantly with the number of passengers carried and, as a result, a relatively small change in the number of passengers or in pricing could have a disproportionate effect on an airline’s operating and financial results. Price competition occurs on a market-by-market basis through price discounts, changes in pricing structures, fare matching, target promotions and frequent flyerloyalty initiatives. Airlines typically use discount fares and other promotions to stimulate traffic during normally slower travel periods to generate cash flow and to maximize TRASM. The prevalence of discount fares can be particularly acute when a competitor has excess capacity that it is unable to fill at higher rates. A key element to our competitive strategy is to maintain very low unit costs in order to permit us to compete successfully in price-sensitive markets.
Seasonality
Our business is subject to significant seasonal fluctuations. We generally expect demand to be greater in the second and third quarters each year due to more vacation travel during these periods, as compared to the rest of the year. The air transportation business is also volatile and highly affected by economic cycles and trends.
Distribution
The majority of our tickets are sold through direct channels, including online via www.spirit.com, our call center and our airport ticket counters, with www.spirit.com being the primary channel. We also partner with a number of third parties to distribute our tickets, including online and traditional travel agents and electronic global distribution systems.
Customers
We believe our customers are primarily leisure travelers who are paying for their own ticket and who make their purchase decision based largely on price.value. By maintaining a low costlow-cost structure, we have historically been able to successfully sell tickets at lowlower fares while maintaining a strong profit margin. During 2020,However, industry capacity increases have led to increased competition in the markets we were unable to deliverserve and resulted in a profit due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic ondecrease in our airline.average fares.
Customer Service
We are committed to taking care of our customers. We believe focusing on customer service in every aspect of our operations, including personnel, flight equipment, in-flight and ancillary amenities, on-time performance, flight completion ratios, and baggage handling will strengthen customer loyalty and attract new customers. We proactively aim to improve our operations to ensure further improvement in customer service.
Our online booking process allows our customers to see all available options and their prices prior to purchasing a ticket. We maintain a campaign that illustrates our total prices are lower, on average, than those of our competitors, even when options are included.
Fleet
We fly only Airbus A320 family aircraft, which provides us significant operational and cost advantages compared to airlines that operate multiple aircraft types. By operating a single aircraft type, we avoid the incremental costs of training crews across multiple types. Flight crews are entirely interchangeable across all of our aircraft, and maintenance, spare parts inventories and other operational support remains highly simplified compared to those airlines with more complex fleets. Due to this commonality among Airbus single-aisle aircraft, we can retain the benefits of a fleet comprised of a single type of aircraft while still having the flexibility to match the capacity and range of the aircraft to the demands of each route.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had a fleet of 157205 Airbus single-aisle aircraft, which are commonly referred to as “A320 family” aircraft. A320 family aircraft include the A319, A320 and A321 models, which have broadly common design and equipment but differ most notably in fuselage length, service range and seat capacity. Within the A320 family of aircraft, models using existing engine technology may carry the suffix “ceo,” denoting the “current engine option,” while models equipped with new-generation engines may carry the suffix “neo,” denoting the “new engine option.” As of December 31, 2020,2023, our fleet consisted of 3119 A319ceos, 64 A320ceos, 3284 A320neos, and 30 A321ceos and 8 A321neos, and the average age of the fleet was 6.56.6 years. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we owned 101 of our73 aircraft, of which 4529 aircraft arewere financed through fixed-rate long-term debt, with 7 to 12 year terms, 27 aircraft arewere financed through enhanced equipment trust certificates ("EETCs"), and 29
aircraft17 were purchased off lease and are currently unencumbered. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—14. Debt and Other Obligations” for information regarding our debt financing and “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—5. Special Charges and Credits” for information regarding our aircraft purchased off lease. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had 56132 leased aircraft, of which 117 aircraft were financed under operating leases with lease term expirations between 2022 and 2038.15 aircraft would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions. In addition, as of December 31, 2020,2023, we had 86 spare engines financed under operating leases and owned 1628 spare engines. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—13. Debt and Other Obligations” and “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—14. Leases" for additional information.
On December 20, 2019, we entered into an A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement with Airbus S.A.S. ("Airbus") for the purchase of 100 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft, with options to purchase up to 50 additional aircraft. This agreement includesincluded a mix of Airbus A319neo, A320neo and A321neo aircraft with such aircraft scheduled for delivery through 2027. As of December 31, 2020,2023, our firm aircraft orders consisted of 12699 A320 family aircraft with Airbus, including A319neos, A320neos and A321neos, with deliveries expected through 2027. In addition, we had 10 direct operating leases for A320neos with third-party lessors, with deliveries expected through 2021.2029. As of December 31, 2020, spare engine orders consisted of one V2500 SelectTwo engine with IAE and two PurePower PW 1100G-JM engines with Pratt & Whitney2023, we had secured financing for 18 aircraft, scheduled for delivery from Airbus through 2025 which will be financed through sale-leaseback transactions. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, we had agreements in place for the delivery of 22 direct operating leases of A321neos with third-party lessors, expected through 2025.
During the third quarter of 2021, we entered into an Engine Purchase Support Agreement which requires us to purchase a certain number of spare engines in order to maintain a contractual ratio of spare engines to aircraft in the fleet. As of December 31, 2023, we are committed to purchase 19 PW1100G-JM spare engines, with deliveries through 2023.2029. The firm aircraft orders provide for capacity growth as well as the flexibility to add to, or replace, the aircraft in our present fleet. We may elect to supplement these deliveries by additional acquisitions from the manufacturer or in the open market if demand conditions merit. We also may adjust or defer deliveries, or change models of aircraft in our delivery stream, from time to time, as a means to match our future capacity with anticipated demand and growth trends. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—2. Impacts of COVID-19” for additional information.
Consistent with our ULCC business model, each of our aircraft is configured with a high density seating configuration, which helps us maintain a lower unit cost and pass savings to our customers.cost. Our high density seating configuration accommodates more passengers than those of our competitors when comparing the same type of aircraft.
Maintenance and Repairs
We maintain our aircraft in accordance with a Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA") approvedan FAA-approved maintenance program built from the manufacturers recommended maintenance schedule and maintained by our Technical Services department. Our maintenance technicians undergo extensive initial and recurrent training to ensure the safe operation of our aircraft. For the thirdsixth year in a row, Spirit has achieved the FAA’s highest award for Technical Training, the Diamond Award of Excellence. This award is only achieved if 100% of technicians receive the FAA’s Aircraft Maintenance Technician (“AMT”) Certificate of Training.
Aircraft maintenance and repair consists of routine and non-routine maintenance, and work performed is divided into three general categories: line maintenance, heavy maintenance and component service. Line maintenance consists of routine daily and weekly scheduled maintenance checks on our aircraft, including pre-flight, daily, weekly and overnight checks, and any diagnostics and routine repairs and any unscheduled items on an as needed basis. Additionally, maintenance program tasks that may take up to two years to fully complete are performed periodically in line maintenance at scheduled day visits or segmented into overnight work packages. Line maintenance events are currently serviced by in-house mechanics supplemented by contract labor and are primarily completed at airports we currently serve. Heavy airframe maintenance checks consist of a series of more complex tasks that generally can take from one to four weeks to accomplish and typically are required approximately every 24 to 36 months. Heavy engine maintenance is generally performed approximately every six years and includes a more complex scope of work. Due to our relatively small fleet size and projected fleet growth, we believe outsourcing all of our heavy maintenance activity, such as engine servicing, heavy airframe maintenance checks, major part repair and component service repairs is more economical. Outsourcing eliminates the substantial initial capital requirements inherent in heavy aircraft maintenance. We have entered into a long-term flight hour agreement for the majority of our current fleet with IAEInternational Aero Engines AG ("IAE") and Pratt & Whitney for our engine overhaul services and with Lufthansa Technikvarious maintenance providers on an hour-by-hour basis for component services. We outsource our heavy airframe maintenance to FAA-qualified maintenance providers.
Our recent maintenance expenses have been lower than what we expect to incur in the future because of the relatively young age of our aircraft fleet. Our maintenance costs are expected to increase as the scope of repairs increases with the increasing age of our fleet. As our aircraft age, scheduled scope of work and frequency of unscheduled maintenance events is likely to increase like any maturing fleet. Our aircraft utilization rate could decrease with the increase in aircraft maintenance.
We own and operate a 126,000-square-foot maintenance hangar facility, adjacent to the airfield at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport which allows(DTW). In addition, we lease and operate a 63,700-square-foot maintenance hangar facility and 35,900-square-foot maintenance warehouse, adjacent to the airfield at the Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH). These hangars and warehouse allow us to fulfill the maintenance requirements ofreduce our growing fleet and will reduce dependence on third-party facilities and contract line maintenance. Please see “-Properties-Ground“Properties—Ground Facilities.”
Employees
Our business is labor intensive, with labor costs representing approximately 39.3%27.6%, 26.0%22.1% and 24.2%32.4% of our total operating costs for 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had 2,4973,561 pilots, 4,0286,208 flight attendants, 62100 dispatchers, 261366 ramp service agents, 281284 passenger service agents, 771685 aircraft maintenance technicians (a union contract with the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association ("AMFA") is currently under negotiation) and 1,963 non-unionized personnel, 162 airport agents/other and 694 employees in administrative roles, for a total of 8,75613,167 active employees compared to 8,93812,025 active employees as of December 31, 2019. 2022. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, there2023, there were 1,0252,345 employee terminations, including both voluntary and involuntary terminations, for an overall employee turnover rate of 11.5%19.5%. As of December 31, 2020,2023, approximately 82%85% of our employees were represented by fivesix labor unions. On an average full-time equivalent basis, for the full year 2020,2023, we had 8,69212,798 employees, compared to 8,07712,102 in 2019.2022.
FAA regulations require pilots to have commercial licenses with specific ratings for the aircraft to be flown and be medically certified as physically fit to fly. FAA and medical certifications are subject to periodic renewal requirements, including recurrent training and recent flying experience. Flight attendants must have initial and periodic competency training and qualification. For the year ended December 31, 2020,2023, paid training hours for our pilots and flight attendants were 92,619196,503 and 26,38068,508 hours, representing 11.9%12.1% and 1.7%2.1% of total crew block hours, respectively. Mechanics, quality-control inspectors and dispatchers must be certificated and qualified for specific aircraft. Training programs are subject to approval and monitoring by the FAA. Management personnel directly involved in the supervision of flight operations, training, maintenance and aircraft inspection must also meet experience standards prescribed by FAA regulations. All safety-sensitive employees are subject to pre-employment, random and post-accident drug testing.
Consistent with our core values, we focus on hiring highly productive and qualified personnelemployees and ensure they have comprehensive training. Our training programs focus on and emphasize the importance of safety, customer service, productivity, and cost control. We provide continuous training for our crew members including technical training as well as regular training focused on safety and front-line training for our customer service teams. Our training programs include classroom learning, extensive real-world flying experience, and instruction in full flight simulators, as appropriate.
Additionally, we are developing a comprehensiveOur Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Equity and Belonging Initiative("DEI&B") journey began in 2020 with us listening, learning, and building awareness. By 2022, we had implemented a DEI&B governance structure and commitment, and had pivoted to launcha focus on meaningful impact. Our seven Team Member-run employee resource groups ensure all Team Members have a voice in 2021, to drive meaningful change within the organization. This includes a new
paving our path; our Supplier Diversity program aroundensures a network offocus on minority-owned business partners and diverse suppliers, as partsuppliers; and our activation plan ensures purposeful change, which includes a focus on Community Responsibility, Ensuring Equitable and Inclusive Total Rewards, Creating an Environment of our strategic sourcingInclusion for All and procurement process.Fostering Belonging Though Representation.
We believe a direct relationship between Team Members and our leadership is in the best interests of our crew members, our customers, and our shareholders. Our leadership team communicates on a regular basis with all Team Members, including crew members, in order to maintain a direct relationship and to keep them informed about news, strategy updates, and challenges affecting the airline and the industry. Effective and frequent communication throughout the organization is fostered through various means including email messages from our CEO and other senior leaders, open forum meetings across our network, periodic leadership visits to our stations, and annual Team Member engagement surveys. We also seek to build human rights awareness among our Team Members and Guests and we have recently implemented a Human Rights Policy.
The Railway Labor Act, or RLA, governs our relations with labor organizations. Under the RLA, our collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) do not expire, but instead become amendable as of a stated date.date, subject to standard early opener provisions. If either party wishes to modify the terms of any such agreement, they must notify the other party in the manner agreed to by the parties. Under the RLA, after receipt of such notice, the parties must meet for direct negotiations. If no agreement is reached, either party may request the National Mediation Board, or NMB, to appoint a federal mediator. The RLA prescribes no set timetable for the direct negotiation and mediation process. It is not unusual for those processes to last for many months, and even several years. If no agreement is reached in mediation, the NMB in its discretion may declare at some time that an impasse exists. If an impasse is declared, the NMB proffers binding arbitration to the parties. Either party may decline to submit to arbitration. If arbitration is rejected by either party, a 30-day “cooling off” period commences. During that period (or after), a Presidential Emergency Board, or PEB, may be established, which examines the parties’ positions and recommends a solution. The PEB process lasts for 30 days and is followed by another “cooling off” period of 30 days. At the end of athe “cooling off” period,periods, unless an agreement is reached or action is taken by Congress, the labor organization and the airline each may resort to “self-help,” including, for the labor organization, a strike or other labor action, and for the airline, the imposition of any or all of its proposed amendments and the hiring of new employees to replace any striking workers. Congress and the President have the authority to prevent “self-help” by enacting legislation that, among other things, imposes a settlement on the parties. The table below sets forth our employee groups and status of thetheir collective bargaining agreements.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Employee Groups | | Representative | | Amendable Date(1) |
| Pilots | | Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) | | February 2023January 2025 |
| Flight Attendants | | Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) | | May 2021January 2026 |
| Dispatchers | | Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA) | | October 2023 |
| Ramp Service Agents | | International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) | | June 2020November 2026 |
| Passenger Service Agents | | Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) | | February 2027 |
| Aircraft Maintenance Technicians | | NAAircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) (2)
| | N/A (2) |
(1) Subject to standard early opener provisions.
(2) Collective bargaining agreement is currently under negotiation.
During the fourth quarter of 2022, we reached an agreement with ALPA for a new two-year agreement, which was ratified by ALPA members on January 10, 2023. The ratified agreement includes increased pay rates and other enhanced benefits.
In February 2018, the pilot group voted to approve the current five-year agreement. In connection with the current agreement, we incurred a one-time ratification incentive of $80.2 million, including payroll taxes, and an $8.5 million adjustment related to other contractual provisions. These amounts were recorded in special charges (credits) within operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2018. For additional information, refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—5. Special Charges and Credits.”
In March 2016, under the supervision of the NMB, we reached a tentative agreement for a five-year contract with our flight attendants. In May 2016,2021, we entered into a five-yearLetter of Agreement with the AFA-CWA to change the amendable date of the collective bargaining agreement from May 4, 2021 to September 1, 2021. All other terms of the collective bargaining agreement remained the same.In June 2021, the AFA-CWA notified us, as required by the RLA, that it intended to submit proposed changes to the collective bargaining agreement covering our flight attendants. We commenced negotiations with the AFA-CWA on September 27, 2021. In February 2023, we reached an agreement with our flight attendants which was ratified by the flight attendants on April 13, 2023 and becomes amendable May 2021.in January 2026. The ratified agreement includes increased pay rates and other enhanced benefits.
Our dispatchers are represented by the PAFCA. In June 2018, we commenced negotiations with PAFCA for an amended agreement with our dispatchers. In October 2018, we reached a tentative agreement with the PAFCA for a new five-year agreement, which was ratified by the PAFCA members in October 2018. In May 2023, PAFCA provided notice that it
intends to amend its Collective Bargaining Agreement with our dispatchers. The parties began negotiating changes to the CBA on July 2014, certain12, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, we continued to negotiate with PAFCA.
Our ramp service agents directly employed by us voted to beare represented by IAMAW. Representation only applies to our Fort Lauderdale station where we have direct employees in the IAMAW. In May 2015, we entered into a five-year interim collective bargaining agreement with the IAMAW, covering material economic terms. In June 2016, we reached an agreement on the remaining terms of the collective bargaining agreement.ramp service agent classification. In February 2020, the IAMAW notified us, as required by the Railway Labor Act,RLA, that it intendsintended to submit proposed changes to the collective bargaining agreement covering our ramp service agents which became amendable in June 2020. The parties expectOn September 28, 2021, we filed an “Application for Mediation Services” with the NMB. We were able to schedule meeting dates for negotiations soon.reach a tentative agreement with the IAMAW with the assistance of the NMB on October 16, 2021. Our ramp service agents ratified the five-year agreement in November 2021.
In June 2018, our passenger service agents voted to be represented by the TWU, but the representation only applies to our Fort Lauderdale station where we have direct employees in the passenger service classification. We began meeting with the TWU in late October 2018 to negotiate an initial collective bargaining agreement. During February 2022, we reached a tentative agreement with the TWU. Our passenger service agents ratified the five-year agreement on February 21, 2022.
In August 2022, our aircraft maintenance technicians ("AMTs") voted to be represented by AMFA as their collective bargaining agent. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we continuedemployed approximately 700 AMTs. In November 2022, AMFA notified us of its intent to negotiate a CBA and began negotiations. In October 2023, AMFA filed for mediation with the TWU.
We focus on hiring highly productive employeesNMB, and where feasible, designing systems and processes around automation and outsourcing in orderwe are currently waiting for mediation dates from the NMB to maintain our low-cost base. During COVID-19, we have been able to avoid involuntary furloughs of our U.S. unionized and non-unionized employees by providing voluntary leave programs and other cost saving initiatives. Due to the high level of support and acceptance of the voluntary programs offered, no unionized employees were involuntarily furloughed and the total number of non-unionized employees involuntarily separated as of October 1, 2020 was reduced by more than 95%.
Safety and Security
We are committed to the safety and security of our passengers and employees. We strive to comply with or exceed health and safety regulation standards. In pursuing these goals, we maintain an active aviation safety program. All of our personnel are expected to participate in the program and take an active role in the identification, reduction and elimination of hazards.
Our ongoing focus on safety relies on training our employees to proper standards and providing them with the tools and equipment they require so they can perform their job functions in a safe and efficient manner. Safety in the workplace targets several areas of our business, including: flight operations, maintenance, in-flight, dispatch and station operations. The Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, is charged with aviation security for both airlines and airports. We maintain active, open lines of communication with the TSA at all of our locations to ensure proper standards for security of our personnel, customers, equipment and facilities are exercised throughout our business.
Insurance
We maintain insurance policies we believe are customary in the airline industry and as required by the Department of Transportation ("DOT").DOT. The policies principally provide liability coverage for public and passenger injury; damage to property; loss of or damage to flight equipment; fire and extended coverage; war risk (terrorism); directors’ and officers’
liability; advertiser and media liability; cyber risk liability; fiduciary; and workers’ compensation and employer’s liability. Renewing coverage could result in a change in premium and more restrictive terms. Although we currently believe our insurance coverage is adequate, there can be no assurance that the amount of such coverage will not be changed or that we will not be forced to bear substantial losses from accidents.
Management Information Systems
We have continued our commitment to technology improvements to support our ongoing operations and initiatives. During 2018,In 2021, we investedfocused on additional modernization capabilities to enhance the travel experience of our Guests. In cooperation with the TSA, our Automated Self Service Bag Drop project is installed and functioning in several airports. Our plan is to accelerate the developmentdeployment of a regionally diverse cloud infrastructure andthis experience as well as to further network improvements. In 2019, we implemented a new website built on a more stable codebase which provides for a better user experience.enhance the customer convenience features. In addition, we investedhave achieved a broad investment in improvinga mobility tool for all our workforce that enhances productivity and capabilities. Furthermore, we believe the stabilitylaunch of our mobile application.new Free Spirit Program has delivered an exceptional improvement in the Guest experience and utility. In 2021, the Azure Cloud migration of Data and Application continued. Lastly, our secondary Operations Control Center in Orlando went into production mid-year and will provide substantial improvements in disaster recovery scenarios.
In 2020,2022, we targeted the modernization of our crew applications and technologies to accelerate the response to irregular operations. These improvements involved upgrades to the main flight operations system, enabling and enhancing chat functionality for our crews, improving crew scheduling voice response, and providing real time operational monitoring capabilities. In addition to operations, we have made significant improvements to our digital transformation for Guest experience through the implementation of our customer data platform. We have successfully migrated our maintenance and flight operation systems to the Azure cloud. Our journey to full cloud continues as we continue to seek opportunities to optimize cloud solutions.
In 2023, we continued our technology modernization with a new mobile workplace application for the Flight Attendant team. This application improves the experience for streamlining daily tasks such as check-in, assigning positions, viewing manifests and personal work schedules. Our digital transformation journey added capabilities providing self-service options to migrate critical business applications into the cloud infrastructure, allowing us to take increasing advantage of the analyticsour Guests and employees such as refund automation, functions. These improvements provide further opportunities to increase business intelligenceflight status, employee benefits and flexibility, improve business continuity, mitigate disaster scenarios and enhance data security. We intend to continue to invest resources inmore. This year we matured our cyber security programs within the CIS v8 framework as we refine our environments to protectmeet the rapidly changing cyber threat landscape. One major focus has been providing a more frequent cycle of timely and consistent cyber security awareness to our team members. The cloud strategy continues to evolve as operational and cyber security imperatives guide us, migration of services and data operationscontinues in our multi-region footprint and our customers' privacy.we have begun planning for a diverse cloud provider strategy.
Foreign Ownership
Under DOT regulations and federal law, we must be owned and controlled by U.S. citizens. In order to qualify, at least 75% of our stock must be voted by U.S. citizens, 51% of our outstanding equity must be owned by U.S. citizens, and our president and at least two-thirds of our board of directors and senior management must be U.S. citizens.
We believe we are currently in compliance with such foreign ownership rules.
Government Regulation
Operational Regulation
The airline industry is heavily regulated, especially by the federal government. Two of the primary regulatory authorities overseeing air transportation in the United States are the DOT and the FAA. The DOT has jurisdiction over economic and consumer issues affecting air transportation, such as competition, route authorizations, advertising and sales practices, baggage liability, and disabled passenger transportation, reporting of mishandled bags, tarmac delays and responding to customer complaints among other areas.
In December 2020,July 2021, the DOT issued a Final Rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals replacing the prior policy. The rule limits service animals to a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefitNotice of a person with a disability, and no longer considers an emotional support animal to be a service animal. As of January 2021, passengers must pay a pet fee to carry an emotional support animal.
In 2016, Congress passed a lawProposed Rulemaking (NRPM) requiring airlines to refund checked bag fees for delayed bags if they are not delivered to the passenger within a specified number of hours. Thoughhours and refunding ancillary fees for services related to air travel that passengers did not receive.
In November 2021, the DOT has been collectingreopened the comment period on an NPRM regarding short-term improvements to lavatory accessibility, including new proposed requirements for onboard wheelchairs (OBWs) (Part 1). This NPRM was to gather information fromabout all aspects of OBW design, including stowage, before issuing any final binding regulation on the topic.
In March 2022, the DOT issued a NPRM (Part 2) requiring airlines to ensure that at least one lavatory on new single-aisle aircraft with at least 125 passenger seats is large enough to permit a passenger with a disability (with the help of an assistant, if necessary) to approach, enter and maneuver within the lavatory, as necessary, to use all lavatory facilities and to leave by means of the aircraft’s on-board wheel chair. If enacted as currently proposed, this NPRM (Part 2) would apply to new aircraft ordered 18 years or delivered 20 years after the effective date of a final rule. The DOT published its Accessible Lavatories on Single-Aisle Aircraft final rule on August 1, 2023, which became effective October 2, 2023. Among other requirements, the final rule requires new single-aisle aircraft with 125 seats or more that are ordered 10 years after or delivered 12 years after October 2, 2023, to have accessible lavatories.
In July 2022, the DOT published its Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, applicable to U.S. and foreign carriers, and required airlines to publish the same on their websites with appropriate email notifications sent to passengers with disabilities. The DOT continues to review potential rules regarding disabled passengers, including a NPRM scheduled to be released next year regarding wheelchair handling and training initiatives.
In July 2022, the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) issued a notice urging airlines to provide seats to children 13 years or younger with an adult on the same booking with no additional charge. In response to the OACP’s notice during 2023, the DOT added to their website a Child Seating dashboard comparing reporting carriers and their procedures on seating children 13 years or younger with an adult on a booking.
In August 2022, the DOT issued a NPRM requiring airlines and ticket agents to provide non-expiring travel vouchers or credits to consumers holding non-refundable tickets for scheduled flights to, from, or within the United States as a result of the carrier cancelling or making a significant change to a scheduled flight, a serious communicable disease or for several other interested partiesreasons. The NPRM will further define the terms “significant change” and organizations“cancellation” and will require airlines and ticket agents to provide refunds if they receive significant financial assistance from which to developthe government as a result of a public health
emergency. As of December 31, 2023, a final rule, as of January 2021, a rule has not been issued. In December 2020,issued; however, it is our understanding that the DOT withdrewwill combine this NPRM with the July 2021 PRM, regarding refunding of certain checked bag fees and ancillary fees, and that the DOT anticipates issuing a Request for Informationfinal rule in February 2024.
At the end of August 2022, the DOT added an Airline Customer Service Dashboard to their website that solicited information on whether airline restrictions on the distributioncompares what reporting carriers offer passengers during a significant controllable delay or display of airline flight information constitute an unfair and deceptive business practice and/or an unfair method of competition.cancellation.
In October 2022, the DOT issued a NRPM which would require airlines to increase disclosure of bag fees, change and cancellation fees, and family seating policies during the ticket purchase process in an effort to improve the transparency of airline pricing. The comment period closed on January 23, 2023. The DOT is expected to issue its first dayfinal rule on fee disclosures in office, the Biden Administration issued an Executive Order that froze review and approval of any new rulemaking. A different Executive Order mandated that masks be worn on commercial aircraft. We will continue to follow all relevant guidelines and guidance to protect our guests and staff, but we cannot forecast what additional safety requirements may be imposed in the future or the extent of any pre-travel testing requirements that may be under consideration in the United States and that may be in place, or renewed, in any foreign jurisdiction we serve, including the effect of such requirements on passenger demand or the costs or revenue impact that would be associated with complying with such requirements.March 2024.
Additional rules and executive orders, including those pertaining to disabled passengers, may be issued in 2021.issued. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Industry—Restrictions on, or increased taxes applicable to, charges for ancillary products and services paid by airline passengers and burdensome consumer protection regulations or laws which could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition."”
The DOT has authority to issue certificates of public convenience and necessity required for airlines to provide air transportation. We hold a DOT certificate of public convenience and necessity authorizing us to engage in scheduled air transportation of passengers, property and mail within the United States, its territories and possessions and between the United States and all countries that maintain a liberal aviation trade relationship with the United States (known as “open skies”
countries). We also hold DOT certificates to engage in air transportation to certain other countries with more restrictive aviation policies.
The FAA is responsible for regulating and overseeing matters relating to air carrier flight operations, including airline operating certificates, aircraft certification and maintenance and other matters affecting air safety, including rest periods and work hours for all airlines certificated under Part 121 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The FAA requires each commercial airline to obtain and hold an FAA air carrier certificate. This certificate, in combination with operations specifications issued to the airline by the FAA, authorizes the airline to operate at specific airports using aircraft approved by the FAA. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had FAA airworthiness certificates for all of our aircraft, we had obtained the necessary FAA authority to fly to all of the cities we currently serve, and all of our aircraft had been certified for overwater operations. Any new or revised operational regulations in the future could result in further increased costs. We believe we hold all necessary operating and airworthiness authorizations, certificates and licenses and are operating in compliance with applicable DOT and FAA regulations, interpretations and policies.
On June 6, 2023, the FAA issued a final rule which requires aircraft manufactured two years after August 25, 2023, which are operated in domestic commercial service by Part 121 airlines to have an installed physical secondary barrier that protects the flightdeck from unauthorized intrusion when the flightdeck door is opened. We are currently evaluating the impacts, if any, of the ruling, which we do not expect to be material.
International Regulation
All international service is subject to the regulatory requirements of the foreign government involved. We generally offer international service to Aruba, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and St. Maarten, as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. If we decide to increase our routes to additional international destinations, we will be required to obtain necessary authority from the DOT and the applicable foreign government. We are also required to comply with overfly regulations in countries that lay along our routes but which we do not serve.
International service is also subject to Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, immigration and agriculture requirements and the requirements of equivalent foreign governmental agencies. Like other airlines flying international routes, from time to time we may be subject to civil fines and penalties imposed by CBP if unmanifested or illegal cargo, such as illegal narcotics, is found on our aircraft. These fines and penalties, which in the case of narcotics are based upon the retail value of the seizure, may be substantial. We have implemented a comprehensive security program at our airports to reduce the risk of illegal cargo being placed on our aircraft, and we seek to cooperate actively with CBP and other U.S. and foreign law enforcement agencies in investigating incidents or attempts to introduce illegal cargo.
We will continue to comply with all contagious disease requirements issued by the US and foreign governments, but we cannot forecast what additional requirements may be imposed in the future or the costs or revenue impact that would be associated with complying with such requirements. See, “Risk Factors—“Risks Related to Our Business—We are subject to
extensive and increasing regulation by the FAA, DOT, TSA and other U.S. and foreign governmental agencies, compliance with which could cause us to incur increased costs and adversely affect our business and financial results."”
Security Regulation
The TSA was created in 2001 with the responsibility and authority to oversee the implementation, and ensure the adequacy of security measures at airports and other transportation facilities. Funding for passenger security is provided in part by a per enplanement ticket tax (passenger security fee). Prior to and for the first half; which as of 2014, this fee was $2.50 per passenger flight segment, subject to a maximum of $5 per one-way trip. Effective July 1, 2014, the security fee was set at a flat rate of $5.60 each way. On December 19, 2014, the law was amendedlimited to limit a round-trip fee toof $11.20. We cannot forecast what additional security and safety requirements may be imposed in the future or the costs or revenue impact that would be associated with complying with such requirements.
Environmental Regulation
We are subject to various federal, state and local laws and regulations relating to the protection of the environment and affecting matters such as aircraft engine emissions, aircraft noise emissions and the discharge or disposal of materials and chemicals, which laws and regulations are administered by numerous state and federal agencies. The Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, regulates operations, including air carrier operations, which affect the quality of air in the United States. We believe the aircraft in our fleet meet all emission standards issued by the EPA. Concern about climate change and greenhouse gases may result in additional regulation or taxation of aircraft emissions in the United States and abroad.
Federal law recognizes the right of airport operators with special noise problems to implement local noise abatement procedures so long as those procedures do not interfere unreasonably with interstate and foreign commerce and the national air transportation system. These restrictions can include limiting nighttime operations, directing specific aircraft operational procedures during takeoff and initial climb, and limiting the overall number of flights at an airport.
Other Regulations
We are subject to certain provisions of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, and are required to obtain an aeronautical radio license from the Federal Communications Commission, or FCC. To the extent we are subject to FCC requirements, we will take all necessary steps to comply with those requirements. We are also subject to state and local laws and regulations at locations where we operate and the regulations of various local authorities that operate the airports we serve. In addition, we are subject to the deployment of new 5G C-band service by wireless communications providers. The DOT and the FAA are currently working with AT&T and Verizon to create appropriate safeguards in the deployment of their new 5G C-band service, which includes the installation of buffer zones around airports and other measures. The DOT and the FAA have required that all U.S. based carriers have 5G C-Band-tolerant radio altimeters or install approved filters by February 2024.
Future Regulations
The U.S. and foreign governments may consider and adopt new laws, regulations, interpretations and policies regarding a wide variety of matters that could directly or indirectly affect our results of operations. We cannot predict what laws, regulations, interpretations and policies might be considered in the future, nor can we judge what impact, if any, the implementation of any of these proposals or changes might have on our business.
Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability
We are committed to integrating environmental, social and governance (“ESG”) practices into and within our business practices and commit to sustainable operations which support the long-term success of our business, shareholders, Team Members, Guests and business partners. We have established four strategic focus areas of our ESG initiatives, practices and commitments: environment, social, workforce and governance. Recognizing the fundamental importance of ESG matters, Spirit’s Board and its committees provide guidance and oversight. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee is responsible for oversight of our ESG strategy and practices and periodically reports on these matters to the Board.
We recognize aviation’s impact on climate and our responsibility to help reduce the carbon footprint of air travel. Fuel burn is our greatest environmental and financial impact, and our greatest source of carbon emissions. To address the impact of our flights and operations over the short-term and long-term, our climate and emissions approach focuses on reducing emissions through both fleet and operational efficiencies that conserve fuel and improve overall fuel burn. Our all-Airbus fleet is one of the youngest in the United States and our dense seating configuration, along with our consistent focus on weight-saving measures, has made us consistently one of the most fuel-efficient carriers in the United States.
Further illustrating our commitment, during the fourth quarter of 2023, we issued our 2021/2022 Sustainability Report, showing results of our longstanding commitment to meaningful advancements in environmental sustainability, Guest and community service, Team Member support, and governance. The report highlights our plan for continued progress in
broadening ESG initiatives and improving communities. Refer to “Spirit’s 2021/2022 Sustainability Report” on the Investor Relations section of our website at www.spirit.com.
ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"“Securities Act”), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"“Exchange Act”) which are subject to the “safe harbor” created by those sections. Forward-looking statements are based on our management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to our management. All statements other than statements of historical facts are “forward-looking statements” for purposes of these provisions. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terms such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “would,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “predict,” “potential,” and similar expressions intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and other important factors that could cause actual results and the timing of certain events to differ materially from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause or contribute to such differences include, but are not limited to, those identified below. Furthermore, such forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this report. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements. Additional risks or uncertainties (i) that are not currently known to us, (ii) that we currently deem to be immaterial, or (iii) that could apply to any company, could also materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, or future results. You should carefully consider the risks described below and the other information in this report. If any of the following risks materialize, our business could be materially harmed, and our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. References in this report to “Spirit,” “we,” “us,” “our,” or the “Company” shall mean Spirit Airlines, Inc., unless the context indicates otherwise.
Risks Related to Recent Events
The COVID-19 pendency of the proposed Merger may cause disruption in our business.
pandemic
On July 28, 2022, we entered into the Merger Agreement with JetBlue and measuresMerger Sub, pursuant to reduce its spread have had,which and subject to the terms and conditions therein, Merger Sub will likelymerge with and into Spirit, with Spirit continuing as the surviving entity.
On March 7, 2023, the DOJ filed suit to block the Merger and a trial was held in late 2023. On January 16, 2024, the District Court granted the Injunction. On January 19, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a notice of appeal to reverse the Injunction and allow Spirit and JetBlue to complete the Merger. On January 25, 2024, JetBlue informed us that certain closing conditions required by the Merger Agreement may not be satisfied prior to the outside dates set forth in the Merger Agreement and, accordingly, the Merger Agreement may be terminable on and after January 28, 2024. We do not believe there is a basis for terminating the Merger Agreement, and we will continue to have,abide by all of our obligations under the Merger Agreement. On January 29, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a request with the Court of Appeals seeking an expedited hearing of their appeal of the Injunction. On February 2, 2024, the Court of Appeals granted our motion, stating it would hear arguments in June 2024.
The Merger Agreement restricts us from taking specified actions without JetBlue’s consent until the Merger is completed or the Merger Agreement is terminated, including amending our organizational documents, issuing shares of our common stock, divesting certain assets (including certain intellectual property rights), declaring or paying dividends, making certain significant acquisitions or investments, entering into any new lines of business, incurring certain indebtedness in excess of certain thresholds, amending or modifying certain material adversecontracts, making non-ordinary course capital expenditures, making certain non-ordinary course changes to personnel and employee compensation, changing the cabin configuration or amenities on our aircraft and taking actions that may result in the loss of our FAA airworthiness certification or takeoff and landing slots. These restrictions and others more fully described in the Merger Agreement may affect our ability to execute our business strategies and attain our financial and other goals and may impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The outbreakpendency of COVID-19 and implementation of measuresthe proposed Merger could cause disruptions to reduce its spread have adversely impacted our business or business relationships, which could have an adverse impact on our results of operations. Parties with which we have business relationships, including Guests, pilots, employees, suppliers, third-party service providers and continue to adversely impact our business in a number of ways. Multiple governments in countries we serve, principally the United States, have respondedthird-party distribution channels, may be uncertain as to the virus with air travel restrictionsfuture of such relationships and closures, testing requirementsmay delay or recommendations against air travel, anddefer certain countries we serve have required airlines to limit or completely stop operations. In response to COVID-19, we significantly reduced capacity from our original plan and will continue to evaluate the need for further flight schedule adjustments throughout 2021. As of December 31, 2020, we were experiencing significant deterioration in forward bookings and have continued to see a decline in forward bookings. Negative trends have not yet stabilized and are likely to continue to worsen. Additionally, we also outsource certain critical business activities todecisions, seek alternative relationships with third parties including our dependence on a limited numberor seek to alter their present business relationships with us. Parties with whom we otherwise may have sought to establish business relationships may seek alternative relationships with third parties.
The pursuit of suppliersthe Merger and the preparation for our aircraftintegration with JetBlue’s business is expected to place a significant burden on our management and engines. As a result, we rely upon the successful implementationinternal resources. The diversion of management’s attention away from day-to-day business concerns and execution of the business continuity planning of such entitiesany difficulties encountered in the current environment. The successful implementationtransition and execution of these third parties’ business continuity strategies are largely outside our control. If one or more of such third parties experience operational failures as a result of the impacts from the spread of COVID-19, or claim that they cannot perform due to a force majeure, it may have a material adverse impact onintegration process could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We have incurred and will continue to incur significant costs, expenses and fees for professional services and other transaction costs in connection with the Merger. The substantial majority of these costs will be non-recurring expenses relating to the Merger, and many of these costs are payable regardless of whether or not the Merger is consummated. We also have been subject to, and may face additional, litigation related to the proposed Merger, which could prevent or delay the consummation of the Merger and result in significant costs and expenses.
Failure to complete the Merger in a timely manner or at all could negatively impact the market price of our common stock, as well as our future business and our results of operations and financial condition.
The extentMerger cannot be completed until conditions to closing are satisfied or (if permissible under applicable law) waived. The Merger is subject to numerous closing conditions, including among other things, (1) approval of the impacttransactions by our stockholders (which was received on October 19, 2022); (2) receipt of COVID-19applicable regulatory approvals, including approvals from the FCC, FAA and DOT and the expiration or early termination of the statutory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other competition laws, and other required regulatory approvals; (3) the absence of any law or order prohibiting the consummation of the transactions; and (4) the absence of any material adverse effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) on the Company.
The failure to satisfy the required conditions could delay the completion of the Merger for a significant period of time or prevent it from occurring. There can be no assurance that the conditions to the closing of the Merger will be satisfied or waived, that our appeal of the District Court's decision will be successful or that the Merger will be completed.
Following the Injunction, and in the event the Merger is not completed in a timely manner or at all, our ongoing business may be adversely affected as follows:
•we have experienced and continue to experience negative reactions from the financial markets, and our stock price has declined and could continue to decline to the extent that the current market price reflects an assumption that the Merger will be completed;
•we may experience negative reactions from employees, Guests, suppliers or other third parties;
•we may be subject to litigation, which could result in significant costs and expenses;
•management’s focus may be diverted from day-to-day business operations and from pursuing other opportunities that could have been beneficial to the Company; and
•our costs of pursuing the Merger may be higher than anticipated.
Additionally, in approving the Merger Agreement, the Board of Directors considered a number of factors and potential benefits, including the fact that the merger consideration to be received by holders of common stock represented a significant premium over the last closing stock price prior to announcement of the Merger. If the Merger is not completed, the holders of our common stock will not realize this benefit of the Merger.
In addition to the above risks, we may be required, under certain circumstances, to pay JetBlue a breakup fee equal to $94.2 million and/or to reimburse or indemnify JetBlue for certain of its expenses. If the Merger is not consummated due to the inability to receive regulatory approval, JetBlue would be required to pay Spirit a reverse termination fee of $70 million. The reverse termination fee may not be sufficient to cover all of the expenses Spirit incurred in connection with the Merger, which may have an adverse effect on our liquidity and results of operations. If the Merger is not consummated, there can be no assurance that these risks will not materialize and will not materially adversely affect our stock price, business, results of operations and financial condition.
In order to complete the Merger, the Company and JetBlue must obtain certain governmental approvals, and if such approvals are not granted or are granted with conditions, completion of the Merger may be jeopardized or the anticipated benefits of the Merger could be reduced.
Although the Company and JetBlue have agreed to use reasonable best efforts, subject to certain limitations, to make certain governmental filings and obtain the required governmental approvals, including from the FCC, FAA and DOT, or expiration or earlier termination of relevant waiting periods, as the case may be, there can be no assurance that the relevant waiting periods will expire or be terminated or that the relevant approvals will be obtained. As a condition to approving the Merger, these governmental authorities may impose conditions, terms, obligations or restrictions or require divestitures or place restrictions on the conduct of the combined company's business after completion of the Merger. There can be no assurance that regulators will not impose conditions, terms, obligations or restrictions and that such conditions, terms, obligations or restrictions will not have the effect of delaying or preventing completion of the Merger or imposing additional material costs on or materially limiting the revenues of the combined company following the Merger, or otherwise adversely affecting, including to a material extent, our business, results of operations and financial condition will depend on future developments, including the currently unknowable durationafter completion of the COVID-19 pandemic; the efficacy of, abilityMerger. If we are required to administer and extent of adoption of any COVID-19 vaccines domestically and globally; the impact of existing and future governmental regulations, travel advisories and restrictions that are imposed in response to the pandemic, including pursuant to executive orders, such as the new mask mandate; additional reductions to our flight capacity,divest assets or a voluntary temporary cessation of all flights,businesses, there can be no assurance that we implement in responsewill be able to the pandemic; and the impact of COVID-19 on consumer behavior,negotiate such as a reduction in the demand for air travel, especially in our destination cities. The total potential economic impact brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is difficult to assessdivestitures expeditiously or predict, and it has already caused, and is likely to result in further, significant disruptions of global financial markets, which may reduce our ability to access capital on favorable terms or at all, and increasethat the costgovernmental authorities will approve the terms of capital. In addition, a recession, depressionsuch divestitures. We can provide no assurance that these conditions, terms, obligations or other sustained adverse economic event resulting fromrestrictions will not result in the spreadabandonment of the coronavirus would materially adversely impact our business and the value of our common stock. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global financial markets has negatively impacted the value of our common stock to date as well as our
debt ratings, and could continue to negatively affect our liquidity. Our credit rating was downgraded by Fitch to BB- in April 2020 and by S&P Global to B in June 2020. In May 2020, the credit rating of our Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificates Series 2015-1 Class C and our Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificates Series 2017-1 Class C was downgraded by Fitch from BBB- to BB+. In June 2020, the credit ratings of our Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificates Series 2017-1 Class A and B were downgraded by S&P Global to BBB and BB-, respectively. In November 2020, the credit ratings of our Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificates Series 2017-1 Class AA and C were downgraded by S&P Global to AA- and BB, respectively. The downgrades of our ratings were based on our increased level of credit risk as a result of the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. If our credit ratings were to be further downgraded, or general market conditions were to ascribe higher risk to our ratings levels, the airline industry, or the Company, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be adversely affected. These developments are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted. There are limitations on our ability to mitigate the adverse financial impact of these items, including as a result of our significant aircraft-related fixed obligations. COVID-19 also makes it more challenging for management to estimate future performance of our business, particularly over the near to medium term. A further significant decline in demand for our flights could have a materially adverse impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition.Merger.
On March 27, 2020,7, 2023, the CARES ActDOJ filed suit to block the Merger. A trial was signed into law,held in late 2023. On January 16, 2024, the District Court granted the Injunction. On January 19, 2024, Spirit and on April 20, 2020 we reached an agreementJetBlue filed a notice of appeal to reverse the District Court's decision and allow Spirit and JetBlue to complete the Merger. On January 29, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a request with the Treasury to receive funding throughCourt of Appeals seeking an expedited schedule for their appeal. On February 2, 2024, the Payroll Support Program ("PSP") over the second and third quartersCourt of 2020. Additionally, on December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law andAppeals granted our motion, stating it would hear arguments in January 2021, we reached an agreement with the Treasury to receive additional funding in early 2021.June 2024. The funding we received is subject to restrictions and limitations. See “—We have agreed to certain restrictions on our business by accepting financing under the legislation enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The COVID-19 pandemic may also exacerbate other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, including, but not limited to, our competitiveness, demand for our services, shifting consumer preferences and our substantial amount of outstanding indebtedness.
We have agreed to certain restrictions on our business by accepting financing under the legislation enacted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was signed into law. The CARES Act provided liquidity in the form of loans, loan guarantees, and other investments to air carriers, such as us, that incurred, or are expected to incur, covered losses such that the continued operationsappeal of the business are jeopardized, as determined by the Treasury.
On April 20, 2020, we entered into a PSP agreement with the Treasury, pursuant to which we received a total of $334.7 millionthrough July 31, 2020, which funds were used exclusively to pay for salaries and benefits for our employees through September 30, 2020. Of that amount, $70.4 million is in the form of a low-interest 10-year note. In addition, in connection with its participation in the PSP, we issued to the Treasury warrants pursuant to a warrant agreement to purchase up to 500,151 shares of our common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, at a strike price of $14.08 per share (the closing price for the shares of common stock on April 9, 2020). In September 2020, we were notified by the Treasury of additional funds available under the PSP portion of the CARES Act. We received an additional installment of $9.7 million from the Treasury of which $2.9 million is in the form of a low-interest 10-year loan. Also, in connection with this additional installment, we issued to the Treasury warrants to purchase up to an additional 20,646 shares of our common stock at a strike price of $14.08 per share (the closing price for the shares of our common stock on April 9, 2020).
The warrants expire in five years from the date of issuance, are transferable, have no voting rights and contain customary terms regarding anti-dilution. If the Treasury or any subsequent warrant holder exercises the warrants, the interest of our holders of common stock would be diluted and we would be partially owned by the U.S. government, which could have a negative impact on our common stock price, and which could require increased resources and attention by our management.
In connection with our participation in the PSP, we were, and continue to be, subject to certain restrictions and limitations, including, but not limited to:
•Restrictions on payment of dividends and stock buybacks through September 30, 2021;
•Limits on certain executive compensation including limiting pay increases and severance pay or other benefits upon terminations, through March 24, 2022;
•Requirements to maintain certain levels of scheduled services (including to destinations where there may currently be significantly reduced or no demand) through September 30, 2020;
•A prohibition on involuntary terminations or furloughs of our employees (except for health, disability, cause, or certain disciplinary reasons) through September 30, 2020;
•A prohibition on reducing the salaries, wages, or benefits of our employees (other than our executive officers or independent contractors, or as otherwise permitted under the terms of the PSP) through September 30, 2020;
•Limitations on the use of the grant funds exclusively for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries and benefits; and
•Additional reporting and recordkeeping requirements relating to the CARES Act funds.
On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law. This new legislation provides an extension or additional benefits designed to address the continuing economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill extends the PSP program of the CARES Act through March 31, 2021 ("PSP2") and provides an additional $15 billion to fund the PSP2 program for employees of passenger air carriers. Airlines participating in the PSP2 program are required to, among other things:
•Continue restrictions on payment of dividends and stock buybacks through March 31, 2022;
•Continue limits on executive compensation through October 1, 2022;
•Refrain from conducting involuntary furloughs or reducing pay rates and benefits until March 31, 2021;
•Continue requirements to maintain certain levels of scheduled services through March 1, 2022;
•Continue reporting requirements; and
•Recall all employees that were involuntarily furloughed or terminated between October 1, 2020 and the date the carrier enters into the new payroll support agreement with the Treasury. Such employees, if returning to work, must be compensated for lost pay and benefits between December 1, 2020 and the date of such new payroll support agreement.
In late December, we notified the Treasury of our intent to participate in the PSP2. We entered into a new payroll support program agreement with Treasury on January 15, 2021. We expect to receive approximately $184.5 million pursuant to our participation in the PSP2. In January 2021, we received the first installment of $92.2 million in the form of a grant. Of the remaining amount, we expect that approximately $25 millionInjunction will be in the form of a low-interest 10-year loan. In addition, in connection with our participation in the PSP2, we are required to issue to Treasury warrants to purchase up to 103,761 shares of our common stock at a strike price of $24.42 per share (the closing price of the shares of our common stock on December 24, 2020). Total warrants issued in connection with the PSPtime-consuming and PSP2 will represent less than 1% of the outstanding shares of our common stock as of December 31, 2020.
These restrictionsexpensive and requirements could materially adversely impact our business, results of operations and financial condition by, among other things, requiring us to change certain of our business practices and to maintain or increase cost levels to maintain scheduled service with little or no offsetting revenue, affecting retention of key personnel and limiting our ability to effectively compete with others in our industry who may not be receiving funding and may not be subject to similar limitations.
We cannot predict whether the assistance from the Treasury through the PSP or PSP2 will be adequate to continue to pay our employees for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic or whether additional assistance will be required or available in the future. We previously applied to the Treasury for a secured loan through the CARES Act but we determined not to move forward with such loan in September 2020. Therethere can be no assurance that loanswe or JetBlue would ultimately be successful, or that if the Injunction is reversed, that the DOJ would not further appeal. Furthermore, any of the other assistancegovernmental authorities from which we need approvals may also sue us and JetBlue in U.S. federal court to prevent the Merger from being consummated. Defending any such lawsuit will be available throughtime-consuming and expensive and there can be no assurance that we and JetBlue would ultimately be successful.
Additionally, if the CARES Act or any future legislation, or whether weMerger is not consummated, Spirit stockholders and holders of Spirit's convertible notes and warrants will not receive the merger consideration that would have been paid at the closing of the Merger.
You must be eligiblea Spirit stockholder as of the specified record dates to receive any additional assistance,the prepayments of merger consideration.
The prepayments of merger consideration by JetBlue will only be made to Spirit stockholders as of the specified record dates. If you are not a Spirit stockholder as of that record date, you will not receive the relevant prepayment even if needed.you are a Spirit stockholder at the time of consummation of the Merger. As a result, if you are not a Spirit stockholder at each relevant time, you will receive less than $33.50 (or less than the up to $34.15 maximum amount of merger consideration, depending on the timing of Closing) in total for each share of Spirit common stock you own upon the consummation of the Merger.
Risks Related to Our Industry
We operate in an extremely competitive industry.
We face significant competition with respect to routes, fares and services. Within the airline industry, we compete with traditional network airlines, other low-cost airlines and regional airlines on many of our routes. Competition in most of the destinations we presently serve is intense, sometimes due to the large number of carriers in those markets. Furthermore, other airlines may begin service or increase existing service on routes where we currently face little competition. Most of our competitors are larger than us and have significantly greater financial and other resources than we do.
The airline industry is particularly susceptible to price discounting because once a flight is scheduled, airlines incur only nominal additional costs to provide service to passengers occupying otherwise unsold seats. Increased fare or other price competition has adversely affected, and may continue to adversely affect, our revenue generation. Moreover, many other airlines have begun to unbundle services by charging separately for services such as baggage and advance seat selection. This unbundling and other
cost reducing measures could enable competitor airlines to reduce fares on routes that we serve. Beginning in 2015, and continuing through 2019, more widespread availability of low fares, including from legacy network carriers, coupled with an increase in domestic capacity led to dramatic changes in pricing behavior in many U.S. markets. Many domestic carriers began matching lower cost airline pricing, either with limited or unlimited inventory. Additionally, changes in practices, including with respect to change and cancellation fees, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to further pricing changes among our competitors.
Airlines increase or decrease capacity in markets based on perceived profitability, market share objectives, competitive considerations and other reasons. Decisions by our competitors that increase overall industry capacity, or capacity dedicated to a particular domestic or foreign region, market or route, could have a material adverse impact on our business. If a traditional network airline were to successfully develop a low-cost structure, compete with us on price or if we were to experience increased competition from other low-cost carriers, our business could be materially adversely affected.
Many of the traditional network airlines in the United States have on one or more occasions initiated bankruptcy proceedings in attempts to restructure their debt and other obligations and reduce their operating costs. They also have completed large mergers that have increased their scale and share of the travel market. The mergers between AMR Corporation and US Airways Group, Inc., between Delta Air Lines and Northwest Airlines, between United Airlines and Continental Airlines, between Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways, and between Alaska Airlines and Virgin America, have created five large airlines, with substantial national and international networks which createscreate a more challenging competitive environment for smaller airlines like us. In the future, there may be additional consolidation in our industry. For example, on December 3, 2023, Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines announced a proposed merger. Any business combination could significantly alter industry conditions and competition within the airline industry, which could have an adverse effect on our business.
Our growth and the success of our ULCC business model could stimulate competition in our markets through our competitors’ development of their own ULCC strategies, new pricing policies designed to compete with ULCCs or new market entrants. Any such competitor may have greater financial resources and access to less expensive sources of capital than we do, which could enable them to operate their business with a lower cost structure, or enable them to operate with lower-marginallower marginal revenues without substantial adverse effects, than we can. If these competitors adopt and successfully execute a ULCC business model, we could be materially adversely affected. In 2015, Delta Air Lines began to market and sell a "Basic Economy"“Basic Economy” product which was designed in part to provide its customers with a low base fare similar to Spirit. In 2017, American Airlines and United Airlines announced their own "Basic Economy"“Basic Economy” product and beginning in late 2019, other airlines like Alaska Airlines and JetBlue, have followed suit.
The extremely competitive nature of the airline industry could prevent us from attaining the level of passenger traffic or maintaining the level of fares or revenues related to ancillary services required to sustain profitable operations in new and existing markets and could impede our growth strategy, which could harm our operating results. Due to our relatively small size, we are susceptible to a fare war or other competitive activities in one or more of the markets we serve, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our low-cost structure is one of our primary competitive advantages, and many factors could affect our ability to control our costs.
Our low-cost structure is one of our primary competitive advantages. However, we have limited control over many of our costs. For example, we have limited control over the price and availability of aircraft fuel, aviation insurance, airport costs and related infrastructure taxes, the cost of meeting changing regulatory requirements and our cost to access capital or financing. In addition, the compensation and benefit costs applicable to a significant portion of our employees are established by the terms of our collective bargaining agreements. We cannot guarantee we will be able to maintain a cost advantage over our competitors. If our cost structure increases and we are no longer able to maintain a sufficient cost advantage over our competitors, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The airline industry is heavily influenced by the price and availability of aircraft fuel. Continued volatility in fuel costs or significant disruptions in the supply of fuel, including hurricanes and other events affecting the Gulf Coast in particular, could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Aircraft fuel costs represented 18.6%31.1%, 29.8%34.1% and 31.6%27.8% of our total operating expenses for 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively. As such, our operating results are significantly affected by changes in the availability and the cost of aircraft fuel, especially aircraft fuel refined in the U.S. Gulf Coast region, on which we are highly dependent. Both the cost and the availability of aircraft fuel are subject to many meteorological, economic and political factors and events occurring throughout the world, which we can neither control nor accurately predict. For example, a major hurricane making landfall along the Gulf Coast could disrupt oil production, refinery operations and pipeline capacity in that region, possibly resulting in significant increases in the price of aircraft fuel and diminished availability of aircraft fuel supply. Any disruption to oil production,
refinery operations, or pipeline capacity in the Gulf Coast region could have a disproportionate impact on our operating results compared to other airlines that have more diversified fuel sources. Fuel prices also may be affected by geopolitical and macroeconomic conditions and events that are outside of our control, including volatility in the relative strength of the U.S. dollar, the currency in which oil is denominated. Instability within major oil producing regions, such as the Middle East and Venezuela, Russia's ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the conflict in Gaza, changes in demand from major petroleum users such as China, and secular increases in competing energy sources are examples of these trends.
Aircraft fuel prices have been subject to high volatility, fluctuating substantially over the past several years. For example, our fuel prices spiked at a high of $3.32$3.82 per gallon, in the secondthird quarter of 2012,2022, and fell as low as $1.05 per gallon in the second quarter of 2020. We cannot predict the future availability, price volatility or cost of aircraft fuel. Due to the large proportion of aircraft fuel costs in our total operating cost base, even a relatively small increase or decrease in the price of aircraft fuel can have a significant negative impact on our operating costs or revenues and on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The International Maritime Organization's ("IMO") new low-sulfur fuel oil requirements for ships came into effect on January 1, 2020. Considering the general decline in jet fuel demand during 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is still uncertain how the availability and price of jet fuel around the world will be affected by the implementation of the IMO 2020 Regulations. Increased costs and/or decreased supply of jet fuel may be material and could adversely affect the results of our operations and financial condition.
Fuel derivative activity, if any, may not reduce fuel costs.
From time to time, we may enter into fuel derivative contracts in order to mitigate the risk to our business from future volatility in fuel prices, refining risk between the price of crude oil and the price of refined jet fuel, and to manage the risk of increasing fuel prices. Our derivatives may generally consist of United States Gulf Coast jet fuel swaps ("(“jet fuel swaps"swaps”) and United States Gulf Coast jet fuel options ("(“jet fuel options"options”). Both jet fuel swaps and jet fuel options can be used at times to protect the refining risk between the price of crude oil and the price of refined jet fuel, and to manage the risk of increasing fuel prices. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had no outstanding jet fuel derivatives, and we have not engaged in fuel derivative activity since 2015. There can be no assurance that we will be able to enter into fuel derivative contracts in the future if we are required or choose to do so. In the past we have not had, and in the future we may not have, sufficient creditworthiness or liquidity to post the collateral necessary to hedge our fuel requirements. Our liquidity and general level of capital resources impacts our ability to hedge our fuel requirements. Even if we are able to hedge portions of our future fuel requirements, we cannot guarantee that our derivative contracts will provide sufficient protection against increased fuel costs or that our counterparties will be able to perform under our derivative contracts, such as in the case of a counterparty’s insolvency. Furthermore, our ability to react to the cost of fuel, absent hedging, is limited because we set the price of tickets in advance of incurring fuel costs. Our ability to pass on any significant increases in aircraft fuel costs through fare increases could also be limited. In the event of a reduction in fuel prices compared to our hedged position, if any, our hedged positions could counteract the cost benefit of lower fuel prices and may require us to post cash margin collateral. In a falling fuel price environment, we may be required to make cash payments to our counterparties which may impair our liquidity position and increase our costs.
Please see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Trends and Uncertainties Affecting Our Business—Aircraft Fuel.”
Restrictions on, or increased taxes applicable to, charges for ancillary products and services paid by airline passengers and burdensome consumer protection regulations or laws could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
During 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, we generated non-ticket revenues of $1,053.8$3,024.4 million, $1,943.7$2,612.6 million and $1,618.9$1,087.8 million, respectively. Our non-ticket revenues are generally generated from charges for, among other things, baggage, bookings through certain of our distribution channels, advance seat selection, itinerary changes and loyalty programs. The DOT has rules governing many facets of the airline-consumer relationship, including, for instance, price advertising, tarmac delays, bumping of passengers from flights, ticket refunds and the carriage of disabled passengers. If we are not able to remain in compliance with these rules, the DOT may subject us to fines or other enforcement action, including requirements to modify our passenger reservations system, which could have a material adverse effect on our business. The U.S. Congress and Federalfederal administrative agencies have investigated the increasingly common airline industry practice of unbundling the pricing of certain products and services. If new taxes are imposed on non-ticket revenues, or if other laws or regulations are adopted that make unbundling of airline products and services impermissible, or more cumbersome or expensive, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be harmed. Congressional and other government scrutiny may also change industry practice or public willingness to pay for ancillary services. See also “—“Risks Related to Our Business—We are subject to extensive and increasing regulation by the FAA, DOT, TSA and other U.S. and foreign governmental agencies, compliance with which could cause us to incur increased costs and adversely affect our business and financial results.”
The airline industry is particularly sensitive to changes in economic conditions. Adverse economic conditions would negatively impact our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our business and the airline industry in general are affected by many changing economic conditions beyond our control, including, among others:
•changes and volatility in general economic conditions, including the severity and duration of any downturn in the U.S. or global economy and financial markets;markets and the rate of inflation;
•changes in consumer preferences, perceptions, spending patterns or demographic trends, including any increased preference for higher-fare carriers offering higher amenity levels, and reduced preferences for low-fare carriers offering more basic transportation;
•higher levels of unemployment and varying levels of disposable or discretionary income;income in part due to the effect of high inflation rates and rising interest rates in the United States;
•depressed housing and stock market prices; and
•lower levels of actual or perceived consumer confidence.
These factors can adversely affect, and from time to time have adversely affected, our results of operations, our ability to obtain financing on acceptable terms and our liquidity. Unfavorable general economic conditions, such as higher unemployment rates, a constrained credit market, housing-related pressures and increased focus on reducing business operating costs, can reduce spending for price-sensitive leisure and business travel. For many travelers, in particular the price-sensitive travelers we serve, air transportation is a discretionary purchase that they may reduce or eliminate from their spending in difficult economic times. The overall decrease in demand for air transportation in the United States in 2008 and 2009 resulting from record high fuel prices and the economic recession required us to take significant steps to reduce our capacity, which reduced our revenues. Additionally, in 2020 and 2021, we were required to reduce our capacity as a result of a dramatic drop in demand due to, and restrictions imposed as a result of, the COVID-19 pandemic beginning in the second quarter of 2020.and demand has not fully recovered to pre-COVID-19 levels. Unfavorable economic conditions could also affect our ability to raise prices to counteract the effect of increased fuel, labor or other costs, resulting in a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The airline industry faces ongoing security concerns and related cost burdens, furthered by threatened or actual terrorist attacks or other hostilities, that could significantly harm our industry and our business.
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 and their aftermath negatively affected the airline industry. The primary effects experienced by the airline industry included:
•substantial loss of revenue and flight disruption costs caused by the grounding of all commercial air traffic in or headed to the United States by the FAA for days after the terrorist attacks;
•increased security and insurance costs;
•increased concerns about future terrorist attacks;
•airport shutdowns and flight cancellations and delays due to security breaches and perceived safety threats; and
•significantly reduced passenger traffic and yields due to the subsequent dramatic drop in demand for air travel.
Since September 11, 2001, the Department of Homeland Security and the TSA have implemented numerous security measures that restrict airline operations and increase costs, and are likely to implement additional measures in the future. For example, following the widely publicized attempt of an alleged terrorist to detonate plastic explosives hidden underneath his clothes on a Northwest Airlines flight on Christmas Day in 2009, passengers became subject to enhanced random screening, which included pat-downs, explosive detection testing and body scans. Enhanced passenger screening, increased regulation governing carry-on baggage and other similar restrictions on passenger travel may further increase passenger inconvenience and reduce the demand for air travel. In addition, increased or enhanced security measures have tended to result in higher governmental fees imposed on airlines, resulting in higher operating costs for airlines, which we may not be able to pass on to consumers in the form of higher prices. Any future terrorist attacks or attempted attacks, even if not made directly on the airline industry, or the fear of such attacks or other hostilities (including elevated national threat warnings or selective cancellation or redirection of flights due to terror threats) would likely have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and on the airline industry in general.
Airlines are often affected by factors beyond their control, including: air traffic congestion at airports; air traffic control inefficiencies; major construction or improvements at airports;adverse weather conditions, such as hurricanes or blizzards; increased security measures; new travel related taxes or the outbreak of disease, any of which could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
Like other airlines, our business is affected by factors beyond our control, including air traffic congestion at airports, air traffic control inefficiencies, major construction or improvements at airports at which we operate, adverse weather conditions, increased security measures, new travel relatedtravel-related taxes, the outbreak of disease, new regulations or policies from the presidential administration and Congress.Congress, and supply chain disruptions, in particular those causing inability to obtain, or delays in obtaining, aircraft or spare parts such as engines. Factors that cause flight delays frustrate passengers and increase costs, which in turn could adversely affect profitability. The federal government currently controls all U.S. airspace, and airlines are completely dependent on the FAA to operate that airspace in a safe, efficient and affordable manner. The air traffic control system, which is operated by the FAA, faces challenges in managing the growing demand for U.S. air travel. U.S. and foreign air-traffic controllers often rely on outdated technologies that routinely overwhelm the system and compel airlines to fly inefficient,
indirect routes resulting in delays. A significant portion of our operations is concentrated in markets such as South Florida, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Northeast and northern Midwest regions of the United States, which are particularly vulnerable to weather, airport traffic constraints and other delays. Adverse weather conditions and natural disasters, such as hurricanes affecting southern Florida and the Caribbean (such as Hurricanes Irma and Maria in September 2017, Hurricane Dorian in August 2019, and Hurricane Laura in August 2020)2020, Hurricane Ian in September 2022 and Hurricane Idalia in August
2023) as well as southern Texas (such as Hurricane Harvey in August 2017), winter snowstorms or earthquakes (such as the September 2017 earthquakes in Mexico City, Mexico and the December 2019 and January 2020 earthquakes in Puerto Rico) can cause flight cancellations, significant delays and facility disruptions. For example, during 2017, the timing and location of Hurricanes Irma and Maria produced a domino effect on our operations, resulting in approximately 1,400 flight cancellations and numerous flight delays, which resulted in an adverse effect on our results of operations. Cancellations or delays due to adverse weather conditions or natural disasters, air traffic control problems or inefficiencies, breaches in security, staffing shortages, or other factors may affect us to a greater degree than other, larger airlines that may be able to recover more quickly from these events, and therefore could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition to a greater degree than other air carriers. For example, during 2022, a number of adverse weather events, as well as increases in air traffic control programs and restrictions, led to a significant number of flight delays and cancellations. Because of our high utilization, point-to-point network, operational disruptions can have a disproportionate impact on our ability to recover. In addition, many airlines reaccommodate their disrupted passengers on other airlines at prearranged rates under flight interruption manifest agreements. We have been unsuccessful in procuring any of these agreements with our peers, which makes our recovery from disruption more challenging than for larger airlines that have these agreements in place. Similarly, outbreaks of pandemic or contagious diseases, such as Ebola, measles, avian flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), H1N1 (swine) flu, Zika virus and COVID-19, could result in significant decreases in passenger traffic, and the imposition of government restrictions in service, supply chain bottlenecks or issues, and staffing shortages and could have a material adverse impact on the airline industry. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,For example, in 2020 and 2021, the U.S. government and government authorities in other countries around the world have implemented travel bans, testing requirements and other restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and recommended against air travel, which have drastically reduced consumer demand. For additional information, see “—Thedemand for air travel. Any resurgence of COVID-19 or another pandemic and measures to reduce its spread have had, and will likely continue toor public health crisis that results in similar or other restrictions could have a material adverse impacteffect on our business and results of operationsoperations. Air travel is continuing its resurgence following widespread adoption of vaccines, but the situation is fluid and financial condition.” actual capacity adjustments could be different than what we currently expect. Any increases in travel relatedtravel-related taxes could also result in decreases in passenger traffic. Any general reduction in airline passenger traffic could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, U.S. federal government shutdowns may cause delays and cancellations or reductions in discretionary travel due to longer security lines, including as a result of furloughed government employees, or reductions in staffing levels, including air traffic controllers. U.S. government shutdowns may also impact our ability to take delivery of aircraft and commence operations in new domestic stations. Any extended shutdown like the one in January 2019 may have a negative impact on our operations and financial results. In addition, supply chain issues have led to delays in aircraft deliveries and negatively impacted our ability to source spare parts and complete maintenance on a timely basis, which could have an adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
Restrictions on or litigation regarding third-party membership discount programs could harm our business, operating results and financial condition.
We generate a relatively small but growing portion of our revenue from commissions, revenue share and other fees paid to us by third-party merchants for customer click-throughs, distribution of third-party promotional materials and referrals arising from products and services of the third-party merchants that we offer to our customers on our website. Some of these third-party referral-based offers are for memberships in discount programs or similar promotions made to customers who have purchased products from us, and for which we receive a payment from the third-party merchants for every customer that accepts the promotion. Certain of these third-party membership discount programs have been the subject of consumer complaints, litigation and regulatory actions alleging that the enrollment and billing practices involved in the programs violate various consumer protection laws or are otherwise deceptive. Any private or governmental claim or action that may be brought against us in the future relating to these third-party membership programs could result in our being obligated to pay damages or incurring legal fees in defending claims. These damages and fees could be disproportionate to the revenues we generate through these relationships. In addition, customer dissatisfaction or a significant reduction in or termination of the third-party membership discount offers on our website as a result of these claims could have a negative impact on our brand, and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We face competition from air travel substitutes.
In addition to airline competition from traditional network airlines, other low-cost airlines and regional airlines, we also face competition from air travel substitutes. On our domestic routes, we face competition from some other transportation alternatives, such as bus, train or automobile. In addition, technology advancements may limit the demand for air travel. For example, video teleconferencing and other methods of electronic communication may reduce the need for in-person
communication and add a new dimension of competition to the industry as travelers seek lower-cost substitutes for air travel. If we are unable to adjust rapidly in the event the basis of competition in our markets changes, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Risks Related to Our Business
Increased labor costs, union disputes, employee strikes and other labor-related disruption may adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial conditions.
Our business is labor intensive, with labor costs representing approximately 39.3%27.6%, 26.0%22.1% and 24.2%32.4% of our total operating costs for 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2020,2023, approximately 82%85% of our workforce was represented by labor unions. We cannot assure that our labor costs going forward will remain competitive, because in the future our labor agreements may be amended or become amendable and new agreements could have terms with higher labor costs; one or more of our competitors may significantly reduce their labor costs, thereby reducing or eliminating our comparative advantages as to one or more of such competitors; or our labor costs may increase in connection with our growth. As further described below, our aircraft maintenance technicians ("AMTs") voted to be represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (the “AMFA”). We are currently negotiating a collective bargaining agreement. Any such negotiation may cause us to incur higher labor costs for our AMTs over the term of the agreement than we would have incurred absent such agreement. We may also become subject to additional collective bargaining agreements in the future asgiven the possibility that other non-unionized workers may unionize.
Relations between air carriers and labor unions in the United States are governed by the RLA. Under the RLA, collective bargaining agreements generally contain “amendable dates” rather than expiration dates, subject to standard opener provisions, and the RLA requires that a carrier maintain the existing terms and conditions of employment following the amendable date through a multi-stage and usually lengthy series of bargaining processes overseen by the NMB. This process continues until either the parties have reached agreement on a new collective bargaining agreement or the parties have been released to “self-help” by the NMB. In most circumstances, the RLA prohibits strikes; however, after release by the NMB, carriers and unions are free to engage in self-help measures such as lockouts and strikes.
During 2017, we experienced operational disruption from pilot-related work action which adversely impacted our results. We obtained a temporary restraining order to enjoin further illegal labor action. In January 2018, under the guidance of the NMB assignedNMB-assigned mediators, the parties reached a tentative agreement. In February 2018, the pilot group voted to approve the current five-year agreement with us. In connection
During the fourth quarter of 2022, we reached an agreement with the currentALPA for a new two-year agreement, we incurred a one-time ratification incentive of $80.2 million, including payroll taxes,which was ratified by ALPA members on January 10, 2023. The ratified agreement includes increased pay rates and an $8.5 million adjustment related to other contractual provisions. These amounts were recorded in special charges (credits) within operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2018.enhanced benefits.
In March 2016, under the supervision of the NMB, we reached a tentative agreement for a five-year contract with our flight attendants. Our flight attendants ratified the agreement in May 2016. In May 2016,February 2021, we entered into a five-yearLetter of Agreement with the AFA-CWA to change the amendable date of the collective bargaining agreement from May 4, 2021 to September 1, 2021. All other terms of the collective bargaining agreement remained the same.In June 2021, the AFA-CWA notified us, as required by the RLA, that it intended to submit proposed changes to the collective bargaining agreement covering our flight attendants. We commenced negotiations with the AFA-CWA on September 27, 2021. In February 2023, we reached an agreement with our flight attendants which was ratified by the flight attendants on April 13, 2023 and becomes amendable May 2021.in January 2026. The ratified agreement includes increased pay rates and other enhanced benefits.
Our dispatchers are represented by the PAFCA. In JuneOctober 2018, we commenced negotiations with PAFCA for an amended agreement with our dispatchers. In October 2018, PAFCA and the Company reached a tentative agreement with PAFCA for a new five-year agreement, which was ratified by the PAFCA members in October 2018. In May 2023, PAFCA provided notice that it intends to amend its Collective Bargaining Agreement with our dispatchers. The parties began negotiating changes to the CBA on July 12, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, we continued to negotiate with PAFCA.
In July 2014, certainOur ramp service agents directly employed by us voted to beare represented by IAMAW. Representation only applies to our Fort Lauderdale station where we have direct employees in the IAMAW. In May 2015, we entered into a five-year interim collective bargaining agreement with the IAMAW, including material economic terms. In June 2016, we reached an agreement on the remaining terms of the collective bargaining agreement.ramp service agent classification. In February 2020, the IAMAW notified us, as required by the Railway Labor Act,RLA, that it intendsintended to submit proposed changes to the collective bargaining agreement covering our ramp service agents thatwhich became amendable in June 2020. The parties expectOn September 28, 2021, we filed an “Application for Mediation Services” with the NMB. We were able to schedule meeting dates for negotiations soon.reach a tentative agreement with the IAMAW with the assistance of the NMB on October 16, 2021. Our ramp service agents ratified the five-year agreement in November 2021.
In June 2018, our passenger service agents voted to be represented by the TWU, but the representation only applies to our Fort Lauderdale station where we have direct employees in the passenger service classification. We began meeting with the TWU in late October 2018 to negotiate an initial collective bargaining agreement. AsDuring February 2022, we reached a tentative agreement with the TWU. Our passenger service agents ratified the five-year agreement on February 21, 2022.
In August 2022, our AMTs voted to be represented by AMFA as their collective bargaining agent. In November 2022, AMFA notified us of December 31, 2020, we continuedits intent to negotiate a CBA and began negotiations. In October 2023, AMFA filed for mediation with the TWU.NMB, and we are currently waiting for mediation dates from the NMB to continue negotiating with AMFA.
If we are unable to reach an agreement with any of our unionized work groups in current or future negotiations regarding the terms of their CBAs, we may be subject to work interruptions or stoppages, such as the strike by our pilots in June 2010 and
the operational disruption from pilot-related work action experienced in 2017. A strike or other significant labor dispute with our unionized employees is likely to adversely affect our ability to conduct business. Any agreement we do reach could increase our labor and related expenses.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010. A decision in the Supreme Court regarding this law is pending and it may be repealed in its entirety or certain aspects may be changed or replaced. If the law is repealed or significantly modified or if new healthcare legislation is passed, such action could significantly increase cost of the healthcare benefits provided to our U.S. employees. In addition, the failure to comply materially with such existing and new laws, rules and regulations could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial conditions.
A deterioration in worldwide economic conditions may adversely affect our business, operating results, financial condition, liquidity and ability to obtain financing or access capital markets.
The general worldwide economy has in the past experienced downturns due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the European debt crisis, unfavorable U.S. economic conditions and slowing growth in certain Asian economies, including general credit market crises, collateral effects on the finance and banking industries, energy price volatility, concerns about inflation, higher interest rates, slower economic activity, decreased consumer confidence, reduced corporate profits and capital spending, adverse business conditions, geopolitical conflict, pandemic risks, government constraints on international trade and liquidity concerns. The airline industry is particularly sensitive to changes in economic conditions, which affect customer travel patterns and related revenues. A weak economy could reduce our bookings, and a reduction in discretionary spending could also decrease amounts our customers are willing to pay. Unfavorable economic conditions can also impact the ability of airlines to raise fares to help offset increased fuel, labor and other costs. We cannot accurately predict the nature, extent, duration, effect or durationlikelihood of any economic slowdown or the timing, strength or strengthsustainability of a subsequent economic recovery.recovery worldwide or in the United States or the impact of the foregoing on the aviation industry.
Negative conditions in the general economy both in the United States and globally, including conditions resulting from changes in gross domestic product growth, declines in consumer confidence, labor shortages, inflationary pressures, rising interest rates, and financial and credit market fluctuations could result in decreases in spending on air travel and otherwise, increases in labor costs and delayed deliveries of aircraft, all of which could materially and adversely affect the growth of our business. In particular, although inflation in the United States has been relatively low in recent years, the U.S. economy has recently experienced a significant inflationary effect from, among other things, supply chain disruptions and governmental stimulus or fiscal policies adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While we cannot predict any future trends in the rate of inflation, there is currently significant uncertainty in the near-term economic outlook. Continued inflation would further raise our costs for labor, materials and services, which could negatively impact our profitability and cash flows. Additionally, we may be unable to raise our fares in amounts equal to the rate of inflation.
In addition, we have significant obligations for aircraft and spare engines that we have ordered from Airbus, IAE and Pratt & Whitney over the next several years, and we will need to finance these purchases. We may not have sufficient liquidity or creditworthiness to fund the purchase of aircraft and engines, including payment of pre-delivery deposit payments ("PDPs"(“PDPs”), or for other working capital. Factors that affect our ability to raise financing or access the capital markets include market conditions in the airline industry, economic conditions, the perceived residual value of aircraft and related assets, the level and volatility of our earnings, our relative competitive position in the markets in which we operate, our ability to retain key personnel, our operating cash flows and legal and regulatory developments. Regardless of our creditworthiness, at times the market for aircraft purchase or lease financing has been very constrained due to such factors as the general state of the capital markets and the financial position of the major providers of commercial aircraft financing.
We rely on maintaining a high daily aircraft utilization rate to implement our low-cost structure, which makes us especially vulnerable to flight delays or cancellations or aircraft unavailability.
Historically, we have maintainedWe maintain a high daily aircraft utilization rate. During 2020, we operated our aircraft at lower utilization levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic and as such our average daily aircraft utilization of 6.9 hours for 2020 was unusually low. Our average daily aircraft utilization was 12.311.1 hours for 20192023 and 12.110.7 hours for 2018.2022. During 2021, we operated our aircraft at a slightly lower utilization level due to the COVID-19 pandemic leading to an average daily aircraft utilization of 9.7 hours, which was lower compared to prior years. Aircraft utilization is the average amount of time per day that our aircraft spend carrying passengers. Our revenue per aircraft can be increased by high daily aircraft utilization, which is achieved in part by reducing turnaround times at airports so we can fly more hours on average in a day. Aircraft utilization is reduced by delays and cancellations from various factors, many of which are beyond our control, including air traffic congestion at airports or other air traffic control problems, adverse weather conditions, increased security measures or breaches in security, international or domestic conflicts, terrorist activity, outbreaks of pandemicpandemics or contagious diseases or other changes in business conditions. A significant portion of our operations are concentrated in markets such as South Florida, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Northeast and northern Midwest regions of the United States, which are
particularly vulnerable to weather, airport traffic constraints and other delays. In addition, pulling aircraft out of service for unscheduled and scheduled maintenance, the occurrence of which will increase as our fleet ages, may materially reduce our average fleet utilization and require that we seek short-term substitute capacity at increased costs. Similarly, removing aircraft from service to inspect and repair the PW1100G engines could reduce our average fleet utilization. Due to the relatively small size of our fleet and high daily aircraft utilization rate, the unavailability of aircraft and resulting reduced capacity could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our maintenance costs will increase as our fleet ages, and we will periodically incur substantial maintenance costs due to the maintenance schedules of our aircraft fleet.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, the average age of our aircraft was approximately 6.56.6 years. Our relatively new aircraft require less maintenance now than they will in the future. Our fleet will require more maintenance as it ages and our maintenance and repair expenses for each of our aircraft will be incurred at approximately the same intervals. For our leased aircraft, we expect that the final heavy maintenance events will be amortized over the remaining lease term rather than until the next estimated heavy maintenance event, because we account for heavy maintenance under the deferral method. This will result in significantly
higher depreciation and amortization expense related to heavy maintenance in the last few years of the leases as compared to the costs in earlier periods. Moreover, because our current fleet was acquired over a relatively short period, significant maintenance that is scheduled on each of these planes is occurring at roughly the same time, meaning we will incur our most expensive scheduled maintenance obligations, known as heavy maintenance, across our present fleet around the same time. These more significant maintenance activities result in out-of-service periods during which our aircraft are dedicated to maintenance activities and unavailable to fly revenue service. In addition, the terms of some of our lease agreements require us to pay maintenance reserves to the lessor in advance of the performance of major maintenance, resulting in our recording significant prepaid deposits on our consolidated balance sheet. Depending on their recoverability, these maintenance reserves may be classifiedexpensed as supplemental rent. We expect scheduled and unscheduled aircraft maintenance expenses to increase over the next several years. Any significant increase in maintenance and repair expenses would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our lack of marketing alliances could harm our business.
Many airlines, including the domestic traditional network airlines (American, Delta and United) have marketing alliances with other airlines, under which they market and advertise their status as marketing alliance partners. These alliances, such as OneWorld, SkyTeam and Star Alliance, generally provide for code-sharing, frequent flyerloyalty program reciprocity, coordinated scheduling of flights to permit convenient connections and other joint marketing activities. Such arrangements permit an airline to market flights operated by other alliance members as its own. This increases the destinations, connections and frequencies offered by the airline and provides an opportunity to increase traffic on that airline’s segment of flights connecting with alliance partners. We currently do not have any alliances with U.S. or foreign airlines. Our lack of marketing alliances puts us at a competitive disadvantage to traditional network carriers who are able to attract passengers through more widespread alliances, particularly on international routes, and that disadvantage may result in a material adverse effect on our passenger traffic, business, results of operations and financial condition.
We are subject to extensive and increasing regulation by the FAA, DOT, TSA and other U.S. and foreign governmental agencies, compliance with which could cause us to incur increased costs and adversely affect our business and financial results.
Airlines are subject to extensive and increasing regulatory and legal compliance requirements, both domestically and internationally, that involve significant costs. In the last several years, Congress has passed laws, and the DOT, FAA and TSA have issued regulations, relating to the operation of airlines that have required significant expenditures. We expect to continue to incur expenses in connection with complying with government regulations. Additional laws, regulations, taxes and increased airport rates and charges have been proposed from time to time that could significantly increase the cost of airline operations or reduce the demand for air travel. If adopted, these measures could have the effect of raising ticket prices, reducing revenue and increasing costs.
The DOT has been aggressive in enforcing regulations for violations of the tarmac delay rules, passenger with disability rules, advertising rules and other consumer protection rules that could increase the cost of airline operations or reduce revenues. In December 2020, the DOT issued a Final Rule on Traveling by Air with Service Animals. This rule limits service animals to a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, and no longer considers an emotional support animal to be a service animal. This eliminates the requirement to carry emotional support animals for free, and will likely reduce costs. Additionally, in December 2020, the DOT withdrew a Request for Information soliciting information on whether airline restrictions on the distribution or display of airline flight information constitute an
unfair and deceptive business practice and/or an unfair method of competition. The DOT said that decisions on how and where to sell their services should be left to the airlines.
In its first day in office, the Biden Administration issued an Executive Orderexecutive order that froze review and approval of any new rulemaking. This freeze led the DOT to withdraw the Final Rule on Tarmac Delay and the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on Airfare Advertising. The ANPRM may not be reissued.
In October 2018, Congress passed the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018, which extends FAA funds through fiscal year 2023. The legislation contains provisions which could have effects on our results of operations and financial condition. Among other provisions, the new law requires the DOT to lift the payment cap on denied boarding compensation, create new requirements for the treatment of disabled passengers, and treble the maximum civil penalty for damage to wheelchairs and other assistive devices or for injuring a disabled passenger. Under the Act, the FAA is required to issue rules establishing minimum dimensions for passenger seats, including seat pitch, width and length. The Act also establishes new rest requirements for flight attendants and requires, within one year, that the FAA issue an order mandating installation of a secondary cockpit barrier on each new aircraft.
25In December 2023, Congress passed the Airport and Airway Extension Act of 2023, Part II, which extends FAA funds through March 8, 2024 while Congress works to pass a long-term extension. A five-year extension of FAA funds has passed the House of Representatives, but remains stalled in the Senate. In the event that authorization of FAA funds lapses, our operations and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
In January 2021, the DOT issued a final rule, effective April 2021, to clarify that the maximum amount of Denied Boarding Compensation (DBC) that a carrier may provide to a passenger denied boarding involuntarily is not limited. We cannot forecast how eliminating this maximum amount of payment will affect our costs.
In 2021 and 2022, the DOT issued several NPRMs relating to air travel and airline ticketing and fees. In July 2021, the DOT issued a NRPM requiring airlines to refund checked bag fees for delayed bags if they are not delivered to the passenger within a specified number of hours and refunding ancillary fees for services related to air travel that passengers did not receive. In November 2021, the DOT reopened the comment period on a NPRM regarding short-term improvements to lavatory accessibility, including new proposed requirements for OBWs (Part 1). This NPRM was to gather information about all aspects of OBW design, including stowage, before issuing any final binding regulation on the topic. In March 2022, the DOT issued a NPRM (Part 2) requiring airlines to ensure that at least one lavatory on new single-aisle aircraft with at least 125 passenger seats is large enough to permit a passenger with a disability (with the help of an assistant, if necessary) to approach, enter and maneuver within the lavatory, as necessary, to use all lavatory facilities and to leave by means of the aircraft’s on-board wheel chair. If enacted as currently proposed, this NPRM (Part 2) would apply to new aircraft ordered 18 years or delivered 20 years after the effective date of a final rule. In August 2022, the DOT issued a NPRM requiring airlines and ticket agents to provide non-expiring travel vouchers or credits to consumers holding non-refundable tickets for scheduled flights to, from or within the United States as a result of the carrier cancelling or making a significant change to a scheduled flight, a serious communicable disease or for several other reasons. The NPRM will further define the terms “significant change” and “cancellation” and will require airlines and ticket agents to provide refunds if they receive significant financial assistance from the government as a result of a public health emergency.As of December 31, 2023, a final rule has not been issued; however, it is our understanding that the DOT will combine this NPRM with the July 2021 NPRM, regarding the refunding of certain checked bag fees ancillary fees. In October 2022, the DOT issued a NRPM which would require airlines to increase disclosure of bag fees, change and cancellation fees, and family seating policies during the ticket purchase process in an effort to improve the transparency of airline pricing. The comment period closed on January 23, 2023. If any of these NPRMs are enacted as proposed, they may increase our costs and our results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
We cannot assure that these and other laws or regulations enacted in the future will not harm our business. In addition, the TSA mandates the federalization of certain airport security procedures and imposes additional security requirements on airports and airlines, most of which are funded by a per ticket tax on passengers and a tax on airlines. We cannot forecast what additional security and safety requirements may be imposed in the future or the costs or revenue impact that would be associated with complying with such requirements.
Our ability to operate as an airline is dependent on our maintaining certifications issued to us by the DOT and the FAA. The FAA has the authority to issue mandatory orders relating to, among other things, the grounding of aircraft, inspection of aircraft, installation of new safety-related items and removal and replacement of aircraft parts that have failed or may fail in the future. A decision by the FAA to ground, or require time consuming inspections of or maintenance on, our aircraft, for any reason, could negatively affect our business and financial results. Federal law requires that air carriers operating large aircraft
be continuously “fit, willing and able” to provide the services for which they are licensed. Our “fitness” is monitored by the DOT, which considers factors such as unfair or deceptive competition, advertising, baggage liability and disabled passenger transportation. While the DOT has seldom revoked a carrier's certification for lack of fitness, such an occurrence would render it impossible for us to continue operating as an airline. The DOT may also institute investigations or administrative proceedings against airlines for violations of regulations.
The U.S. government is under persistent pressure to implement cost cutting and efficiency initiatives. In addition, the U.S. government has recently and may in the future experience delays in the completion of its budget process which could delay funding for government departments and agencies that regulate or otherwise are tied to the aviation industry, including the DOT and FAA. To the extent that any such initiatives or budgeting delays affect the operations of these government departments and agencies, including by forcing mandatory furloughs of government employees, our operations and results of operations could be materially adversely affected.
International routes are regulated by treaties and related agreements between the United States and foreign governments. Our ability to operate international routes is subject to change because the applicable arrangements between the United States and foreign governments may be amended from time to time. Our access to new international markets may be limited by our ability to obtain the necessary certificates to fly the international routes. In addition, our operations in foreign countries are subject to regulation by foreign governments and our business may be affected by changes in law and future actions taken by such governments, including granting or withdrawal of government approvals and restrictions on competitive practices. We are subject to numerous foreign regulations based on the large number of countries outside the United States where we currently provide service. If we are not able to comply with this complex regulatory regime, our business could be significantly harmed. Please see “Business — Government Regulation.”
A January 2021 Executive Order mandated that masks be worn on commercial aircraft. We will continue to follow all relevant guidelinesGovernment-imposed travel requirements and guidance to protect our guests and staff, but we cannot forecast what additional safety requirements may be imposed in the future or the costs or revenue impact that would be associated with complying with such requirements.
In April 2020, we entered into a Payroll Support Program ("PSP") Agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury ("Treasury"), pursuant to which we were required to provide continued air service to certain markets between March and September 2020.
In January 2021, we entered into a PSP Extension Agreement with the Treasury, pursuant to which we are required to provide continued air service to certain markets through March 31, 2021. Under these Agreements, we are subject to restrictions, along with additional reporting and recordkeeping requirements relating to the funds received under the two PSP programs and other programs to provide relief.
Internationally, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an Order requiring negative COVID-19 test results for passengers entering the US effective on January 26, 2021. This Order shall remain in effect until the declared end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, later CDC modification of the Order, or the end of 2021.This Order could be renewed, and other requirements, such as more stringententry bans from certain countries based on emerging strainsviruses or variants of the COVID-19 virus,existing viruses could be imposed.imposed in the future. We will continue to comply with all contagious disease requirements issued by the USU.S. and foreign governments, but we cannot forecast what additional requirements may be imposed in the future or the extent of any pre-travel testing requirements that may be under consideration in the United States and that may be in place, or renewed, in any foreign
jurisdiction we serve, including the effect of such requirements on passenger demand or the costs or revenue impact that would be associated with complying with such requirements.
Changes in legislation, regulation and government policy have affected, and may in the future have a material adverse effect on, our business.
Changes in, and uncertainty with respect to, legislation, regulation and government policy at the local, state or federal level have affected, and may in the future significantly impact, our business and the airline industry. For example, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, enacted on December 22, 2017, limits deductions for borrowers for net interest expense on debt. Specific legislative and regulatory proposals that could have a material impact on us in the future include, but are not limited to, infrastructure renewal programs; changes to immigration policy; modifications to international trade policy, including withdrawing from trade agreements and imposing tariffs; changes to financial legislation, including the partial or full repeal of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 or Dodd-Frank Act(the “Dodd-Frank Act”) or the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; public company reporting requirements; environmental regulation and antitrust enforcement. Any such changes may make it more difficult and/or more expensive for us to obtain new aircraft or engines and parts to maintain existing aircraft or engines or make it less profitable or prevent us from flying to or from some of the destinations we currently serve.
To the extent that any such changes have a negative impact on us or the airline industry, including as a result of related uncertainty, these changes may materially and adversely impact our business, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Any tariffs imposed on commercial aircraft and related parts imported from outside the United States may have a material adverse effect on our fleet, business, financial condition and our results of operations.
Certain of the products and services that we purchase, including our aircraft and related parts, are sourced from suppliers located in foreign countries, and the imposition of new tariffs, or any increase in existing tariffs, by the U.S. government on the importation of such products or services could materially increase the amounts we pay for them. In early October 2019, the World Trade Organization ruled that the United States could impose $7.5 billion in retaliatory tariffs in response to illegal European Union subsidies to Airbus. On October 18, 2019, the United States imposed these tariffs on certain imports from the European Union, including a 10% tariff on new commercial aircraft. In February 2020, the United States announced an increase to this tariff from 10% to 15%. These tariffs apply to aircraft that we are already contractually obligated to purchase. TheseIn June 2021, the United States Trade Representative announced that the United States and European Union had agreed to suspend
reciprocal tariffs on large civilian aircraft for five years, pending discussions to resolve their trade dispute. However, these tariffs are under continuing review and at any time could be increased, decreased, eliminated or applied to a broader range of products we use. The imposition of these tariffs may substantially increase the cost of, among other things, imported new Airbus aircraft and parts required to service our Airbus fleet, which in turn could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and/or results of operations. We may also seek to postpone or cancel delivery of certain aircraft currently scheduled for delivery, and we may choose not to purchase as many aircraft as we intended in the future. Any such action could have a material adverse effect on the size of our fleet, business, financial condition and/or results of operations.
We may not be able to implement our growth strategy.
Our growth strategy includes acquiring additional aircraft, increasing the frequency of flights and size of aircraft used in markets we currently serve, and expanding the number of markets we serve where our low costlow-cost structure would likely be successful. Effectively implementing our growth strategy is critical for our business to achieve economies of scale and to sustain or increase our profitability. We face numerous challenges in implementing our growth strategy, including our ability to:
•maintain profitability;
•acquire delivery positions of and/or financing for new or used aircraft;
•access airports located in our targeted geographic markets where we can operate routes in a manner that is consistent with our cost strategy;
•acquire new and used aircraft in accordance with our intended delivery schedule, and obtain sufficient spare parts or related support services from our suppliers on a timely basis;
•gain access to international routes;
•access sufficient gates and other services at airports we currently serve or may seek to serve; and
•maintain efficient utilization and capacity of our existing aircraft.
Our growth is dependent upon our ability to maintain a safe and secure operation and requires additional personnel, equipment and facilities. An inability to hire and retain personnel, timely secure the required equipment and facilities in a cost-effective manner, efficiently operate our expanded facilities or obtain the necessary regulatory approvals may adversely affect our ability to achieve our growth strategy, which could harm our business. In addition, expansion to new markets may have other risks due to factors specific to those markets. We may be unable to foresee all of the existing risks upon entering certain new markets or respond adequately to these risks, and our growth strategy and our business may suffer as a result. In addition, our competitors may reduce their fares and/or offer special promotions to deter our entry into a new market or to stop our growth into existing markets or new markets. We cannot assure you that we will be able to profitably expand our existing markets or establish new markets.
Some of our target growth markets in the Caribbean and Latin America include countries with less developed economies that may be vulnerable to unstable economic and political conditions, such as significant fluctuations in gross domestic product, interest and currency exchange rates, high inflation, civil disturbances, government instability, nationalization and expropriation of private assets and the imposition of taxes or other charges by governments. The occurrence of any of these events in markets served by us and the resulting instability may adversely affect our ability to implement our growth strategy.
In 2008, in response to record high fuel prices and rapidly deteriorating economic conditions, we modified our growth plans by terminating our leases for seven aircraft. We incurred significant expenses relating to our lease terminations, and have incurred additional expenses to acquire new aircraft in place of those under the terminated leases as we expanded our network. In November 2023, we announced that we will discontinue service at Denver International Airport, effective January 9, 2024, as a result of underperforming routes and Pratt & Whitney’s GTF engine availability issues. See “—We depend on a limited
number of suppliers for our aircraft and engines.” We may in the future determine to reduce further our future growth plans from previously announced levels, which may impact our business strategy and future profitability.
We rely heavily on technology and automated systems to operate our business and any failure of these technologies or systems or failure by their operators could harm our business.
We are highly dependent on technology and automated systems to operate our business and achieve low operating costs. These technologies and systems include our computerized airline reservation system, flight operations system, financial planning, management and accounting system, telecommunications systems, website, maintenance systems and check-in
kiosks. The performance and reliability of our technology are critical to our ability to operate and compete effectively. In 2015, our Board of Directors approved a significant technology upgrade initiative meant to address our aging IT infrastructure. This initiative has and will continue to upgrade, replace, and enhance multiple older and outdated legacy systems and hardware. The execution of our strategic plans could be negatively affected by (i) our ability to timely and effectively implement, transition, and maintain related information technology systems and infrastructure; (ii) our ability to effectively balance our investment of incremental operating expenses and capital expenditures related to our strategies against the need to effectively control cost; and (iii) our dependence on third parties with respect to our ability to implement our strategic plans. We cannot assure you that our security measures, change control procedures and disaster recovery plans will be adequate to prevent disruptions or delays. Disruption in or changes to these systems could result in an interruption to our operations or loss of important data. Any of the foregoing could result in a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition.
In order for our operations to work efficiently, our website and reservation system must be able to accommodate a high volume of traffic, maintain secure information and deliver flight information with a high degree of reliability. Substantially all of our tickets are issued to passengers as electronic tickets. We depend on our reservation system, which is hosted and maintained under a long-term contract by a third-party service provider, to be able to issue, track and accept these electronic tickets. If our third-party service provider experiences operational failures or claims that it cannot perform as a result of a force majeure, due to the effects of COVID-19 or otherwise, we may not be able to operate our reservation system. If our reservation system fails or experiences interruptions, and we are unable to book seats for any period of time, we could lose a significant amount of revenue as customers book seats on competing airlines. We have experienced short duration reservation system outages from time to time and may experience similar outages in the future. For example, in November 2010, we experienced a significant service outage with our third-party reservation service provider on the day before Thanksgiving, one of the industry’s busiest travel days and in August 2013, we experienced a 13-hour outage that affected our sales and customer service response times. We also rely on third-party service providers of our other automated systems for technical support, system maintenance and software upgrades. If our automated systems are not functioning or if the current providers were to fail to adequately provide technical support or timely software upgrades for any one of our key existing systems, we could experience service disruptions, which could harm our business and result in the loss of important data, increase our expenses and decrease our revenues. In the event that one or more of our primary technology or systems’ vendors goes into bankruptcy, ceases operations or fails to perform as promised, replacement services may not be readily available on a timely basis, at competitive rates or at all and any transition time to a new system may be significant.
In addition, our automated systems cannot be completely protected against events that are beyond our control, including natural disasters, cyber attacks, disruption of electrical grid or telecommunications failures. Substantial or sustained system
failures could cause service delays or failures and result in our customers purchasing tickets from other airlines. We have implemented security measures and change control procedures and have disaster recovery plans; however, we cannot assure you that these measures are adequate to prevent disruptions. Disruption in, changes to or a breach of, these systems could result in a disruption to our business and the loss of important data. Moreover, in the event of system outages or interruptions, we may not be able to recover from our information technology and software providers all or any portion of the costs or business losses we may incur. Any of the foregoing could result in a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We are subject to cyber security risks and may incur increasing costs in an effort to minimize those risks.
Our business employs systems and websites that allow for the secure storage and transmission of proprietary or confidential information regarding our customers, employees, suppliers and others, including personal identification information, credit card data and other confidential information. Security breaches could expose us to a risk of loss or misuse of this information, litigation and potential liability. Although we take steps to secure our management information systems, and although auditors review and approve the security configurations and management processes of these systems, including our computer systems, intranet and internet sites, email and other telecommunications and data networks, the security measures we have implemented may not be effective, and our systems may be vulnerable to theft, loss, damage and interruption from a number of potential sources and events, including unauthorized access or security breaches, natural or man-made disasters, cyber attacks (including ransom attacks in which malicious persons encrypt our systems, steal data, or both, and demand payment for decryption of systems or to avoid public release of data), computer viruses, power loss or other disruptive events. We may not have the resources or technical sophistication to anticipate or prevent rapidly evolving types of cyber attacks. Attacks may be targeted at us, our customers and suppliers, or others who have entrusted us with information. In addition, attacks not targeted at us, but targeted solely at suppliers, may cause disruption to our computer systems or a breach of the data that we maintain on customers, employees, suppliers and others.
Actual or anticipated attacks may cause us (and at times have caused us) to incur increasing costs, including costs to deploy additional personnel and protection technologies, train employees and engage third-party experts and consultants, or costs incurred in connection with the notifications to employees, suppliers or the general public as part of our notification obligations to the various governments that govern our business. Advances in computer capabilities, new technological
discoveries, or other developments may result in the breach or compromise of technology used by us to protect transaction or other data. In addition, data and security breaches can also occur as a result of non-technical issues, including breaches by us or by persons with whom we have commercial relationships that result in the unauthorized release of personal or confidential information. Our reputation, brand and financial condition could be adversely affected if, as a result of a significant cyber event or other security issues: our operations are disrupted or shut down; our confidential, proprietary information is stolen or disclosed; we incur costs or are required to pay fines in connection with stolen customer, employee or other confidential information; we must dedicate significant resources to system repairs or increase cyber security protection; or we otherwise incur significant litigation or other costs.
Our processing, storage, use and disclosure of personal data could give rise to liabilities as a result of governmental regulation.
In the processing of our customer transactions, we receive, process, transmit and store a large volume of identifiable personal data, including financial data such as credit card information. This data is increasingly subject to legislation and regulation, such as the California Consumer Privacy Act and the Fair Accurate Credit Transparency Act and Payment Card Industry legislation, typically intended to protect the privacy of personal data that is collected, processed and transmitted. More generally, we rely on consumer confidence in the security of our system, including our website on which we sell the majority of our tickets. Our business, results of operations and financial condition could be adversely affected if we are unable to comply with existing privacy obligations or legislation or regulations are expanded to require changes in our business practices.
We may not be able to maintain or grow our non-ticket revenues.
Our business strategy includes expanding our portfolio of ancillary products and services. There can be no assurance that passengers will pay for additional ancillary products and services or that passengers will continue to choose to pay for the ancillary products and services we currently offer. Further, regulatory initiatives could adversely affect ancillary revenue opportunities. Failure to maintain our non-ticket revenues would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Furthermore, if we are unable to maintain and grow our non-ticket revenues, we may not be able to execute our strategy to continue to lower base fares to address an underserved market. Please see “—“Risks Related to Our Industry—Restrictions on, or increased taxes applicable to, charges for ancillary products and services paid by airline passengers and burdensome consumer protection regulations or laws could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.”
Our inability to expand or operate reliably or efficiently out of our key airports where we maintain a large presence could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We are highly dependent on markets served from airports where we maintain a large presence. Our results of operations may be affected by actions taken by governmental or other agencies or authorities having jurisdiction over our operations at airports, including, but not limited to:
•increases in airport rates and charges;
•limitations on take-off and landing slots, airport gate capacity or other use of airport facilities;
•termination of our airport use agreements, some of which can be terminated by airport authorities with little notice to us;
•increases in airport capacity that could facilitate increased competition;
•international travel regulations such as customs and immigration;
•increases in taxes;
•changes in the law that affect the services that can be offered by airlines in particular markets and at particular airports;
•restrictions on competitive practices;
•the adoption of statutes or regulations that impact customer service standards, including security standards; and
•the adoption of more restrictive locally-imposed noise regulations or curfews.
In general, any changes or disruptions in airport operations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We rely on third-party service providers to perform functions integral to our operations.
We have entered into agreements with third-party service providers to furnish certain facilities and services required for our operations, including ground handling, catering, passenger handling, engineering, maintenance, refueling, reservations and airport facilities as well as administrative and support services. We are likely to enter into similar service agreements in new markets we decide to enter, and there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain the necessary services at acceptable rates.
Although we seek to monitor the performance of third parties that provide us with our reservation system, ground handling, catering, passenger handling, engineering, maintenance services, refueling and airport facilities, the efficiency, timeliness and quality of contract performance by third-party service providers are often beyond our control, and any failure by our service providers to perform their contracts, including as a result of operational failures or a force majeure, due to the effects of COVID-19 or otherwise, may have an adverse impact on our business and operations. For example, in 2008, our call center provider went bankrupt. Though we were able to quickly switch to an alternative vendor, we experienced a significant business disruption during the transition period and a similar disruption could occur in the future if we changed call center providers or if an existing provider ceased to be able to serve us. We expect to be dependent on such third-party arrangements for the foreseeable future.
We rely on third-party distribution channels to distribute a portion of our airline tickets.
We rely on third-party distribution channels, including those provided by or through global distribution systems, or GDSs, conventional travel agents and online travel agents, or OTAs, to distribute a portion of our airline tickets, and we expect in the future to rely on these channels to an increasing extent to collect ancillary revenues. These distribution channels are more expensive and at present have less functionality in respect of ancillary revenues than those we operate ourselves, such as our call centers and our website. Certain of these distribution channels also effectively restrict the manner in which we distribute our products generally. To remain competitive, we will need to successfully manage our distribution costs and rights, and improve the functionality of third-party distribution channels, while maintaining an industry-competitive cost structure. Negotiations with key GDSs and OTAs designed to manage our costs, increase our distribution flexibility, and improve functionality could be contentious, could result in diminished or less favorable distribution of our tickets, and may not provide the functionality we require to maximize ancillary revenues. Any inability to manage our third-party distribution costs, rights and functionality at a competitive level or any material diminishment in the distribution of our tickets could have a material adverse effect on our competitive position and our results of operations. Moreover, our ability to compete in the markets we
serve may be threatened by changes in technology or other factors that may make our existing third-party sales channels impractical, uncompetitive or obsolete.
We rely on a single service provider to manage the majority of our fuel supply.
As of December 31, 2020, we had a single fuel service contract with World Fuel Services Corporation to manage the majority of the sourcing and contracting of our fuel supply. A failure by this provider to fulfill its obligations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our reputation and business could be materially adversely affected in the event of an emergency, accident or similar incident involving our aircraft.
We are exposed to potential significant losses in the event that any of our aircraft is subject to an emergency, accident, terrorist incident or other similar incident, and significant costs related to passenger claims, repairs or replacement of a damaged aircraft and its temporary or permanent loss from service. There can be no assurance that we will not be affected by such events or that the amount of our insurance coverage will be adequate in the event such circumstances arise and any such event could cause a substantial increase in our insurance premiums. Please see “—“Risks Related to Our Business—Increases in insurance costs or significant reductions in coverage could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.” In addition, any future aircraft emergency, accident or similar incident, even if fully covered by insurance or even if it does not involve our airline, may create a public perception that our airline or the equipment we fly is less safe or reliable than other transportation alternatives, or could cause us to perform time consuming and costly inspections on our aircraft or engines which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Negative publicity regarding our customer service or otherwise could have a material adverse effect on our business.
In the past, we have experienced a relatively high number of customer complaints related to, among other things, our customer service and reservations and ticketing systems. In particular, we generally experience a higher volume of complaints when we make changes to our unbundling policies, such as charging for baggage. In addition, in 2009, we entered into a consent order with the DOT for our procedures for bumping passengers from oversold flights and our handling of lost or damaged baggage. Under the consent order, we were assessed a civil penalty of $375,000, of which we were required to pay $215,000 based on an agreement with the DOT and not having similar violations in the year after the date of the consent order. Further, media reports about incidents on our aircraft unrelated to customer complaints could negatively impact our reputation and our operations. If we do not meet our customers'customers’ expectations with respect to reliability and service, customers could decide not to fly with us, which would materially adversely affect our business and reputation.
We depend on a limited number of suppliers for our aircraft and engines.
One of the elements of our business strategy is to save costs by operating a single-family aircraft fleet - currently Airbus A320-family, single-aisle aircraft, powered by engines manufactured by IAE and Pratt & Whitney. If any of Airbus, IAE or Pratt & Whitney become unable to perform its contractual obligations, or if we are unable to acquire or lease aircraft or engines from these or other owners, operators or lessors on acceptable terms, we would have to find other suppliers for a similar type of aircraft or engine. In late 2022, we were notified by Airbus that a number of the aircraft we originally had scheduled for delivery in 2023 will be delayed into 2024 and beyond. These delays have required us to reduce capacity expectations for the next year or so. If we have to lease or purchase aircraft from another supplier, we would lose the significant benefits we derive from our current single fleet composition. We may also incur substantial transition costs, including costs associated with retraining our employees, replacing our manuals and adapting our facilities and maintenance programs. Our operations could also be harmed by the failure or inability of aircraft, engine and parts suppliers to provide sufficient spare parts or related support services on a timely basis, particularly in connection with new-generation introductory technology. Our business would be significantly harmed if a design defect or mechanical problem with any of the types of aircraft, engines or components currently on order or that we operate were discovered that would halt or delay our aircraft delivery stream or that would ground any of our aircraft while the defect or problem was corrected, assuming it could be corrected at all. Since the addition of A320neo aircraft in 2016, we havehad experienced introductory issues with the new-generation PW1100G-JMPW1100G engines, designed and manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, which hashad previously resulted in diminished service availability of such aircraft. Beginning in the second half of 2020, the A320neo aircraft fleet reliability had stabilized and the PW1100G engine technical issues had improved. However, beginning in the second half of 2022, we began experiencing reliability issues with the PW1100G engines once again resulting in diminished service availability of aircraft. Supply chain delivery issues and limited capacity at engine maintenance, repair, and overhaul (“MRO”) shops available to service PW1100G engines have resulted in extended turnaround time to perform these inspections and the modifications required to improve the reliability of these engines. These impacts are expected to continue throughout 2024 and beyond, until supply chain and engine MRO shop capacity returns to required levels to support our growth. In addition, in July 2023, Pratt & Whitney announced that it had determined that a rare condition in the powdered metal used to manufacture certain engine parts will require accelerated inspection of the GTF fleet, which powers the A320neo aircraft. As of December 31, 2023, we have removed five engines from service, three of which are currently awaiting induction for inspection. Pratt & Whitney notified us that all GTF engines in its fleet, including the engines slotted for future aircraft deliveries, for a yet to be determined period, may be subject to the removal and inspection, or replacement, of the powdered metal high-pressure turbine and compressor discs. We currently estimate these engines will require removal and inspection in 2024, but continuing through 2026. For 2024, we estimate the average number of grounded neo aircraft will climb steadily from 13 in January 2024 to 41 in December 2024, averaging 26 grounded for the full year 2024. Lower capacity resulting from manufacturer or supplier issues may lead to significant impact on our business and operating results. For instance, partially as a result of the Pratt & Whitney engine issues, in November 2023, we announced that we will discontinue service at Denver International Airport, effective January 9, 2024.
We cannot be certain that new technical issues may be mitigated given the relatively short life these engines have been in service. We continuously work with Pratt & Whitneythe engine manufacturer to secure support and relief in connection with possible engine related operation disruptions. As of December 31, 2020, we operated 32 A320neo aircraft with PW 1100G-JM engines. We cannot be certain that the new generation PW1100G-JM issues that were previously identified will be adequately corrected or if the defect will require the grounding of any of our A320neos. However, modifications have been designed and will be incorporated into our PW1100G-JM engine fleet over the next three years. Should appropriate design or mechanical modifications not be implemented or not be effective, this could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. These types of events, if appropriate design or mechanical modifications cannot be implemented, and related operations disruptions, including from required inspections, could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Moreover, the use of our aircraft could be suspended or restricted by regulatory authorities in the event of actual or perceived mechanical or design problems. Our business would also be significantly harmed if the public began to avoid flying with us due to an adverse perception of the types of aircraft, engines or
components that we operate stemming from safety concerns or other problems, whether real or perceived, or in the event of an accident involving those types of aircraft, engines or components. Carriers that operate a more diversified fleet are better positioned than we are to manage such events.
Reduction in demand for air transportation, or governmental reduction or limitation of operating capacity, in the domestic U.S., Caribbean or Latin American markets could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
A significant portion of our operations are conducted to and from the domestic U.S., Caribbean or Latin American markets. Our business, results of operations and financial condition could be harmed if we lost our authority to fly to these markets, by any circumstances causing a reduction in demand for air transportation, or by governmental reduction or limitation of operating capacity, in these markets, such as adverse changes in local economic or political conditions, negative public perception of these destinations, unfavorable weather conditions, public health concerns or terrorist relatedterrorist-related activities. Furthermore, our business could be harmed if jurisdictions that currently limit competition allow additional airlines to compete on routes we serve. Many of the countries we serve are experiencing either economic slowdowns or recessions, which may translate into a weakening of demand and could harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Increases in insurance costs or significant reductions in coverage could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We carry insurance for third-party liability, passenger liability, property damage and all-risk coverage for damage to our aircraft. As a result of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, aviation insurers significantly reduced the amount of insurance coverage available to commercial air carriers for liability to persons other than employees or passengers for claims resulting from acts of terrorism, war or similar events (war risk insurance). Accordingly, our insurance costs increased significantly and our ability to continue to obtain certain types of insurance remains uncertain. While the price of commercial insurance has declined since the period immediately after the terrorist attacks, in the event commercial insurance carriers further reduce the amount of insurance coverage available to us, or significantly increase its cost, we would be adversely affected. We currently maintain commercial airline insurance with several underwriters. However, there can be no assurance that the amount of such coverage will not be changed, or that we will not bear substantial losses from accidents. We could incur substantial claims resulting from an accident in excess of related insurance coverage that could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition. Renewing coverage may result in higher premiums and more restrictive terms. Our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected if we are unable to obtain adequate insurance.
Failure to comply with applicable environmental regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We are subject to increasingly stringent federal, state, local and foreign laws, regulations and ordinances relating to the protection of the environment, including those relating to emissions to the air, discharges to surface and subsurface waters, safe drinking water and the management of hazardous substances, oils and waste materials. Compliance with all environmental laws and regulations can require significant expenditures and any future regulatory developments in the United States and abroad could adversely affect operations and increase operating costs in the airline industry. For example, climate change legislation was previously introduced in Congress and such legislation could be re-introduced in the future by Congress and state legislatures, and could contain provisions affecting the aviation industry, compliance with which could result in the creation of substantial additional costs to us. Similarly, the Environmental Protection AgencyEPA issued a rule that regulates larger emitters of greenhouse gases. Future operations and financial results may vary as a result of such regulations. Compliance with these regulations and new or existing regulations that may be applicable to us in the future could increase our cost base and could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
There is also an increasing international focus on climate change, carbon emissions and environmental regulation. The incoming principal deputy assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs at the DOT spent the last 25 years working on international aviation climate change policy at Environmental Defense Fund. This may signal increased emphasis on new environmental regulation on commercial aviation.
Members of the International Civil Aviation Organization ("ICAO"(“ICAO”) have been negotiating a global agreement in greenhouse gas emissions for the aviation industry. In October 2016, the ICAO adopted the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation ("CORSIA"(“CORSIA”), which is a global, market-based emissions offset program designed to encourage carbon-neutral growth beyond 2020. Further, in June 2018 the ICAO adopted standards pertaining to the collection and sharing of information in international aviation emissions beginning in 2019. We are a participant in the CORSIA program. The CORSIA will increase operating costs for Spirit and other U.S. airlines that operate internationally. The CORSIA is expected to bebeing implemented in phases beginning with a voluntary pilot fromwhich began in 2021 and will continue through 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic has
depressed international aviation such that 2020 emissions will not be included in setting a baseline. CORSIA’s voluntary pilot phase is still expected to run from 2021 through 2023, and airlinesAirlines will have until January 2025 to cancel eligible emissions units to comply with their total offsetting requirements for the pilot phase. From 2021, all flights will be subject to offsetting with certain exceptions. Certain details are still being developed and the impact cannot be fully predicted. Compliance with CORSIA could significantly increase our operating costs. The potential impact of CORSIA or other emissions-related requirements on our costs will ultimately depend on a number of factors, including baseline emissions, the price of emission allowances or offsets that we would need to acquire, the efficiency of our fleet and the number of flights subject to these requirements. These costs have not been completely defined and could fluctuate.
Governmental authorities in several U.S. and foreign cities are also considering or have already implemented aircraft noise reduction programs, including the imposition of nighttime curfews and limitations on daytime take-offs and landings. We have been able to accommodate local noise restrictions imposed to date, but our operations could be adversely affected if locally-imposed regulations become more restrictive or widespread.
If we are unable to attract and retain qualified personnel or fail to maintain our company culture, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be harmed.
Our business is labor intensive. We require large numbers of pilots, flight attendants, maintenance technicians and other personnel. The airline industry has from time to time experienced a shortage of qualified personnel, particularly with respect to pilots and maintenance technicians. In addition, we currently face, and may continue to face, high employee turnover.turnover, including with respect to our pilots. We may be required to increase wages and/or benefits in order to attract and retain qualified personnel. If we are unable to hire, train and retain qualified employees, our operations and business could be harmed and we may be unable to implement our growth plans. Since 2021, we have experienced a shortage of qualified workers as the U.S. labor market tightened, in particular shortages of qualified pilots. As a result, our operations were negatively impacted and our labor costs have increased substantially in 2021 and through 2023.
In addition, as we hire more people and grow, we believe it may be increasingly challenging to continue to hire people who will maintain our company culture. Our company culture, which we believe is one of our competitive strengths, is important to providing high-quality customer service and having a productive, accountable workforce that helps keep our costs low. As we continue to grow, we may be unable to identify, hire or retain enough people who meet the above criteria, including those in management or other key positions. Our company culture could otherwise be adversely affected by our growing operations and geographic diversity. If we fail to maintain the strength of our company culture, our competitive ability and our business, results of operations and financial condition could be harmed.
Our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially adversely affected if we lose the services of our key personnel.
Our success depends to a significant extent upon the efforts and abilities of our senior management team and key financial and operating personnel. In particular, we depend on the services of our senior management team. Competition for highly qualified personnel is intense. For example, the executive compensation limitations underpendency of the PSP and PSP2 programs (valid through March 24, 2022 and October 1, 2022, respectively)Merger may hinder our abilitymake it difficult to retain our executive officers or other key employees.and hire qualified personnel. The loss of any executive officer or other key employee without adequate replacement or the inability to attract new qualified personnel could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. We do not maintain key-person life insurance on our management team.
The requirements of being a public company may strain our resources, divert management’s attention and affect our ability to attract and retain qualified board members.
As a public company, we incur significant legal, accounting and other expenses, including costs associated with public company reporting requirements. We also have incurred and will continue to incur costs associated with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and related rules implemented or to be implemented by the SEC and the New York Stock Exchange. The expenses incurred by public companies generally for reporting and corporate governance purposes have been increasing. We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some activities more time-consuming and costly. These laws and regulations could also make it more difficult or costly for us to obtain certain types of insurance, including director and officer liability insurance, and we may be forced to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar coverage. These laws and regulations could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified persons to serve on our board of directors, our board committees, or as our executive officers and may divert management’s attention. Furthermore, if we are unable to satisfy our obligations as a public company, we could be subject to delisting of our common stock, fines, sanctions and other regulatory action and potentially civil litigation.
We are required to assess our internal control over financial reporting on an annual basis and our management identified a material weakness which has since been remediated. If we identify additional material weaknesses or other adverse findings in the future, we may not be able to report our financial condition or results of operations accurately or
timely, which may result in a loss of investor confidence in our financial reports, significant expenses to remediate any internal control deficiencies, and ultimately have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock.
Pursuant to Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended, our management is required to report on, and our independent registered public accounting firm is required to attest to, the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. The rules governing the standards that must be met for management to assess our internal control over financial reporting are complex and require significant documentation, testing and possible remediation. Annually, we perform activities that include reviewing, documenting and testing our internal control over financial reporting. During the performance of these activities, we may encounter problems or delays in completing the implementation of any changes necessary to make a favorable assessment of our internal control over financial reporting. In connection with the attestation process by our independent registered public accounting firm, we may encounter problems or delays in completing the implementation of any requested improvements and receiving a favorable attestation. In addition, if we fail to maintain the adequacy of our internal control over financial reporting we will not be able to conclude on an ongoing basis that we have effective internal control over financial reporting in accordance with Section 404. If we fail to achieve and maintain an effective internal control environment, we could suffer material misstatements in our financial statements and fail to meet our reporting obligations, which would likely cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information. This could harm our operating results and lead to a decline in our stock price. Additionally, ineffective internal control over financial reporting could expose us to increased risk of fraud or misuse of corporate assets and subject us to potential delisting from the New York Stock Exchange, regulatory investigations, civil or criminal sanctions and class action litigation.
Management identified errors in its previously filed statements of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019. Management, along with its independent registered public accounting firm identified a material weakness in the internal control over financial reporting. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of a company's annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis. The material weakness management identified specifically related to the operation of certain review controls over the preparation of the 2019 statements of cash flows. The deficiency resulted in the restatement of the Company’s statement of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019. Management also revised the related Liquidity section of the Company’s Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
In order to remediate the material weakness, with the oversight of our Audit Committee, Management completed remediation activities including, but not limited to, the following:
• Enhanced cash flow templates to facilitate the preparation and review of the related cash flows;
• Enhanced roll forward reconciliation and management review controls of the capital expenditures amounts included in the statements of cash flows; and
• More detailed reconciliation process and management review of each line in the consolidated statements of cash flows.
Management is committed to maintaining a strong internal control environment and believes this remediation effort represents an improvement in the related controls around the consolidated statement of cash flows. Based on the testing performed during the first, second and third quarters of 2020 on these newly implemented controls around the review of the consolidated statement of cash flows, which was completed in the third quarter of 2020, we have concluded that these controls have been designed appropriately and are operating effectively. As a result, Management considers this material weakness to have been remediated as of September 30, 2020.
If additional material weaknesses in internal controls are discovered in the future, they may adversely affect our ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information timely and accurately and, as a result our financial statements may contain material misstatements or omissions.
Risks Related to Our Programs
The success of the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program depend on the success of the Company.
The Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program depend on the Company’sour continued success as a commercial airline and our continued performance under certain Free Spirit Agreements. The success or failure of the Company’sour business will have a direct impact the success and the value of the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program.
Business decisions made by the Company, including with respect to ticket prices, routes, the location of hubs, cabin designs, safety procedures, any initiatives to retain customers and otherwise, could have an adverse impact on our appeal to air travelers, which could negatively affect participation in the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program, damage
our reputation or harm our relationships with the Free Spirit Partners. For instance, certain business decisions may negatively adjust the rate at which milespoints are purchased by third parties under the terms of the applicable Free Spirit Agreement, and decisions by the Company with respect to mergers, divestitures or other corporate events may provide for termination rights of third parties under Free Spirit Agreements, each of which could have a material adverse effect on the financial and operational success, as well as the appraised value of the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program.
The success of the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program may be harmed by decisions or actions of our partners that are beyond our control.
The Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program depend in part on the decisions or actions of our partners. For example, issuers of our co-branded credit cards have certain rights to alter terms and conditions of the credit card accounts of their customers, including finance charges and other fees and required minimum monthly payments, in order to maintain their competitive position in the credit card industry or to comply with, among other things, regulatory guidelines, relevant law or prudent business practices. Changes in the terms of such credit card accounts may reduce the number of new accounts, the volume of credit card spend or negatively impact account retention, which in turn may reduce the number of milespoints accrued and sold or impact the Free Spirit Program. Although issuers of our co-branded credit cards may consult the Company prior to implementing any such changes, no assurance can be given that issuers of our co-branded credit cards will not take actions that adversely affect the success of Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program.
Covenant restrictions on the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program in our debt agreements will impose restrictions on our operations, and if we are not able to comply with such covenants, our creditors could accelerate our indebtedness or exercise other remedies.
The covenants in the indenture governing the Secured Notes contains a number of provisions that impose restrictions on the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program which, subject to certain exceptions, limit the ability of the Company to, among other things, amend the policies and procedures of the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program in a manner that would be reasonably expected to have a material adverse effect, compete with the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® by establishing another mileage or loyalty program (subject to certain exceptions) and sell pre-paid miles in excess of $25$25.0 million annually and $125$125.0 million in the aggregate. The indenture contains additional restrictions on the Free Spirit Program and the $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® program, including the ability to terminate or modify certain licenses and certain material Free Spirit Agreements. The indenture also requires Spirit to maintain a minimum liquidity of at least $400$400.0 million on a daily basis. Such covenants are in addition to the other restrictions in the indenture, such as restrictions on the ability of the issuers and guarantors of the Secured Notes to make restricted payments, incur additional indebtedness, enter into certain transactions with affiliates, create or incurincur certain liens on the collateral, merge, consolidate, or sell assets, sell, transfer or otherwise convey the collateral and designate certain subsidiaries as unrestricted.
Complying with these covenants and other restrictive covenants that may be contained in any future debt agreements will limit the Company’sour ability to operate our business and may limit our ability to take advantage of business opportunities that are in our long-term interest.
The failure to comply with any of these covenants or restrictions could result in a default under the indenture governing the Secured Notes or any future debt agreement, which could lead to an acceleration of the debt under such instruments and, in some cases, the acceleration of debt under other instruments that contain cross-default or cross-acceleration provisions, each of
which could have a material adverse effect on the Company. In the case of an event of default, or in the event of a cross-default or cross-acceleration, we may not have sufficient funds available to make the required payments under our debt agreements.
Risks Related to Our Leverage and Liquidity
We have a significant amount of aircraft-related fixed obligations and we have incurred, and may incur in the future, significant additional debt, that could impair our liquidity and thereby harm our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The airline business is capital intensive and, as a result, many airline companies are highly leveraged. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had $1,667.7 million in aircraft-related debt and $1,771.4 million of other long-term debt on our 157 aircraft fleet consistedconsolidated balance sheet. In 2023 and 2022, we made scheduled principal payments of 56 aircraft financed under operating leases, 72 aircraft financed under$337.5 million and $193.0 million on our outstanding debt arrangements,obligations, respectively. In addition. during the fourth quarter of 2023, the Company early extinguished $323.3 million of outstanding fixed-rate term loans. As of December 31, 2023, we had future principal debt obligations of $3.4 billion, of which $305.2 million is due in 2024.
In 2023 and 29 aircraft purchased off lease and currently unencumbered. In 2020 and 2019,2022, we paid the lessors rent of $172.0$389.6 million and $181.0$286.0 million, respectively. In connection with our aircraft and engines, in 2020, we received maintenance deposits, net of payments, of $23.7 million and in 2019, we received maintenance deposits, net of payments, of $22.5 million. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had future aircraft and spare engine operating lease obligations of approximately $1.9$5.6 billion. In 2020 and 2019, we made scheduled principal payments of $254.3 million and $246.8 million on our outstanding debt obligations, respectively. As of December 31, 2020, we had future principal debt obligations of $3.6 billion, of which $290.0 million is due in 2021.
In addition, we have significant obligations for aircraft and spare engines that we have ordered from Airbus, International Aero Engines AG, or IAE, and Pratt & Whitney for delivery over the next several years.
Further, we entered into an agreement to amend our revolving credit facility. The amendment extended the final maturity date from December 30, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Upon execution of the amended agreement, the maximum borrowing capacity decreased from$160.0 million to $111.2 million, which will continue to decrease as we take delivery of the related aircraft that collateralize the facility. As of December 31, 2020, we had drawn the full amount of $95.1 million available under the revolving credit facility due in 2021. In addition, we entered into a new $180 million senior secured revolving credit facility. As of December 31, 2020, we had drawn the full amount of $180.0 million available under the revolving credit facility due in 2022. Also in April 2020, we reached an agreement with the Treasury for which we received $344.4 million in funding through the payroll support program, in the form of a grant and a low-interest 10-year note and we expect to receive an additional $184.5 million from the Treasury under PSP2. The funding from the Treasury subjected us to certain restrictions and limitations. In May 2020, we issued $175.0 million of our 4.75% Convertible Senior Notes due 2025 (the “Convertible Notes”). In September 2020, we issued $850 million of our 8.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2025 (the “Secured Notes”).
Our ability to pay the fixed and other costs associated with our contractual obligations will depend on our operating performance, cash flow and our ability to secure adequate financing, which will in turn depend on, among other things, the success of our current business strategy, fuel price volatility, weakening or improvement in the U.S. economy, as well as general economic and political conditions and other factors that are beyond our control. From time to time and subject to market conditions and any applicable contractual requirements, we may refinance portions of our debt, including our 2025 maturities, which, at current interest rates and market conditions, may negatively impact our interest expense or result in higher dilution. The amount of our aircraft relatedaircraft-related fixed obligations, our obligations under our other debt arrangements, and the related need to obtain financing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition and could:
•require a substantial portion of cash flow from operations for operating lease and maintenance deposit payments, and principal and interest on our indebtedness, thereby reducing the availability of our cash flow to fund working capital, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes;
•limit our ability to make required pre-delivery deposit payments, or PDPs, including those payable to our aircraft and engine manufacturers for our aircraft and spare engines on order;
•limit our ability to obtain additional financing to support our expansion plans and for working capital and other purposes on acceptable terms or at all;
•make it more difficult for us to pay our other obligations as they become due during adverse general economic and market industry conditions because any related decrease in revenues could cause us to have insufficient cash flows from operations to make our scheduled payments;
•reduce our flexibility in planning for, or reacting to, changes in our business and the airline industry and, consequently, place us at a competitive disadvantage to our competitors with fewer fixed payment obligations or which are subject to fewer limitations or restrictions; and
•cause us to lose access to one or more aircraft and forfeit our rent deposits if we are unable to make our required aircraft lease rental and debt payments and our lessors or lenders exercise their remedies under the lease and debt agreements, including cross default provisions in certain of our leases and mortgages.
A failure to pay our operating lease, debt and other fixed cost obligations or a breach of our contractual obligations could result in a variety of adverse consequences, including the exercise of remedies by our creditors and lessors. In such a situation,
it is unlikely that we would be able to cure our breach, fulfill our obligations, make required lease or debt payments or otherwise cover our fixed costs, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Downgrades in our credit ratings could increase future debt financing costs and limit the future availability of debt financing.
Our credit ratings are important to our cost and availability of capital. The major rating agencies routinely evaluate our credit profile and assign credit ratings to us. This evaluation is based on a number of factors, which include financial strength, business and financial risk, transparency with rating agencies, and timeliness of financial reporting, as well as overall industry risk. We have experienced downgrades in our credit ratings based on our increased level of credit risk as a result of the financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and a continued lack of profitability.
Beginning in 2020 with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and through January 2024, on occasion, our corporate credit rating and the credit ratings of our Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificates have been downgraded by Fitch, S&P Global and/or Moody's. As of January 2024, our Fitch, S&P Global and Moody's credit ratings were B-, CCC+ and Caa2, respectively.
As of January 2024, the S&P Global credit ratings of our Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificates Series 2015-1 Class A and B were BB+ and B+, respectively, and the credit ratings of our Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificates Series 2017-1 Class AA, A and B were BBB, BB+ and B, respectively. As of January 2024, the Fitch credit ratings of our Spirit
Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificate Series 2015-1 Class B and 2017-1 Class B were BB and the Fitch credit ratings of our Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust Certificate Series 2017-1 Class AA was A+.
If our credit ratings were to be further downgraded, or general market conditions were to ascribe higher risk to our ratings levels, the airline industry, or us, it could increase future debt financing costs and limit the future availability of debt financing, which would have an adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Despite our current indebtedness levels, we may incur additional indebtedness in the future, which could further increase the risks associated with our leverage.
We may be able to incur substantial additional indebtedness, including additional secured indebtedness, in the future. Our debt agreements do not prohibit us from incurring additional unsecured indebtedness or certain secured indebtedness. If other such indebtedness is incurred in the future, our debt service obligations will increase. The more leveraged we become, the more we will be exposed to the risks created by our current substantial indebtedness.
Our ability to incur secured indebtedness is subject to compliance with certain covenants in the indenture governing the Secured Notes and, in certain circumstances, the liens securing such additional indebtedness will be permitted to be pari passu with the liens securing the Secured Notes.
To the extent that the terms of our current or future debt agreements would prevent us from incurring additional indebtedness, we may be able to obtain amendments to those agreements that would allow us to incur such additional indebtedness, and such additional indebtedness could be material.
For additional information, refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—13. Debt and Other Obligations” and “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—10. Equity.”
We are highly dependent upon our cash balances and operating cash flows.
As of December 31, 2020, we had access to lines of credit from our physical fuel delivery and derivative counterparties and our purchase credit card issuer aggregating $44.6 million and a cash collateralized standby letter of credit facility of $30.0 million. In addition,2023, we have a revolving credit facility, maturing in 2021, for which we had drawn the full amount of $95.1 million as of December 31, 2020, and a new senior secured revolving credit facility, maturing in 2022,2025, for up to $180.0$300.0 million which was fully drawn undrawn and available as of December 31, 2020. 2023. For additional information, refer to “Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition Condition and Results of Operations” and “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—14.13. Debt and Other Obligations.” TheseThis credit facilities arefacility is not adequate to finance our operations, and we will continue to be dependent on our operating cash flows and cash balances to fund our operations and to make scheduled payments on our aircraft relatedaircraft-related fixed obligations. In addition, we have sought, and may continue to seek, financing from other available sources to fund our operations in order to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on our financial position and operations, including through the payroll support program or loan program with the Treasury and offerings of our common stock, Secured Notes and Convertible Notes. For example, in July 2020, we established an “at-the-market offering” program (“ATM Program”) pursuant to which we were permitted to issue and sell up to 9,000,000 shares of our common stock, which amount was fully sold as of September 2020.operations. In addition, our credit card processors are entitled to withhold receipts from customer purchases from us, under certain circumstances. Although our credit card processors currently do not have a right to hold back credit card receipts to cover repayment to customers, ifIf we fail to maintain certain liquidity and other financial covenants, their rights to holdback would be reinstated,become operative, which would result in a reduction of unrestricted cash that could be material. In addition, we are required by some of our aircraft lessors to fund reserves in cash in advance for scheduled maintenance, and a portion of our cash is therefore unavailable until after we have completed the scheduled maintenance in accordance with the terms of the operating leases. If we fail to generate sufficient funds from operations to meet our operating cash requirements or do not obtain a line of credit, other borrowing facility or equity financing, we could default on our operating lease and fixed obligations. Our inability to meet our obligations as they become due would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Our liquidity and general level of capital resources impact our ability to hedge our fuel requirements.
From time to time, we may enter into fuel derivative contracts in order to mitigate the risk to our business from future volatility in fuel prices, refining risk between the price of crude oil and the price of refined jet fuel, and to manage the risk of increasing fuel prices. As of December 31, 2020, we had no outstanding jet fuel derivatives and we have not engaged in fuel derivative activity since 2015. There can be no assurance that we will be able to enter into fuel derivative contracts in the future if we are required or choose to do so. In the past, we have not had and in the future we may not have sufficient creditworthiness or liquidity to post the collateral necessary to hedge our fuel requirements. Even if we are able to hedge portions of our future fuel requirements, we cannot guarantee that our derivative contracts will provide any particular level of protection against increased fuel costs or that our counterparties will be able to perform under our derivative contracts, such as in the case of a counterparty’s insolvency. In a falling fuel price environment, we may be required to make cash payments to our counterparties which may impair our liquidity position and increase our costs.
Our net operating losses may be limited for U.S. federal income tax purposes under Section 382 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code.
If a corporation with net operating losses (“NOLs”) undergoes an “ownership change” within the meaning of Section 382 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), then such corporation’s use of such “pre-change” NOLs to offset income incurred following such ownership change generally will be subject to an annual limitation specified in Section 382 of the Code. Such limitation also may apply to certain losses or deductions that are “built-in” (i.e., attributable to periods prior to the ownership change, but not yet taken into account for tax purposes) as of the date of the ownership change that are subsequently recognized. An ownership change generally occurs when there is either (i) a shift in ownership involving one or more “5% shareholders,” or (ii) an “equity structure shift” and, as a result, the percentage of stock of the corporation owned by one or more 5% shareholders (based on value) has increased by more than 50 percentage points over the lowest percentage of stock of the corporation owned by such shareholders during the “testing period” (generally the three years preceding the testing date). If the use of our net operating losses to offset our income is subject to such an annual limitation, it is possible that our cash flows, business operations or financial conditions could be adversely affected.
Risks Related to Our Securities
The issuance or sale of shares of our common stock, or rights to acquire shares of our common stock, or warrants issued to the Treasury under the PSPPSP1, PSP2 or PSP2,PSP3, could depress the trading price of our common stock and Convertible Notes.
We may conduct future offerings of our common stock, preferred stock or other securities that are convertible into or exercisable for our common stock to finance our operations or fund acquisitions, or for other purposes. In connection with our participation in the PSP,PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3, we issued to the Treasury 520,797Treasury 739,089 warrants which may be exercised for shares of our common stock in consideration for the receipt of funding from the Treasury.The warrants expire in five years from the date of issuance, are transferable, have no voting rights and contain customary terms regarding anti-dilution. If the Treasury or any subsequent warrant holder exercises the warrants, the interest of our holders of common stock would be diluted and we will issue 103,761 additional warrants in connection with our participation in PSP2. See “—Wewould be partially owned by the U.S. government, which could have agreed to certain restrictionsa negative impact on our businesscommon stock price, and which could require increased resources and attention by accepting financing under the legislation enacted our management. Additionally, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Additionally,2020 we issued issued 9,000,000 shares pursuantpursuant to our ATM Program.Program and in 2021 we completed the registered direct placement of 10,594,073 shares of our voting common stock. Further, we reserve shares of our common stock for future issuance under our equity incentive plans, which shares are eligible for sale in the public market to the extent permitted by the provisions of various agreements and, to the extent held by affiliates, the volume and manner of sale restrictions of Rule 144. If these additional shares are sold, or if it is perceived that they will be sold, into the public market, the price of our common stock could decline substantially. The indenture for the 4.750% convertible senior notes due 2025 (the “2025 Convertible Notes”) and the 1.00% convertible senior notes due 2026 (the “2026 Convertible Notes”, and together with the 2025 Convertible Notes, the “Convertible Notes”) does not restrict our ability to issue additional equity securities in the future. If we issue additional shares of our common stock or rights to acquire shares of our common stock, if any of our existing stockholders sells a substantial amount of our common stock, or if the market perceives that such issuances or sales may occur, then the trading price of our common stock, and, accordingly, the Convertible Notes, may significantly decline. In addition, any issuance of additional shares of common stock will dilute the ownership interests of our existing common stockholders, including holders of our Convertible Notes who have received shares of our common stock upon conversion of their Convertible Notes.
Conversion of the Convertible Notes may dilute the ownership interest of existing stockholders, including holders of the Convertible Notes who have previously converted their Convertible NotesNotes.
At our election, we may settle Convertible Notes tendered for conversion entirelypartly or, partlyin the case of the 2025 Convertible Notes, entirely, in shares of our common stock. As a result, the conversion of some or all of the Convertible Notes may dilute the ownership interests of existing stockholders. Any sales in the public market of the common stock issuable upon such conversion of the Convertible Notes could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock and, in turn, the price of the Convertible Notes. In addition, the existence of the Convertible Notes may encourage short selling by market participants because the conversion of the Convertible Notes could depress the price of our common stock.
Provisions in the indenture governing the Convertible Notes could delay or prevent an otherwise beneficial takeover of us.
Certain provisions in the Convertible Notes and the indenture governing the Convertible Notes could make athe Merger or another third party attempt to acquire us more difficult or expensive. For example, if a takeover, including the Merger, constitutes a fundamental change, then holders of the Convertible Notes will have the right to require us to repurchase their notes for cash. In addition, if a takeover, including the Merger, constitutes a make-whole fundamental change, then we may be required to temporarily increase the conversion rate. In either case, and in other cases, our obligations under the Convertible Notes and the indenture governing the Convertible Notes could increase the
cost of the Merger or acquiring us or otherwise discourage a third party from acquiring us or removing incumbent management, including in a transaction that holders of the Convertible Notes or holders of our common stock may view as favorable.
The market price of our common stock has been, and may continue to be, volatile, which could cause the value of an investment in our stock to decline.
The market price of our common stock may fluctuate substantially due to a variety of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:
•announcements, media reports, analyst reports or other publications regarding the severity, extent and duration ofMerger or the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business, results of operations, financial condition and credit ratings, as well as onlitigation concerning the travel industry and consumer spending more broadly, the actions taken to reduce the spread of the virus, the effectiveness of our cost reduction and liquidity preservation measures, and the speed and extent of the recovery across the broader travel industry;Merger;
•announcements concerning our competitors, the airline industry or the economy in general;
•strategic actions by us or our competitors, such as acquisitions or restructurings;
•increased price competition;
•media reports and publications about the safety of our aircraft or the aircraft type we operate;
•new regulatory pronouncements and changes in regulatory guidelines;
•changes in the price of aircraft fuel;
•announcements concerning the availability of the type of aircraft we use;
•general and industry-specific economic conditions;conditions, including the level of inflation;
•changes in financial estimates or recommendations by securities analysts or failure to meet analysts’ performance expectations;
•sales of our common stock or other actions by investors with significant shareholdings;
•trading strategies related to changes in fuel or oil prices; and
•general market, political and economic conditions, including as a result of the efficacy of, ability to administer and extent of adoption of any COVID-19 vaccines domestically and globally.conditions.
The stock markets in general have experienced substantial volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. These types of broad market fluctuations may adversely affect the trading price of our common stock. The price of our common stock has recently declined substantially in response to the announcement of the Injunction and statements by JetBlue related to the Merger and the Injunction. Any significant future declines in the price of our common stock could have an adverse impact on investor confidence and employee retention, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
In the past, stockholders have sometimes instituted securities class action litigation against companies following periods of volatility in the market price of their securities. Any similar litigation against us could result in substantial costs, divert management’s attention and resources and harm our business or results of operations.
We may be unable to purchase the Secured Notes or the Convertible Notes upon the occurrence of an applicable change of control or other event.
Upon the occurrence of a Parent Change of Control, as defined in the indenture governing the Secured Notes, the issuers of the Secured Notes would be required to offer to purchase such notes for cash at a price equal to 101% of their aggregate principal amount, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the repurchase date. Additionally, holders of the Convertible Notes may require us to repurchase their notes following a fundamental change, as defined in the indenture governing the Convertible Notes, at a cash repurchase price generally equal to the principal amount of the Convertible Notes to be repurchased, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. In addition, upon conversion, we will satisfy part or all of our conversion obligation in cash unless we elect to settle conversions solely in shares of our common stock.
Applicable law, regulatory authorities and the agreements governing our other indebtedness may restrict our ability to repurchase the Secured Notes or Convertible Notes or pay the cash amounts due upon conversion of the Convertible Notes.
Moreover, the exercise by holders of the Secured Notes or Convertible Notes of the right to require the issuers to repurchase their respective notes, or the failure to repurchase such notes, could cause a default under our other debt, even if the event itself does not result in a default under such debt, due to the financial effect of such repurchase. In addition, we may not have enough available cash or be able to obtain financing at the time we are required to repurchase the Convertible Notes or the Secured Notes, or pay the cash amounts due upon conversion of the Convertible Notes. Therefore, we cannot assure you that sufficient funds will be available when necessary to make any required repurchases.
In addition, the indenture governing the Secured Notes sets forth certain Mandatory Prepayment Events, as defined in the indenture governing the Secured Notes. Upon the occurrence of any such Mandatory Prepayment Event, we would be required to prepay the Secured Notes pro rata to the extent of any net cash proceeds received in connection with such event, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be redeemed plus an applicable premium and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, thereon to, but excluding, the prepayment date. Our failure to complete any such mandatory prepayment would result in a
default under the indenture governing the Secured Notes. Such a default may, in turn, constitute a default under any other of our debt agreements that may then be outstanding.
Finally, the indenture governing the Secured Notes sets forth certain Mandatory Repurchase Offer Events, as defined in the indenture governing the Secured Notes. Upon the occurrence of any such Mandatory Repurchase Offer Event, we would be required to offer to repurchase the Secured Notes pro rata to the extent of any net cash proceeds received in connection with such event, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be repurchased plus accrued and unpaid interest thereon to, but excluding, the repurchase date. Our failure to discharge this obligation would result in a default under the indenture governing the Secured Notes. Such a default may, in turn, constitute a default under other of our debt agreements that may then be outstanding.
The indenture governing the Secured Notes impose certain restrictions which may adversely affect our business and liquidity.
The indenture governing the Secured Notes imposes certain restrictions on the issuers of the Secured Notes and certain guarantors. These restrictions limit their ability to, among other things: (i) make restricted payments, (ii) incur additional indebtedness, (iii) create certain liens on the collateral, (iv) sell or otherwise dispose of the collateral and (v) consolidate, merge, sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the issuers’ assets, among other restrictions. As a result of these restrictions, we may be limited in how we conduct our business, in our ability to compete effectively or in our ability to implement changes or take advantage of business opportunities—including by making strategic acquisitions, investments or alliances, restructuring our organization or financing capital needs—that would be in our interest. We may also be unable to raise additional indebtedness or equity financing to operate during general economic or business downturns.
If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports about our business, or publish negative reports about our business, our stock price and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for our common stock depends in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us or our business. If one or more of the analysts who cover us downgrade our stock or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, our stock price would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, demand for our stock could decrease, which might cause our stock price and trading volume to decline.
Our anti-takeover provisions may delay or prevent a change of control, which could adversely affect the price of our common stock.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that may make it difficult to remove our board of directors and management and may discourage or delay “change of control” transactions, which could adversely affect the price of our common stock. These provisions include, among others:
•our board of directors is divided into three classes, with each class serving for a staggered three-year term, which prevents stockholders from electing an entirely new board of directors at an annual meeting;
•actions to be taken by our stockholders may only be effected at an annual or special meeting of our stockholders and not by written consent;
•special meetings of our stockholders can be called only by the Chairman of the Board or by our corporate secretary at the direction of our board of directors; and
•advance notice procedures that stockholders must comply with in order to nominate candidates to our board of directors and propose matters to be brought before an annual meeting of our stockholders may discourage or deter a potential acquirer from conducting a solicitation of proxies to elect the acquirer’s own slate of directors or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our company; andcompany.
•our board of directors may, without stockholder approval, issue series of preferred stock, or rights to acquire preferred stock, that could dilute the interest of, or impair the voting power of, holders of our common stock or could also be used as a method of discouraging, delaying or preventing a change of control.
On March 29, 2020, the board of directors adopted a Rights Agreement (the “Rights Agreement”) and declared a dividend of one preferred stock purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of our common stock to stockholders of record as of the close of business on April 9, 2020. In addition, each share issued upon conversion of the Convertible Notes and any shares of common stock issued through March 29, 2021 will have such Right. Our board of directors has adopted the Rights Agreement to reduce the likelihood that a potential acquirer would gain (or seek to influence or change) control of us by open market accumulation or other tactics without paying an appropriate premium for our shares. In general terms and subject to certain exceptions, it works by imposing a significant penalty upon any person or group (including a group of persons that are acting in concert with each other) that acquires 10% or more of our outstanding common stock without the approval of our board of directors. The Rights Agreement may make it difficult to remove our board of directors and management and may discourage or delay “change of control” transactions, which could adversely affect the price of our common stock.
Our corporate charter and bylaws include provisions limiting voting by non-U.S. citizens and specifying an exclusive forum for stockholder disputes.
To comply with restrictions imposed by federal law on foreign ownership of U.S. airlines, our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws restrict voting of shares of our common stock by non-U.S. citizens. The restrictions imposed by federal law currently require that no more than 25% of our stock be voted, directly or indirectly, by persons who are not U.S. citizens, and that our president and at least two-thirds of the members of our board of directors and senior management be U.S. citizens. Our amended and restated bylaws provide that the failure of non-U.S.
citizens to register their shares on a separate stock record, which we refer to as the “foreign stock record,” would result in a suspension of their voting rights in the event that the aggregate foreign ownership of the outstanding common stock exceeds the foreign ownership restrictions imposed by federal law.
Our amended and restated bylaws further provide that no shares of our common stock will be registered on the foreign stock record if the amount so registered would exceed the foreign ownership restrictions imposed by federal law. If it is determined that the amount registered in the foreign stock record exceeds the foreign ownership restrictions imposed by federal law, shares will be removed from the foreign stock record in reverse chronological order based on the date of registration therein, until the number of shares registered therein does not exceed the foreign ownership restrictions imposed by federal law. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we believe we were in compliance with the foreign ownership rules.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, there are no shares of non-voting common stock outstanding. When shares of non-voting common stock are outstanding, the holders of such stock may convert such shares, on a share-for-share basis, in the order reflected on our foreign stock record as shares of common stock are sold or otherwise transferred by non-U.S. citizens to U.S. citizens.
Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation also specifies that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the exclusive forum for substantially all disputes between us and our stockholders. Because the applicability of the exclusive forum provision is limited to the extent permitted by applicable law, we do not intend for the exclusive forum provision to apply to suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Exchange Act or any other claim for which the federal courts have exclusive jurisdiction, and acknowledge that federal courts have concurrent jurisdiction over all suits brought to enforce any duty or liability created by the Securities Act. We note that there is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce the provision as it applies to the Securities Act and that investors cannot waive compliance with the federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. This provision may have the effect of discouraging lawsuits against our directors and officers.
We do not intend to pay cash dividends for the foreseeable future.
We have never declared or paid cash dividends on our common stock. We currently intend to retain our future earnings, if any, to finance the further development and expansion of our business and fund share repurchases under programs approved by our Board of Directors. We do not intend to pay cash dividends in the foreseeable future. As described herein, our Board of Directors is prohibitedThe Merger Agreement restricts us from declaring or paying dividends without JetBlue's consent until March 31, 2022, pursuant to the terms of our participation inMerger is completed or the PSP and
PSP2.Merger Agreement is terminated. Any future determination to pay dividends will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on our financial condition, results of operations, capital requirements, restrictions contained in current or future financing instruments, business prospects and such other factors as our Board of Directors deems relevant. The timing of any share repurchases under share repurchase programs will depend upon market conditions, our capital allocation strategy and other factors, subject tofactors. Additionally, the limitations pursuant toMerger Agreement restricts us from repurchasing shares of our participation incommon stock without JetBlue’s consent until the PSP and PSP2.Merger is completed or the Merger Agreement is terminated.
ITEM 1B. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
None.
ITEM 1C. CYBERSECURITY
The Company’s cybersecurity program is designed to secure the continuity of operations and protect the privacy of company, guest and team member data. The Company uses multiple layers of security controls and unique threat intelligence within the “Center for Internet Security v8 Cybersecurity Framework” across five core security functions: Identify risks and threats, Protect, Detect, Respond and Recover. In addition, the Company requires that its employees complete annual compliance training on cybersecurity and online habits.
The Company’s cybersecurity program is managed by a dedicated cybersecurity function reporting to the Chief Information Security Officer (“CISO”) who reports to the Chief Information Officer (“CIO”) and is responsible for the Company’s cybersecurity strategy, policies, standards, architecture and process. The CISO has over 20 years of executive experience in IT operations and security, primarily in the airline industry, and maintains several active certifications in Risk and Information Security including CIPPUS, CISSP-ISSMP, CISM, CRISC, and CISSP. The program includes periodic and ad hoc reporting on relevant developments, including monitoring, prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of the current cybersecurity landscape as well as reporting on any cybersecurity incidents to the Company’s CEO and the Safety, Security and Operations Committee of the Board of Directors, which has oversight of management’s cybersecurity function. The CISO also engages external government and commercial expertise to continuously evaluate, test and adapt the program. External vendors participate in in-depth security assessments based on the Company’s vendor management security policy.
Currently, the Company is not aware of any material risks from cybersecurity threats that have materially affected or are reasonably likely to materially affect the Company’s operations. However, the nature of potential cybersecurity risks and threats are uncertain, and any future incidents, outages or breaches could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business strategy, results of operations or financial condition.
ITEM 2. PROPERTIES
Aircraft
As of December 31, 2020,2023, we operated a fleet of 157205 aircraft as detailed in the following table:
| | Aircraft Type | Aircraft Type | Seats | Average Age (years) | Number of Aircraft | Number Owned | Number Leased | Aircraft Type | Seats | Average Age (years) | Number of Aircraft | Number Owned | Number Leased(1) |
| A319 | A319 | 145 | 14.3 | 31 | 25 | 6 | A319 | 145 | 16.9 | 19 | 17 | 2 |
| A320ceo | A320ceo | 182 | 6.2 | 64 | 36 | 28 | A320ceo | 182 | 9.2 | 64 | 27 | 37 |
| A320neo | A320neo | 182 | 1.7 | 32 | 10 | 22 | A320neo | 182 | 2.7 | 84 | 4 | 80 |
| A321 | 228 | 4.0 | 30 | — |
| 6.5 | 157 | 101 | 56 |
| A321ceo | | A321ceo | 228 | 7.0 | 30 | 25 | 5 |
| A321neo | | A321neo | 235 | 0.4 | 8 | — | 8 |
| | 6.6 | | | | 6.6 | 205 | 73 | 132 |
(1) Includes 15 aircraft recorded as failed sale-leaseback transactions. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—13. Debt and Other Obligations" and "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—14. Leases" for additional information.
On December 20, 2019, we entered into an A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement with Airbus for the purchase of 100 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft, with options to purchase up to 50 additional aircraft. This agreement includesincluded a mix of Airbus A319neo, A320neo and A321neo aircraft. On July 31, 2023, we entered into Amendment No. 6 (the “Amendment”) to the A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement. The Amendment converts the remaining A319neo aircraft with suchto be delivered under the Airbus Purchase Agreement to A321neo aircraft. The Amendment also (i) defers certain A320neo aircraft scheduleddeliveries from 2024 to 2025 and later years, (ii) extends delivery dates for certain A320neo and A321neo aircraft deliveries from 2025-2027 to 2025-2029 and (iii) adjusts the timing of option aircraft delivery through 2027. Asdates from 2026-2028 to 2027-2029. In addition, the Amendment creates a more equal distribution of aircraft deliveries and option rights across the delivery periods. As of December 31, 2020,2023, our firm aircraft orders consistedconsisted of 12699 A320 family aircraft with Airbus, including A319neos, A320neos and A321neos, with deliveries expected through 2027.2029. As of December 31, 2023, we had secured financing for 18 aircraft, scheduled for delivery from Airbus through 2025, which will be financed through sale-leaseback transactions. In addition, we had 1022 direct operating leases for A320neosA321neos with third-party lessors, with deliveries expected through 2021. We also have one2025. During the third
quarter of 2021, we entered into an Engine Purchase Support Agreement which requires us to purchase a certain number of spare engineengines in order forto maintain a V2500 SelectTwo engine with IAE and twocontractual ratio of spare engine orders for PurePower PW 1100G-JMengines to aircraft in the fleet. As of December 31, 2023, we were committed to purchase 19 PW1100G-JM spare engines, with Pratt & Whitney. Spare enginesdeliveries through 2029.
During the fourth quarter of 2022, we made the decision to accelerate the retirement of 29 of our A319 aircraft. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, we completed the sale of 12 A319 airframes and 20 A319 engines. The remaining A319 aircraft subject to the sale agreement remain in service and will continue to operate until immediately before the sale of the aircraft. Excluding the A319 aircraft to be sold, the average age of our fleet would have been 5.5 years as of December 31, 2023. In addition, we are scheduled to take delivery of 121 new Airbus A320-family aircraft through 2029, potentially making ours the youngest fleet in the United States. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements— 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies" for delivery from 2021 through 2023.additional information.
Ground Facilities
We lease all of our facilities at each of the airports we serve, with the exception of our aircraft maintenance hangar in Detroit, which we own and operate on leased land. Our leases for terminal passenger service facilities, which include ticket counter and gate space, operations support areas and baggage service offices, generally have a term ranging from month-to-month to 1624 years, and contain provisions for periodic adjustments of lease rates. We also are responsible for maintenance, insurance and other facility-related expenses and services. We also have entered into use agreements at the airports we serve that provide for the non-exclusive use of runways, taxiways and other airfield facilities. Landing fees paid under these agreements are based on the number of landings and weight of the aircraft.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL) remained our single largest airport served, with approximately 26%22% of our capacity operating fromthrough FLL during 2020.2023. We operate primarily out of Terminals 3 &and 4 at FLL. We currently use up to thirteen gates simultaneously at Terminal 3 and Terminal 4. We have preferential access to six of the Terminal 4 gates, preferential access to four of the Terminal 3 gates, common use access to the four airport controlled Terminal 4 gates, and common use access to the one airport controlled Terminal 3 gate. Other airports through which we conduct significant operations include Orlando International Airport (MCO), McCarran International Airport (LAS), Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), and Chicago O'HareLos Angeles International Airport (ORD)(LAX).
Our largest maintenance facility is a hangar currently located at DTW. This hangar is owned and operated on leased land.Detroit, Michigan. The lease with the Detroit, Michigan airport authority expires in September 2032. WeOur second largest maintenance facility is a hangar and warehouse currently located at Houston, Texas. As of December 31, 2023, we also conduct additional maintenance operations in leased facilities in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Dallas, Texas; Houston, Texas; Las Vegas, Nevada; Orlando, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Fort Myers,Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Miami, Florida; Tampa, Florida and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Los Angeles, California.
Our principal executive offices and headquarters are located in a leased facility at 2800 Executive Way, Miramar, Florida 33025, consisting of approximately 56,000 square feet. The lease for this facility expires in January 2025. In January 2014, we expanded our principal executive offices and headquarters by leasing an additional facility located at 2844 Corporate Way, Miramar, Florida 33025, consisting of approximately 15,000 square feet. The lease for this facility expires in January 2025. In March 2018, we added approximately 26,000 square feet of office space at 2877-2899 N Commerce Parkway, Miramar, FL 33025 to further support the corporate headquarters. In July 2019, theThe lease on this space was extended on substantially the same terms and expires on February 28, 2023. in January 2025.
During the fourth quarter of 2019, we purchased an 8.5-acre parcel of land and entered into a 99-year lease agreement for the lease of a 2.6-acre parcel of land, in Dania Beach, Florida, where we intend to buildare building a new headquarters campus. In connection with the lease agreement, we are expected to buildcampus and a 200-unit residential building. During the first quarter of 2022, we began building our new headquarters campus and a 200-unit residential building with an expected completion during the first quarter of 2024.
ITEM 3. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
We are subject to commercial litigation claims and to administrative and regulatory proceedings and reviews that may be asserted or maintained from time to time. We believe the ultimate outcome of pending lawsuits, proceedings and reviews will not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our financial position, liquidity, or results of operations. In making a determination regarding accruals, using available information, we evaluate the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome in legal or regulatory proceedings and assessments to which we are a party and record a loss contingency when it is probable a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. These subjective determinations are based on the status of such legal or regulatory proceedings, the merits of our defenses, and consultation with legal counsel. Actual outcomes of these legal and regulatory proceedings may materially differ from our current estimates. It is possible that
resolution of one or more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened could result in losses material to our consolidated results of operations, liquidity or financial condition.
In 2017, a purported class action lawsuit was filed against us in the Eastern District of New York ("EDNY"), styled Cox, et al. v. Spirit Airlines, Inc., alleging state-law claims of breach of contract, unjust enrichment and fraud relating to our practice of charging fees for ancillary products and services. The original action was dismissed by the EDNY, however, following the plaintiff’s appeal to the Second Circuit, the case was remanded to the EDNY for further review on the breach of contract claim. A hearing on our Motion for Summary Judgment and plaintiff’s Motion for Class Certification was held on December 10, 2021. The EDNY granted the plaintiff’s class certification motion on March 29, 2022. We subsequently filed a motion for reconsideration on April 26, 2022 and an oral argument was held on May 19, 2022. The EDNY denied our motion for reconsideration on February 14, 2023. On April 3, 2023, we moved to compel arbitration of and/or dismiss certain class members’ claims for lack of personal jurisdiction. Trial was set to begin on January 16, 2024. However, in June 2023, we reached a tentative settlement in mediation for a maximum amount of $8.3 million. The EDNY issued a preliminary approval order on September 21, 2023, and the final approval hearing was held on December 11, 2023. The total amount paid depends on a number of factors, including participation of class members and any conditions on the settlement approved by the EDNY. Currently, our best estimate of the probable loss associated with the settlement is $6.0 million, and we have recorded this amount in other operating expenses within our consolidated statements of operations.
On February 27, 2023, ALPA filed a grievance against us claiming that we violated the collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) by excluding its pilots from our retention award programs granted as part of the former merger agreement with Frontier Airlines (the "Former Frontier Merger Agreement") and the Merger Agreement with JetBlue. On September 8, 2023, we filed a motion to dismiss the grievance, as we do not believe that ALPA filed the grievance within the timeline set forth in the CBA. As of December 31, 2023, the potential outcomes of this claim cannot be determined and an estimate of the reasonably possible loss or range of loss cannot be made.
Following an audit by the IRS related to the collection of federal excise taxes on optional passenger seat selection charges covering the second quarter of 2018 through the fourth quarter of 2020, on March 31, 2022, we were assessed $34.9 million. On July 19, 2022, the assessment was reduced to $27.5 million. We believe we have defenses available and intend to challenge the assessment; therefore, we have not recognized a loss contingency.
ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES
Not applicable.
PART II
ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Market Price of our common stock
Our common stock is listed and traded on the NYSE under the symbol "SAVE." The following table shows, for the periods indicated, the high and low closing per share sales prices for our common stock.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| High | | Low |
| Fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 | | | |
| First Quarter | $ | 63.06 | | | $ | 51.55 | |
| Second Quarter | 58.30 | | | 45.95 | |
| Third Quarter | 55.05 | | | 36.03 | |
| Fourth Quarter | 41.37 | | | 33.10 | |
| Fiscal year ended December 31, 2020 | | | |
| First Quarter | $ | 44.58 | | | $ | 8.39 | |
| Second Quarter | 25.56 | | | 8.01 | |
| Third Quarter | 19.36 | | | 15.37 | |
| Fourth Quarter | 27.03 | | | 15.56 | |
As of January 28, 2021,26, 2024, there were approximately 8467 holders of record of our common stock. Because many of our shares are held by brokers and other institutions on behalf of stockholders, we are unable to estimate the total number of stockholders represented by the holders.
The information under the caption “Equity Compensation Plan Information” in our 20212024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
Dividend Policy
We have never declared or paid, and do not anticipate declaring or paying, any cash dividends on our common stock. Any future determination as to the declaration and payment of dividends, if any, will be at the discretion of our board of directors and will depend on then existing conditions, including our financial condition, operating results, contractual restrictions, capital requirements, business prospects and other factors our board of directors may deem relevant.
Our Repurchases of Equity Securities
The following table reflects our repurchases of our common stock during the fourth quarter of 2020.2023. Repurchases of equity securities during the period include repurchases made from employees who received restricted stock.stock awards, market share awards and performance share awards. All employee stock repurchases were made at the election of each employee pursuant to an offer to repurchase by us. In each case, the shares repurchased constituted the portion of vested shares necessary to satisfy tax withholding requirements.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
| | | | | | | | |
| Period | | Total Number of Shares Purchased | | Average Price Paid per Share | | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs | | Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet be Purchased Under Plans or Programs |
| October 1-31, 2020 | | 370 | | | $ | 16.64 | | | — | | | $ | — | |
| November 1-30, 2020 | | 2,004 | | | 17.69 | | | — | | | — | |
| December 1-31, 2020 | | 1,156 | | | 27.02 | | | — | | | — | |
| Total | | 3,530 | | | $ | 20.63 | | | — | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES |
| | | | | | | | |
| Period | | Total Number of Shares Purchased | | Average Price Paid per Share | | Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of Publicly Announced Plans or Programs | | Approximate Dollar Value of Shares that May Yet be Purchased Under Plans or Programs |
| October 1-31, 2023 | | 1,052 | | | $ | 16.31 | | | — | | | $ | — | |
| November 1-30, 2023 | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
| December 1-31, 2023 | | 55,906 | | | 16.31 | | | — | | | — | |
| Total | | 56,958 | | | $ | 16.31 | | | — | | | |
During the first three quarters of 2020,2023, we repurchased 41approximately 85 thousand shares for a total of $1.6$1.7 million. Repurchases of equity securities during this period include repurchases made from employees who received restricted stock awards, market share awards or performance share awards.
Stock Performance Graph
The following graph compares the cumulative total stockholder return on our common stock with the cumulative total return on the NASDAQ Composite Index, the NYSE ARCA Airline Index and the S&P 500 Index for the period beginning on December 31, 20152018 and ending on December 31, 2020.2023. The graph assumes an investment of $100 in our stock and the threetwo indices, respectively, on December 31, 2015,2018, and further assumes the reinvestment of all dividends. We have historically presented the stock performance graph by comparing our cumulative total shareholder return against the cumulative total return of a published airline industry index, the NYSE Arca Airline Index, and the Nasdaq Composite Index. We have decided to change from the Nasdaq Composite Index to the S&P 500 Index due to its broader scope. Beginning with our Annual Report on Form 10-K for 2021, we will only present the cumulative total return of the S&P 500 Index and the NYSE Arca Airline Index.Stock price performance, presented for the period from December 31, 20152018 to December 31, 2020,2023, is not necessarily indicative of future results.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12/31/2015 | 12/31/2016 | 12/31/2017 | 12/31/2018 | 12/31/2019 | 12/31/2020 |
| Spirit | $ | 100.00 | | $ | 145.19 | | $ | 112.55 | | $ | 145.35 | | $ | 101.15 | | $ | 61.36 | |
| NYSE ARCA Airline Index | $ | 100.00 | | $ | 128.53 | | $ | 136.47 | | $ | 107.26 | | $ | 131.65 | | $ | 99.75 | |
| NASDAQ Composite Index | $ | 100.00 | | $ | 108.97 | | $ | 141.36 | | $ | 137.39 | | $ | 187.87 | | $ | 272.51 | |
| S&P 500 Index | $ | 100.00 | | $ | 111.95 | | $ | 136.38 | | $ | 130.39 | | $ | 171.44 | | $ | 202.96 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12/31/2018 | 12/31/2019 | 12/31/2020 | 12/31/2021 | 12/31/2022 | 12/31/2023 |
| Spirit | $ | 100.00 | | $ | 69.60 | | $ | 42.21 | | $ | 37.72 | | $ | 33.63 | | $ | 28.30 | |
| NYSE ARCA Airline Index | $ | 100.00 | | $ | 122.74 | | $ | 93.00 | | $ | 91.37 | | $ | 59.45 | | $ | 76.93 | |
| S&P 500 Index | $ | 100.00 | | $ | 131.47 | | $ | 155.65 | | $ | 200.29 | | $ | 163.98 | | $ | 207.04 | |
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
You should read the following selected historical financial and operating data below in conjunction with “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements, related notes and other financial information included in this annual report. The selected financial data in this section are not intended to replace the consolidated financial statements and are qualified in their entirety by the consolidated financial statements and related notes included in this annual report.
We derived the selected consolidated statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 and the consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2020 and 2019 from our audited consolidated financial statements included in this annual report. We derived the selected statements of operations data for the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 and the balance sheet data as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 from our audited financial statements not included in this annual report. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected in the future.
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| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 | | 2017 | | 2016 |
| (in thousands, except share and per-share data) |
| Operating revenues: | | | | | | | | | |
| Passenger | $ | 1,765,533 | | | $ | 3,757,605 | | | $ | 3,260,015 | | | $ | 2,572,887 | | | $ | 2,257,801 | |
| Other | 44,489 | | | 72,931 | | | 63,019 | | | 70,665 | | | 62,220 | |
| Total operating revenue | 1,810,022 | | | 3,830,536 | | | 3,323,034 | | | 2,643,552 | | | 2,320,021 | |
| Operating expenses: | | | | | | | | | |
| Salaries, wages and benefits | 909,834 | | | 865,019 | | | 719,635 | | | 527,959 | | | 472,471 | |
| Aircraft fuel (1) | 431,000 | | | 993,478 | | | 939,324 | | | 615,581 | | | 447,553 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 278,588 | | | 225,264 | | | 176,727 | | | 140,152 | | | 101,136 | |
| Landing fees and other rents | 251,028 | | | 256,275 | | | 214,677 | | | 180,655 | | | 151,679 | |
| Aircraft rent | 196,359 | | | 182,609 | | | 177,641 | | | 205,852 | | | 201,675 | |
| Maintenance, materials and repairs | 111,227 | | | 143,575 | | | 129,078 | | | 110,439 | | | 98,587 | |
| Distribution | 85,059 | | | 153,770 | | | 137,001 | | | 113,472 | | | 96,895 | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 2,264 | | | 17,350 | | | 9,580 | | | 4,168 | | | 4,187 | |
| Special charges (credits) (2) | (302,761) | | | 717 | | | 88,921 | | | 12,629 | | | 37,189 | |
| Other operating | 355,186 | | | 491,432 | | | 379,536 | | | 347,820 | | | 267,191 | |
| Total operating expenses | 2,317,784 | | | 3,329,489 | | | 2,972,120 | | | 2,258,727 | | | 1,878,563 | |
| Operating income | (507,762) | | | 501,047 | | | 350,914 | | | 384,825 | | | 441,458 | |
| Other (income) expense: | | | | | | | | | |
| Interest expense (3) | 134,520 | | | 101,350 | | | 83,777 | | | 57,302 | | | 41,654 | |
| Capitalized interest (4) | (15,995) | | | (12,471) | | | (9,841) | | | (13,793) | | | (12,705) | |
| Interest income | (6,314) | | | (25,133) | | | (19,107) | | | (8,736) | | | (5,276) | |
| Other expense | 211 | | | 875 | | | 752 | | | 366 | | | 528 | |
| Special charges, non-operating (5) | — | | | — | | | 90,357 | | | — | | | — | |
| Total other (income) expense | 112,422 | | | 64,621 | | | 145,938 | | | 35,139 | | | 24,201 | |
| Income before income taxes | (620,184) | | | 436,426 | | | 204,976 | | | 349,686 | | | 417,257 | |
| Provision (benefit) for income taxes (6) | (191,484) | | | 101,171 | | | 49,227 | | | (65,836) | | | 153,774 | |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (428,700) | | | $ | 335,255 | | | $ | 155,749 | | | $ | 415,522 | | | $ | 263,483 | |
| Earnings (Loss) Per Share: | | | | | | | | | |
| Basic | $ | (5.06) | | | $ | 4.90 | | | $ | 2.28 | | | $ | 6.00 | | | $ | 3.75 | |
| Diluted | $ | (5.06) | | | $ | 4.89 | | | $ | 2.28 | | | $ | 5.99 | | | $ | 3.74 | |
| Weighted average shares outstanding: | | | | | | | | | |
| Basic | 84,692,113 | | | 68,428,528 | | | 68,248,931 | | | 69,220,750 | | | 70,343,935 | |
| Diluted | 84,692,113 | | | 68,558,629 | | | 68,430,832 | | | 69,376,930 | | | 70,507,596 | |
(1)Aircraft fuel expense is the sum of (i) “into-plane fuel cost,” which includes the cost of jet fuel and certain other charges such as fuel taxes and oil, (ii) realized gains and losses related to fuel derivative contracts, if any, and (iii) unrealized gains and losses related to fuel derivative contracts, if any. The following table summarizes the components of aircraft fuel expense for the periods presented:
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| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 | | 2017 | | 2016 |
| (in thousands) |
| Into-plane fuel cost | $ | 431,000 | | | $ | 993,478 | | | $ | 939,324 | | | $ | 615,581 | | | $ | 447,533 | |
| Realized losses (gains) related to fuel derivatives contracts, net | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
| Unrealized losses (gains) related to fuel derivative contracts, net | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
| Aircraft fuel expense | $ | 431,000 | | | $ | 993,478 | | | $ | 939,324 | | | $ | 615,581 | | | $ | 447,533 | |
(2)Special charges (credits) include: (i) for 2016, $37.2 million related to lease termination charges recognized in connection with the purchase of 7 aircraft formerly financed under operating lease agreements; (iii) for 2017, $12.6 million related to lease termination charges recognized in connection with the purchase of one engine and one aircraft formerly financed under operating lease agreements; (iv) for 2018, $88.7 million related to the ratification incentive payment made in connection with the new collective bargaining agreement with our pilots; (v) for 2019, $0.7 million related to the write-off of aircraft related credits resulting from the exchange of credits negotiated under the new purchase agreement with Airbus; (vi) for 2020, $302.8 million in credits related to: (a) the grant component of the PSP funds received from the Treasury of $266.8 million, net of the related costs, and (b) CARES Act Employee Retention credit of $38.5 million, which were partially offset by (c) charges related to the Company's voluntary and involuntary employee separation programs of $2.5 million. Please see "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—5. Special Charges and Credits" for further discussion.
(3)Interest expense in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 primarily relates to interest related to financing of purchasing aircraft. In 2020, interest expense also includes interest and accretion related to our convertible notes and 8.00% senior secured notes.
(4)Interest attributable to funds used to finance the acquisition of new aircraft, including PDPs is capitalized as an additional cost of the related asset. In 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, capitalized interest primarily represents interest related to the financing of purchased aircraft.
(5)In 2018, special charges, non-operating of $90.4 million represents interest related to an aircraft purchase agreement for the acquisition of 14 A319 aircraft previously operated under operating leases. The contract was deemed a lease modification which resulted in a change of classification from operating leases to finance leases. Please see "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—5. Special Charges and Credits" for further discussion.
(6)During the twelve months ended December 31, 2017, we recorded a non-recurring income tax benefit of $196.7 million ($2.84 and $2.84 per basic and diluted share, respectively) due to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, we recorded a non-recurring discrete federal tax benefit of $56.1 million ($0.66 and $0.66 per basic and diluted share, respectively) related to the passage of the CARES Act, which allows for carryback of net operating losses generated at a 21% tax rate to recover taxes paid at a 35% tax rate.
The following table presents consolidated balance sheet data for the periods presented:
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| As of December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 | | 2017 | | 2016 |
| Balance Sheet Data: | (in thousands) |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 1,789,723 | | | $ | 978,957 | | | $ | 1,004,733 | | | $ | 800,849 | | | $ | 700,900 | |
| Restricted cash | 71,401 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
| Short-term investment securities | 106,339 | | | 105,321 | | | 102,789 | | | 100,937 | | | 100,155 | |
| Total assets (7) | 8,398,825 | | | 7,043,412 | | | 5,165,457 | | | 4,145,800 | | | 3,153,629 | |
| Long-term debt and finance leases, including current portion | 3,450,832 | | | 2,219,305 | | | 2,188,331 | | | 1,502,928 | | | 981,713 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Shareholders' equity | 2,249,695 | | | 2,261,332 | | | 1,928,504 | | | 1,762,574 | | | 1,385,184 | |
(7)Amounts prior to 2019 do not reflect the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)," completed in the first quarter of 2019.
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| |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 | | 2017 | | 2016 |
| Operating Statistics (unaudited) (A) | | | | | | | | | |
| Average aircraft | 153.0 | | | 135.2 | | | 118.9 | | | 103.6 | | | 86.2 | |
| Aircraft at end of period | 157 | | | 145 | | | 128 | | | 112 | | | 95 | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| Average daily aircraft utilization (hours) | 6.9 | | | 12.3 | | | 12.1 | | | 11.6 | | | 12.4 | |
| Average stage length (miles) | 1,030 | | | 1,002 | | | 1,032 | | | 999 | | | 979 | |
| Block hours | 387,814 | | | 607,055 | | | 526,343 | | | 438,728 | | | 389,914 | |
| Departures | 144,272 | | | 227,041 | | | 192,845 | | | 165,449 | | | 149,514 | |
| Passenger flight segments (thousands) | 18,444 | | | 34,537 | | | 29,312 | | | 24,183 | | | 21,618 | |
| Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) (thousands) | 19,319,410 | | | 35,245,285 | | | 30,623,379 | | | 24,605,512 | | | 21,581,611 | |
| Available seat miles (ASMs) (thousands) | 27,718,387 | | | 41,783,001 | | | 36,502,982 | | | 29,592,819 | | | 25,494,645 | |
| Load factor (%) | 69.7 | | | 84.4 | | | 83.9 | | | 83.1 | | | 84.7 | |
| Fare revenue per passenger flight segment ($) | 41.00 | | | 54.63 | | | 58.14 | | | 56.38 | | | 55.42 | |
| Non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment ($) | 57.14 | | | 56.28 | | | 55.23 | | | 52.94 | | | 51.90 | |
| Total revenue per passenger flight segment ($) | 98.14 | | | 110.91 | | | 113.37 | | | 109.32 | | | 107.32 | |
| Average yield (cents) | 9.37 | | | 10.87 | | | 10.85 | | | 10.74 | | | 10.75 | |
| Total operating revenue per ASM (TRASM) (cents) | 6.53 | | | 9.17 | | | 9.10 | | | 8.93 | | | 9.10 | |
| CASM (cents) | 8.36 | | | 7.97 | | | 8.14 | | | 7.63 | | | 7.37 | |
| Adjusted CASM (cents) (B) | 9.45 | | | 7.93 | | | 7.87 | | | 7.59 | | | 7.21 | |
| Adjusted CASM ex fuel (cents) (C) | 7.89 | | | 5.55 | | | 5.30 | | | 5.51 | | | 5.45 | |
| Fuel gallons consumed (thousands) | 289,401 | | | 470,939 | | | 412,256 | | | 343,709 | | | 302,781 | |
| Average fuel cost per gallon ($) | 1.49 | | | 2.11 | | | 2.28 | | | 1.79 | | | 1.48 | |
(A)See “Glossary of Airline Terms” elsewhere in this annual report for definitions of terms used in this table.
(B)Reconciliation of CASM to Adjusted CASM:
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| Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 | | 2017 | | 2016 |
| (in millions) | | Per ASM | | (in millions) | | Per ASM | | (in millions) | | Per ASM | | (in millions) | | Per ASM | | (in millions) | | Per ASM |
| CASM (cents) | | | 8.36 | | | | | 7.97 | | | | | 8.14 | | | | | 7.63 | | | | | 7.37 | |
| Less: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 2.3 | | | 0.01 | | | 17.4 | | | 0.04 | | | 9.6 | | | 0.03 | | | 4.2 | | | 0.01 | | | 4.2 | | | 0.02 | |
| Special charges (credits) | (302.8) | | | (1.09) | | | 0.7 | | | — | | | 88.9 | | | 0.24 | | | 12.6 | | | 0.04 | | | 37.2 | | | 0.15 | |
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| Supplemental rent adjustments | 2.3 | | | 0.01 | | | (0.5) | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | (4.1) | | | (0.01) | | | — | | | — | |
| Federal excise tax recovery | (3.1) | | | (0.01) | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
| Adjusted CASM (cents) | | | 9.45 | | | | | 7.93 | | | | | 7.87 | | | | | 7.59 | | | | | 7.21 | |
(C)Excludes aircraft fuel expense, loss on disposal of assets, special charge (credits), supplemental rent adjustments and federal excise tax recovery adjustments.
ITEM 7. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
You should read the following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this annual report. Our discussion and analysis of fiscal year 20202023 compared to fiscal year 20192022 is included herein. Unless expressly stated otherwise, for discussion and analysis of fiscal year 20182021 items and fiscal year 20192022 compared to fiscal year 2018,2021, please refer to Item 7 of Part II, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019,2022, which was filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission on April 16, 2020February 6, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference. We evaluate our financial performance utilizing various accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted CASM and Adjusted CASM ex-fuel. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided as supplemental information to the financial information presented in this annual report that is calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP and these non-GAAP financial measures are presented because management believes that they supplement or enhance management’s, analysts’ and investors’ overall understanding of our underlying financial performance and trends and facilitate comparisons among current, past and future periods.
Because the non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated in accordance with GAAP, they should not be considered superior to and are not intended to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the related GAAP financial measures presented in this annual report and may not be the same as or comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies due to possible differences in the method of calculation and in the items being adjusted. We encourage investors to review our financial statements and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission in their entirety and not to rely on any single financial measure.
The information below provides an explanation of certain adjustments reflected in the non-GAAP financial measures and shows a reconciliation of non-GAAP financial measures reported in this annual report to the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Within the financial tables presented, certain columns and rows may not add due to the use of rounded numbers. Per unit amounts presented are calculated from the underlying amounts.
Operating expenses per available seat mile (“CASM”) is a common metric used in the airline industry to measure an airline’s cost structure and efficiency. We exclude loss on disposal of assets, special charges (credits) and a litigation loss contingency recorded in the second quarter of 2023 to determine Adjusted CASM. We believe that also excluding aircraft fuel and related taxes ("Adjusted CASM ex-fuel") from certain measures is useful to investors because it provides an additional measure of management’s performance excluding the effects of a significant cost item over which management has limited influence and increases comparability with other airlines that also provide a similar metric.
2020
2023 Year in Review
We experienced healthy passenger bookingJetBlue Merger
On July 28, 2022, we entered into the “Merger Agreement with JetBlue and revenue trends forMerger Sub, pursuant to which and subject to the first two months of 2020terms and year-over-year increases that were in lineconditions therein, Merger Sub will merge with our expectations. However,and into Spirit, with Spirit continuing as the surviving entity. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced sharp declinesMerger, each existing share of Spirit's common stock (except for dissenting shares, treasury stock, and shares of Spirit's common stock owned by JetBlue, Merger Sub or any of their respective wholly owned subsidiaries), will be converted into the right to receive an amount in passenger demand and bookings beginning in March 2020, which continued throughcash per share, without interest, equal to the remainderMerger Consideration. If an aggregate of $1.15 of Additional Prepayment Amounts has been paid out before consummation or termination of the year, and we had unprecedented levels of cancellations and capacity reductions. As a result, our operations for 2020 were adversely affected by this reduction in air travel demand.
With the sudden and significant reduction in air travel demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, our load factor significantly decreased beginning in the latter part of March 2020 and remained as such through the remainder of the year. Load factor for 2020 was 69.7% as compared to 84.4% for the prior year. We continued to experience weak passenger demand and bookings during the last three quarters of 2020 driving a decrease in operating revenues of 52.7%, year over year, and a decrease in capacity of 33.7%, year over year. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, our financial and operational outlook remains subject to change. WeMerger, Spirit stockholders will thereafter continue to monitorreceive monthly Additional Prepayments, at the impact ofsame $0.10 per month rate until the pandemic on our operations and financial condition, and to implement and adapt mitigation strategies while working to preserve our cash and protect our long-term sustainability.transaction closes or the Merger Agreement is terminated. The Merger Agreement becomes unilaterally terminable by either JetBlue or Spirit after July 24, 2024.
We have implemented measuresJetBlue will pay or cause to be paid the Approval Prepayment Amount to Spirit stockholders as of the record date established by Spirit for the safetyspecial meeting to approve the Merger Agreement within five business days following such Spirit stockholder approval. Thereafter, on or prior to the last business day of each month beginning after December 31, 2022 until the earlier of the Closing or termination of the Merger Agreement, JetBlue will also pay or cause to be paid the Additional Prepayment Amount to Spirit stockholders as of a record date not more than five business days prior to the last business day of such month. Payments made from JetBlue to Spirit stockholders do not impact our Guests and Team Members as well as to mitigate the impactresults of COVID-19 on our financial position and operations.operations or cash flows.
Caring for Guests and Team Members
Our Operations and Task Force teams remain in constant contact with authorities, continuing to evolve its response to ensure the safety of Guests and Team Members. In addition to previously existing procedures including utilization of hospital-grade disinfectants and state-of-the-art HEPA filters that capture 99.97% of airborne particles on board the aircraft, we have implemented and continued the following steps to protect our Guests and Team Members:
•Secured and distributed additional supplies of gloves and sanitizer across our network and augmented the contents of onboard supply kits to contain additional cleaning and sanitizing materials;
•Secured and provided face coverings for all crew and Guest facing team members;
•Required all Guests to complete a Health Acknowledgement at check-in;
•Expanded cleaning protocols at airports and other facilities, including the use of EPA-registered disinfectants in all check-in and gate areas and the use of electrostatic sprayers at high-traffic airports;
•Expanded aircraft turn and overnight cleaning protocols focusing on high frequency touch points as well as enhanced cockpit cleaning and the use of ultra-low volume ("ULV") fogging process to apply a safe, high-grade EPA-registered airborne disinfectant that is effective against coronaviruses;
•Launched a new antimicrobial fogging tool in our facilities and aircraft that uses a product that forms an invisible barrier on all surfaces killing bacteria and viruses on contact for 30 days;
•Split the Company's Operational Control Center ("OCC")into multiple units to enable social distancing and prepared the OCC to work remotely to minimize potential operational disruption;
•Implemented a remote work policy for the Support Center teams to maintain support of our operations;
•Automated the Team Member screening process upon entry to all Company-operated facilities by installing an automatic temperature scanner which is activated and monitored 24 hours a day;
•Required all Guests and Guest-facing Team Members to wear an appropriate face covering when traveling through the airport or onboard aircraft;
•Limited face to face interaction through automated baggage systems and biometric photo-matching check in;
On October 19, 2022, Spirit’s stockholders approved the Merger Agreement at a special meeting of stockholders. The record date for both the Spirit’s special meeting and the Approval Prepayment was September 12, 2022. In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, on October 26, 2022, JetBlue paid the Spirit stockholders the Approval Prepayment Amount of $2.50 per share. Additionally, beginning January 2023, JetBlue paid on a monthly basis the Additional Prepayments of $0.10 per share of common stock to all Spirit stockholders as of each record date per the agreement.
•
Due to the payment of the Approval Prepayment and each of the Additional Prepayment Amounts, in accordance with the terms of the respective debt indentures and warrant agreements, weOffered future flight credits with extended expiration dates announced related adjustments to Guests with impacted travel plansthe conversion rates of our convertible notes due 2025 and waived changeour convertible notes due 2026 as well as adjustments to the exercise prices and cancellation fees for Guests who booked travelwarrant shares of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants outstanding. As of December 31, 2023, the conversion rates of the convertible notes due 2025 and 2026 were 94.9262 and 24.6649 shares of voting common stock per $1,000 principal amount of convertible notes, respectively. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, the exercise prices of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants were $11.663, $20.229 and $30.196, respectively and the number of warrant shares issuable upon the exercise of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants were adjusted to occur by February 28, 2021. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, we will evaluate any continued impact to travel plans628,725.19, 166,292.37 and may decide to further extend credit shell expiration dates and/or waive change and cancellation fees in the future.97,219.73, respectively.
Supporting CommunitiesCompletion of the Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain closing conditions, including, among other things: (1) approval of the transactions by Spirit’s stockholders, which was received on October 19, 2022; (2) receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, including approvals from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation and the expiration or early termination of the statutory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other competition laws, and other required regulatory approvals; (3) the absence of any law or order prohibiting the consummation of the transactions; and (4) the absence of any material adverse effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) on Spirit.
During this unprecedented time, many travelers have been stranded abroadOn March 7, 2023, the DOJ filed suit to block the Merger and a trial was held in late 2023. On January 16, 2024, the District Court granted the Injunction. On January 19, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a notice of appeal to reverse the District Court's decision and allow Spirit and JetBlue to complete the Merger. On January 25, 2024, JetBlue made a public filing stating that certain closing conditions required by the Merger Agreement may not be satisfied prior to the outside dates set forth in the Merger Agreement and, accordingly, the Merger Agreement may be terminable on and after January 28, 2024. We do not believe there is a basis for terminating the Merger Agreement, and we will continue to abide by all of our obligations under the Merger Agreement. On January 29, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a request with bans and other restrictions on travel implemented globally and domestically. We worked with embassies and local governmentsthe Court of Appeals seeking an expedited schedule for their appeal. On February 2, 2024, the Court of Appeals granted our motion, stating it would hear arguments in Aruba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Haiti, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, St. Martin and the U.S. to operate special flights for stranded travelers in such countries. During 2020, we provided over 260 flights to more than 30,000 stranded travelers. In addition, during 2020, we pledged $250,000 in vouchers for flights to U.S. organizations advocating for social justice and civil rights.June 2024.
We have also made efforts to address the growing needsIn addition, Spirit has agreed, among other things, that neither it nor any of its communities through Thedirectors, officers, employees and representatives will (1) solicit alternative transactions, (2) participate in any discussions or negotiations relating to alternative transactions, (3) furnish any non-public information in connection with alternative transactions or (4) enter into any agreement relating to alternative transactions, except under limited circumstances described in the Merger Agreement. However, in certain circumstances, Spirit Airlines Charitable Foundation (the “Foundation”). As part ofmay terminate the its focus on supporting families,Merger Agreement to enter into a definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Foundation partnered with other non-profit organizations including the YMCA and Jack and Jill Children’s Center to provide food to seniors and families struggling during this time and supported organizations creating face coverings for healthcare workers.Merger Agreement). In addition, we have partnered to offer Guests face coverings for a small contribution toSpirit, JetBlue and Merger Sub each make certain customary representations, warranties and covenants, as applicable, in the Red Cross.Merger Agreement.
Capacity ReductionsThe Merger Agreement contains certain termination rights for Spirit and JetBlue, including, without limitation, a right for either party to terminate if the Merger is not consummated on or before July 28, 2023 (the "Outside Date"), subject to certain automatic extensions up to July 24, 2024 if needed to obtain regulatory approvals. Since all regulatory approvals required to consummate the Merger were not obtained as of January 28, 2023, the current Outside Date has been automatically extended to July 24, 2024. Upon the termination of the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, Spirit will be required to pay JetBlue a termination fee of $94.2 million. Upon the termination of the Merger Agreement by JetBlue because of a material uncured breach by Spirit of the Merger Agreement, Spirit will be required to pay JetBlue an amount equal to the sum of all amounts paid by JetBlue to the Spirit stockholders. Upon the termination of the Merger Agreement for failure to obtain antitrust regulatory clearance, JetBlue will be required to pay (i) to Spirit, $70.0 million, and (ii) to the Spirit stockholders, the excess of (A) $400.0 million minus (B) the sum of the Approval Prepayment Amount and all Additional Prepayment Amounts previously paid by JetBlue to the Spirit stockholders.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, in response to government restrictions on travel and drastically reduced consumer demand, we began to significantly reduce capacity each month with the largest capacity reduction in May 2020 at approximately 94%, year over year. In response to modest demand recovery, we strategically added back capacity during certain peak travel periods. During the holiday months of November and December, capacity was reduced to a lesser extent with reductions of 20.8% and 20.1%, year over year. We continue to closely monitor demand and will make adjustments to the flight schedule as appropriate.Pratt & Whitney
The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects continue to evolve with recent developments including the uptickOn July 25, 2023, RTX Corporation, parent company of Pratt & Whitney, announced that it had determined that a rare condition in the rate of infections following the 2020 holiday season, the emergency use authorization issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration forpowdered metal used to manufacture certain COVID-19 vaccines in late 2020, and the requirement, effective January 26, 2021, that all U.S. inbound international travelers provide a negative COVID-19 test prior to flying. We currently estimate that air travel demandengine parts will continue to be volatile and will fluctuate in the upcoming months as the lingering effects of COVID-19 continue to develop. We expect that air travel demand will continue to gradually recover in 2021. However, the situation continues to be fluid and actual capacity adjustments may be different than what we currently expect. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 4, Revenue Disaggregation" for discussionrequire accelerated inspection of the impactGTF fleet, which powers our A320neo family of COVID-19 on our air traffic liability, credit shells and refunds.aircraft.
COVID-19 Legislation
On March 27, 2020, President Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act")into law. The CARES Act was a relief package intended to assist many aspects of the American economy, including providing the airline industry with up to $25 billion in grants to be used for employee salaries, wages and benefits and up to $25 billion in secured loans.
In April 2020, we entered into a Payroll Support Program ("PSP") Agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury ("Treasury"), pursuant to which we received a total of $344.4 million, used exclusively to pay for salaries, wages and benefits for our Team Members through September 30, 2020. Of that amount, $73.3 million is in the form of a low-interest 10-year loan. In addition, in connection with its participation in the PSP, we issued to Treasury warrants pursuant to a warrant agreement to purchase up to 520,797 shares of our common stock at a strike price of $14.08 per share (the closing price for the shares of our common stock on April 9, 2020) with a fair value of $3.9 million. The remaining amount of $267.2 million is in the form of a grant and was recognized in special charges and credits, net of related costs, in our consolidated statement of operations. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 5, Special Charges and Credits" for additional information.
Pursuant to the warrant agreement with the Treasury, we registered the resale of the warrants and the 520,797 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants in September and October 2020. Total warrants issued represent less
than 1%In September 2023, Pratt & Whitney notified us that all the geared turbofan GTF neo engines in our fleet, including the engines slotted for future aircraft deliveries, for a yet to be determined period, are subject to the inspection and possible replacement, of the outstanding sharespowdered metal high-pressure turbine and compressor discs. In addition, Pratt & Whitney issued a SI, requiring accelerated engine removals and inspections covering the initial tranche of our common stockoperational engines, no later than September 15, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, in accordance with the SI issued by Pratt & Whitney, we have removed five engines from service, three of which are currently awaiting induction for inspection.
For the remaining engines, Pratt & Whitney has provided an initial analysis on an inspection and removal schedule for these engines. In addition, to the 5 engines removed from service, we had 12 neo aircraft grounded as of December 31, 2020. Refer2023 for reliability, durability, and inspection requirements combined. For 2024, we had an average of 13 grounded neo aircraft in January 2024, and we expect the average number of grounded neo aircraft will increase to “Notes toapproximately 40 in December 2024, averaging approximately 25 grounded for the Consolidated Financial Statements—14, Debtfull year. We currently estimate the majority of affected engines will require removal and Other Obligations" for additional informationinspection in 2024, but will continue through 2026, based on SBs issued by Pratt & Whitney and related airworthiness directives issued by the notes issued and “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—11, Common Stock and Preferred Stock" for additional information on the warrants.FAA.
In connectionThe temporary removal of engines from service is expected to drive a significant decrease in our near-term growth projections. We have reduced capacity in amounts and timing commensurate with our participation in the PSP,initially scheduled removal and inspection of these impacted engines, however, we were, and continue to be, subject to certain restrictions and limitations, including, but not limited to:
•Restrictionsassess the impact on payment of dividends and stock buybacks through September 30, 2021;
•Limits on certain executive compensation including limiting pay increases and severance pay or other benefits upon terminations, through March 24, 2022;
•Requirements to maintain certain levels of scheduled services (including to destinations where there may currently be significantly reduced or no demand) through September 30, 2020;
•A prohibition on involuntary terminations or furloughs of our employees (except for health, disability, cause, or certain disciplinary reasons) through September 30, 2020;
•A prohibition on reducing the salaries, wages, or benefits of our employees (other than our executive officers or independent contractors, or as otherwise permitted under the terms of the PSP) through September 30, 2020;
•Limitations on the use of the grant funds exclusively for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries and benefits; and
•Additional reporting and recordkeeping requirements relating to the CARES Act funds.
On April 29, 2020, we applied for additional funds under the Treasury's loan program under the CARES Act (“Loan Program”). On July 1, 2020, we executed a non-binding letter of intent with the Treasury which summarized the principal terms of the financing request submitted by us to the Treasury. In September 2020, we decided that we would not participate in the Treasury's loan program as we were able to secure other forms of financing described below.
On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law. This new legislation provides an extension or additional benefits designed to address the continuing economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill extends the PSP program of the CARES Act through March 31, 2021 ("PSP2") and provides an additional $15 billion to fund the PSP2 program for employees of passenger air carriers. In late December, we notified the Treasury of our intent to participate in the PSP2 agreement. We entered into a new payroll support program agreement with Treasury on January 15, 2021. We expect to receive approximately $184.5 million pursuant to our participation in the PSP2 program. In January 2021, we received the first installment of $92.2 million in the form of a grant. Of the remaining amount, we expect that approximately $25 million will be in the form of a low-interest 10-year loan. In addition, in connection with our participation in the PSP2, we expect to issue to Treasury warrants to purchase up to 103,761 shares of our common stock at a strike price of $24.42 (the closing price of the shares of our common stock on December 24, 2020).
In connection with our participation in the PSP2, we are subject to certain restrictions and limitations, including, but not limited to:
•Restrictions on payment of dividends and stock buybacks through March 31, 2022;
•Limits on executive compensation through October 1, 2022;
•Restrictions from conducting involuntary furloughs or reducing pay rates and benefits until March 31, 2021;
•Requirements to maintain certain levels of scheduled services through March 1, 2022;
•Reporting requirements; and
•A recall of all employees that were involuntarily furloughed or terminated between October 1, 2020 and the date the carrier enters into the new payroll support agreement with the Treasury. Such employees, if returning to work, must be compensated for lost pay and benefits between December 1, 2020 and the date of such new payroll support agreement.
The CARES Act also provided an employee retention credit (“CARES Employee Retention credit”) which is a refundable tax credit against certain employment taxes of up to $5,000 per employee for eligible employers. The credit is equal to 50% of qualified wages paid to employees during a quarter, capped at $10,000 of qualified wages through year end. We qualified for the credit beginning on April 1, 2020 and received additional credits for qualified wages through December 31, 2020. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, we recorded $38.5 million related to the CARES Employee Retention credit within special charges (credits) on our consolidated statements of operations. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—5, Special Charges and Credits" for additional information.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 also extends and expands the availability of the CARES Employee Retention credit through June 30, 2021, however, certain provisions apply only after December 31, 2020. This new legislation amends the employee retention credit to be equal to 70% of qualified wages paid to employees after December 31, 2020, and before July 1, 2021. During the first two quarters of 2021, a maximum of $10,000 in qualified wages for each employee per calendar quarter may be counted in determining the 70% credit. Therefore, the maximum tax credit that can be claimed by an eligible employer in 2021 is $7,000 per employee per calendar quarter for the first and second quarters of 2021.
The CARES Act also provides for certain tax loss carrybacks and a waiver on federal fuel taxes through December 31, 2020. As of December 31, 2020, we had recognized$142.0 million in federal related tax loss carrybacks and $6.5 million in federal fuel tax savings reflected within aircraft fuel in our consolidated statements of operations.
Finally, the CARES Act also provides for deferred payment of the employer portion of social security taxes through the end of 2020, with 50% of the deferred amount due December 31, 2021 and the remaining 50% due December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2020, we had deferred $23.2 million in social security tax payments. The deferred amounts are recorded within other current liabilities and within deferred gains and other long-term liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet.
Income Taxes
Our effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 was 30.9% compared to 23.2% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. The increase in tax rate, as compared to the prior year period, is primarily due to a $56.1 million discrete federal tax benefit recorded during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 related to the passage of the CARES Act. The CARES Act allows for carryback of net operating losses generated at a 21% tax rate to recover taxes paid at a 35% tax rate. Excluding this discrete tax benefit, our effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 would have been 21.8%. While we expect our tax rate to be fairly consistent in the near term, it will tend to vary depending on recurring items such as the amount of income we earn in each state and the state tax rate applicable to such income. Discrete items particular to a given year may also affect our effective tax rates. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—17, Income Taxes" for additional information.
Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Liquidity
Since the onset of the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2020, we have taken several actions to increase liquidity and strengthen our financial position. As a result of these actions, as of December 31, 2020, we had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and short-term investment securities of $1,896.1 million.
In March 2020, we entered into a senior secured revolving credit facility (the "2022 revolving credit facility") for an initial commitment amount of $110.0 million, and subsequently, in the second quarter of 2020, increased its commitment amount to $180.0 million. As of December 31, 2020, we had fully drawn the available amount of $180.0 million under the 2022 revolving credit facility. The 2022 revolving credit facility matures on March 30, 2022. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—14, Debt and Other Obligations" for additional information on our 2022 revolving credit facility.
On May 12, 2020, we completed the public offering of $175.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.75% convertible senior notes due 2025 (the “convertible notes”). The convertible notes will bear interest at the rate of 4.75% per year and will mature on May 15, 2025. Interest on the convertible notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year, beginning on November 15, 2020. We received proceeds of $168.3 million, net of total issuance costs of $6.7 million, and recorded $95.6 million in long-term debt and finance leases, net of debt issuance costs of $3.8 million, on our consolidated balance sheets, related to the debt component of our convertible notes, and $72.7 million in additional paid-in-capital ("APIC"), net of issuance costs of $2.9 million on our consolidated balance sheets, related to the equity component of the convertible notes. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—14, Debt and Other Obligations" for additional information on our convertible debt.
Also on May 12, 2020, we completed the public offering of 20,125,000 shares of our voting common stock, which includes full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase an additional 2,625,000 shares of common stock, at a public offering price of $10.00 per share (the “common stock offering”). We received proceeds of $192.4 million, net of issuance costs of $8.9 million. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—11, Common Stock and Preferred Stock" for further information on our common stock offering.
In June 2020, we entered into an agreement to amend our revolving credit facility entered into in 2018 to finance aircraft pre-delivery payments. The agreement amends the revolving credit facility to extend the final maturity date from December 30, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Upon execution of the amended agreement, the maximum borrowing capacity decreased from
$160.0 million to $111.2 million. This facility is secured by the collateral assignment of certain of our rights under the purchase agreement with Airbus. As of December 31, 2020, collateralized amounts were related to 11 Airbus A320neo aircraft scheduled to be delivered between June 2021 and April 2022. The maximum borrowing capacity of $95.1 million, as of December 31, 2020, decreased from $111.2 million due to the delivery of aircraft during the third and fourth quarters of 2020 andwill continue to decrease as we take delivery of the related aircraft. The amendment provides approximately $54 million in additional liquidity through March 2021. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—14, Debt and Other Obligations" for further information.
Also, in June 2020, we entered into an agreement to defer certain aircraft deliveries originally scheduled in 2020 and 2021, as well as the related pre-delivery deposit payments. We may elect to supplement these deliveries by additional acquisitions from the manufacturer or in the open market if demand conditions merit. We also may adjust or defer deliveries, or change models of aircraft in our delivery stream, from time to time, as a means to match our future capacity with anticipated demandplans. Pratt & Whitney stated that they are focused on addressing the challenges arising from the powdered metal manufacturing issue and growth trends. Duringwill proactively take steps to support and mitigate the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, we took delivery of 12 aircraft. In addition, the Company has 16 aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2021. Referoperational impact to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—18, Commitments and Contingencies" for further information on our future aircraft deliveries.
On July 22, 2020, we entered into an equity distribution agreement relating to the issuance and sale from time to time of up to 9,000,000 shares of our common stock in sales deemed to be "at-the-market offerings" as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). During the third quarter of 2020, we completed the sale of all 9,000,000 shares under our "at-the-market offering" program ("ATM program") and had received proceeds of $156.7 million, net of $5.0 million in related issuance costs. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—11, Common Stock and Preferred Stock" for further information.
On September 17, 2020, we announced the completion of the private offering by Spirit IP Cayman Ltd., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company of an aggregate of $850 million principal amount of 8.00% senior secured notes due 2025 (the “8.00% senior secured notes”). The 8.00% senior secured notesits customers. We are guaranteed by the Company, Spirit Finance Cayman 1 Ltd. (“HoldCo 1”), a direct wholly owned subsidiary of the Company and Spirit Finance Cayman 2 Ltd., a direct subsidiary of HoldCo 1 and indirect wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“HoldCo 2”). The 8.00% senior secured notes will be secured by, among other things, a first priority lien on the core assets of the Company’s loyalty programs, comprised of cash proceeds from its Free Spirit co-branded credit card programs, its $9 Fare ClubTM program membership fees, and certain intellectual property required or necessary to operate the loyalty programs, as well as the Company’s brand intellectual property. Refer to Note 4, Revenue Disaggregation, for further information on the Company's loyalty programs. The 8.00% senior secured notes will mature on September 20, 2025. The 8.00% senior secured notes bear interest at a rate of 8.00% per annum, payable in quarterly installments on January 20, April 20, July 20 and October 20 of each year, beginning January 20, 2021. We received proceeds of $823.9 million, net of issuance costs of $17.4 million and original issue discount of $8.7 million, related to this private offering. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—14, Debt and Other Obligations" for further information.
In addition, since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken additional action, including:
•Reduced planned discretionary non-aircraft capital spend in 2020 by approximately $70 million;
•Deferred approximately $25 million in heavy maintenance events from 2020 to 2021;
•Reduced planned non-fuel operating costs for 2020 by approximately $30 million, excluding savings related to reduced capacity;
•Suspended hiring across the Company except to fill essential roles;
•Entered into agreements to defer payments in 2020 related to facility rents and other airport services contracts at certain locations;
•Entered into agreements with lessors to temporarily defer aircraft rent payments;
•Continued to work with service providers to temporarily defer maintenance and service contract payments;
•Continued to work with unionized and non-unionized employees to create voluntary leave programs;
•Continued to pursue additional financing secured by its unencumbered assets.
We continue to engage in discussions with our significant stakeholders and vendorsPratt & Whitney regarding financial supportcompensation for the loss of utilization; however, the amount, timing, or contract adjustments, including extensions of payment terms, during this transition period.
For purposes of assessing our liquidity needs, we estimate that demand will continue to be volatile as we recover through 2021, but remain well below 2019 levels. We believe the actions described above, along with the expected fundsstructure of the PSP2 program, sufficiently address our future liquidity needs. However, we anticipate we may implement further discretionary changes, cost reduction and liquidity preservation and/or enhancement measures, as needed, to address the volatility and
changing dynamics of passenger demand and the impact of revenue changes, regulatory and public health directives and prevailing government policy and financial market conditions.
Workforce Actions
In July 2020, we distributed a letter to employees, including approximately 2,500 U.S.-based union represented employees, regarding the possibility of a workforce reduction at their work location. Throughout the second and third quarters of 2020, we worked with unionized employees and the related unions to create voluntary leave programs for pilots, flight attendants and other unionized employee groups. We also created voluntary leave programs for certain non-unionized employee groups. In August 2020, we announced a voluntary separation program for non-unionized employees. Due to the high level of support and acceptance of the voluntary programs offered, no unionized employees were involuntarily furloughed and the total number of non-unionized employees involuntarily separated as of October 1, 2020 was reduced by more than 95%. In the year ended December 31, 2020, we recorded $2.5 million in expenses related to the voluntary and involuntary employee separations. These expenses were recorded within special credits (charges) on our consolidated statement of operations. Expenses related to voluntary leave programs were recorded within salaries, wages and benefits on our consolidated statement of operations. With our expected participation in the PSP2 program, wecompensation that will comply with any related restrictions and limitations on any workforce actions.be agreed upon is not yet known.
Summary of Results
During 2020,2023, we hadgenerated a pre-tax loss of $558.6 million and a net loss of $428.7$447.5 million, ($5.06$(4.10) per share, diluted), compared to a pre-tax loss of $700.7 million and a net incomeloss of $335.3$554.2 million, ($4.89$(5.10) per share, diluted) in 2019.2022. The decrease in earningspre-tax loss was primarily driven by a 45.2% decrease in our traffic andspecial charges, year over year, as well as a 13.8% decrease in average yield, yearaircraft fuel expense driven by a 15.8% decrease in fuel price per gallon, period over year. Due to reduced air travel demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic,period. These decreases were partially offset by an increase in 2020 we decreased our capacity by 33.7%,salaries, wages and benefits expense as compared to the prior year period. Partially offsettingIn addition, the reduced net loss incurredreflects an increase in the period wasoperating revenues due to a $302.8 million special credit recorded within special charges (credits), operating. Refer13.7% increase in our traffic and a 14.6% increase in our capacity, as compared to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—5. Special Charges and Credits" for additional information.2022.
For the year ended December 31, 2020,2023, we had a negative operating margin of 28.1%9.2% on $1,810.0$5,362.5 million in operating revenues. TRASM in 20202023 was 6.539.63 cents, a decrease of 28.8%7.8% compared to the prior year. Total revenue per passenger flight segment decreased 11.5%7.7%, year over year, from $110.91$131.78 to $98.14.$121.58. Fare revenue per passenger flight segment decreased 24.9% partially offset by a 1.5% increase in17.0%, while non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment increased by 0.9%, as compared to the prior year. The decrease in total fare revenue per passenger flight segment was primarily due to a decrease of 13.8% in average yield, year over year.
Our operating cost structure is a primary area of focus and is at the core of our ULCC business model. Our unit operating costs continue to be among the lowest of any airline in the United States. During 2020,2023, our adjustedAdjusted CASM ex-fuel increased by 42.2%was 7.06 cents as compared to 7.89 cents.6.73 cents for 2022. The increase on a per-ASM basis was primarily due to increases in salaries, wages and benefits expense depreciation and amortization expense, landing fees and other rents expense and aircraft rent expense, on a per-ASM basis. These increases on a per-ASM basis were mostly drivenpartially offset by the semi-fixed nature of many of these costs combined with a decrease in capacity of 33.7%, compared to the same period in the prior year, driven by reduced air travel demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.depreciation and amortization expense.
During 2020,2023, we added 4 new destinations: Barranquilla, Colombia; Bucaramanga, Colombia; Cap-Haitien, Haiti; Orange County, California.Charleston, South Carolina, Norfolk, Virginia, San Jose, California and Tulum, Mexico. During 2020,2023, we grew our fleet of Airbus single-aisle aircraft from 145194 to 157205 aircraft as we took delivery of 8 new aircraft financed under secured debt arrangements, 110 aircraft under a sale-leaseback transactiontransactions and 313 aircraft under direct operating leases. In addition, we purchased 2 previously leasedleases and sold 12 A319 aircraft. We also took delivery of 24 new engines through cash purchases. As of December 31, 2020,2023, our 157205 Airbus A320-family aircraft fleet was comprised of 3119 A319ceos, 64 A320ceos, 3284 A320neos, and 30 A321ceos and 8 A321neos. As of December 31, 2023, we owned 73 aircraft, of which 7229 aircraft arewere financed through securedfixed-rate long-term debt, 56 are27 aircraft were financed through enhanced equipment trust certificates ("EETCs") and 17 were purchased off lease. As of December 31, 2023, we had 132 leased aircraft, of which 117 aircraft were financed under operating leases and 29 are unencumbered.15 aircraft would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions. As of December 31, 2020,2023, our aircraft orders from Airbus consisted of 13699 A320 family aircraft scheduled for delivery through 2027.2029. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, we had secured financing for 22 aircraft to be leased directly from third-party lessors, scheduled for delivery through 2025.
Operating Revenues
Our operating revenues are comprised of passenger revenues and other revenues.
Passenger revenues
Fare revenues. Tickets sold are initially deferred within air traffic liability on the Company'sour consolidated balance sheet. Passenger fare revenues are recognized at time of departure when transportation is provided. Generally, all tickets sold by the Companyus are nonrefundable. An unused ticket expires at the date of scheduled travel and is recognized as revenue at the date of
scheduled travel. Fare revenues are recorded within passenger revenues on the Company'sour consolidated statement of operations. Refer to our disaggregated revenue table within “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements— 4. Revenue Disaggregation.1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies."
Customers may elect to change or cancel their itinerary prior to the date of departure. For changes, a service charge is recognized at time of departure of newly scheduled travel and is deducted from the face value of the original purchase price of the ticket, and the original ticket becomes invalid. For cancellations, a service charge is assessed and the amount remaining after deducting the service charge is called a credit shell. For credit shells that we estimate are not likely to be used prior to expiration, we recognize the associated value proportionally during the period over which the remaining credit shells may be used. Estimating the amount of credits that will go unused involves some level of subjectivity and judgment and can be impacted by several factors including, but not limited to, changes to our ticketing policies, changes to our refund, exchange, and credit shell policies, and economic factors.
Non-fare revenues. Our most significant non-fare revenues generally include revenues generated from air travel-related services paid for baggage, passenger usage fees, advance seat selection and itinerary changes, and loyalty programs.changes. These ancillary items are deemed part of the single performance obligation of providing passenger transportation and as such, are recognized in non-fare revenues within passenger revenues on the Company'sour consolidated statement of operations. Refer to our disaggregated revenue table within “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements— 4. Revenue Disaggregation.1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies." The majoritySubstantially all of our passenger non-fare revenues are recognized at time of departure when transportation is provided.
Passenger revenues are generally recognized once the related flight departs. Accordingly, the value of tickets and non-fare revenues sold in advance of travel is included under our current liabilities as “air traffic liability,” or ATL, until the related air travel is provided. An unused ticket expires at the date of scheduled travel, at which time a service charge is assessed, and is recognized as revenue at the date of scheduled travel.
Revenue generated from the FREE SPIRIT credit card affinity program and other loyalty programs are recognized in accordance with the criteria as set forth in Accounting Standards Update ASU 2014-09. Guests may earn mileage creditspoints based on their spending with the co-brandedFree Spirit affinity credit card company withprogram which we have an agreement to sell mileage credits.points. The contract to sell mileage creditspoints under this agreement has multiple performance obligations, as discussed below.
Our co-branded credit card agreement provides for joint marketing where cardholders earn mileage creditspoints for making purchases using co-branded cards. During 2020,2023, we extended our agreement with the administrator of the FREE SPIRITFree Spirit affinity credit card program to extend through MarchDecember 31, 2024. In connection with the extension of the agreement, in January 2021, we launched a new loyalty program with extended mileage expiration, additional benefits based on status tiers, and other changes.2028. We account for this agreement consistently with the accounting method that allocates the consideration received to the individual products and services delivered. The value is allocated based on the relative stand-alone selling prices of those products and services, which generally consists of (i) travel milespoints to be awarded, (ii) airline benefits and (iii) licensing of brand and access to member lists and (iii)(iv) advertising and marketing efforts. We determined the best estimate of the stand-alone selling prices by considering discounted cash flow analysis using multiple inputs and assumptions, including: (1) the expected number of milespoints awarded and number of milespoints redeemed, (2) ETV forthe estimated stand-alone selling price of the award travel obligation and airline benefits, (3) licensing of brand and access to member lists and (4) the costs of advertising and marketing efforts. The new program terms will require updated estimates of the allocation of future revenues to the performance obligations described above.
Other revenues
Other revenues primarily consist of the marketing component of the sale of frequent flyer milesloyalty points to our credit card partner and commissions revenue from the sale of various items such as hotels and rental cars.
Substantially all of our revenues are denominated in U.S. dollars. We recognize revenues net of certain taxes and airport passenger fees, which are collected by us on behalf of airports and governmental agencies and remitted to the applicable governmental entity or airport on a periodic basis. These taxes and fees include U.S. federal transportation taxes, federal security charges, airport passenger facility charges and foreign arrival and departure taxes. These items are collected from customers at the time they purchase their tickets, but are not included in our revenues. Upon collection from the customer, we record a liability within other current liabilities on our consolidated balance sheets and relieve the liability when payments are remitted to the applicable governmental agency or airport.
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses consist of the following line items.
Salaries, Wages and Benefits.
Salaries, wages and benefits expense includes the salaries, hourly wages, bonuses and equity compensation paid to employees for their services, as well as the related expenses associated with employee benefit plans and employer payroll taxes.
Aircraft Fuel. Aircraft fuel expense includes the cost of jet fuel, related federal taxes, fueling into-plane fees and transportation fees. It also includes realized and unrealized gains and losses arising from activity on our fuel derivatives, if any.
DepreciationSalaries, Wages and Amortization.Benefits. DepreciationSalaries, wages and amortizationbenefits expense includes the depreciation of fixed assets we ownsalaries, hourly wages, bonuses and leasehold improvements. It also includesequity compensation paid to employees for their services, as well as the amortization of capitalized software costsrelated expenses associated with employee benefit plans and heavy maintenance. Under the deferral method, the cost of our heavy maintenance is capitalized and amortized on a straight-line or usage basis until the earlier of the next estimated heavy maintenance event or the remaining lease term.employer payroll taxes.
Landing Fees and Other Rents. Landing fees and other rents include both fixed and variable facilities expenses, such as the fees charged by airports for the use or lease of airport facilities, overfly fees paid to other countries and the monthly rent paid for our headquarters facility.
Aircraft Rent. Aircraft rent expense consists of all minimum lease payments under the terms of our aircraft and spare engine lease agreements recognized on a straight-line basis. Aircraft rent expense also includes supplemental rent. Supplemental rent is primarily made up of maintenance reserves paid to aircraft lessors in advance of the performance of major maintenance activities that are not probable of being reimbursed and probable and estimable return condition obligations. Prior to the adoption of Topic 842 that became effective for the Companyobligations on January 1, 2019, aircraft rent expense was net of the amortization of gains and losses on sale leaseback transactions on our flight equipment. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—15. Leases and Prepaid Maintenance Deposits” for information regarding the Company's accounting policy on sale-leaseback transactions after the adoption of Topic 842.leased aircraft. As of December 31, 2020, 562023, 117 (excluding 15 aircraft that would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions) of our 157205 aircraft and 86 of our 2434 spare engines are financed under operating leases.
Depreciation and Amortization. Depreciation and amortization expense includes the depreciation of fixed assets we own and leasehold improvements. It also includes the amortization of capitalized software costs and heavy maintenance. Under the deferral method, the cost of our heavy maintenance is capitalized and amortized on a straight-line or usage basis until the earlier of the next estimated heavy maintenance event or the remaining lease term.
Maintenance, Materials and Repairs. Maintenance, materials and repairs expense includes parts, materials, repairs and fees for repairs performed by third-party vendors and in-house mechanics required to maintain our fleet. It excludes direct labor cost related to our own mechanics, which is included under salaries, wages and benefits. It also excludes the amortization of heavy maintenance expenses, which we defer under the deferral method of accounting and amortize as a component of depreciation and amortization expense.
Distribution. Distribution expense includes all of our direct costs, including the cost of web support, our third-party call center, travel agent commissions and related GDS fees and credit card transaction fees, associated with the sale of our tickets and other products and services.
Special Charges (Credits). Special charges and credits include legal, advisory and other fees related to the Former Frontier Merger Agreement and the JetBlue Merger Agreement, the retention bonus programs, recognition of impairment charges related to the planned acceleration of the retirement of 29 of our A319 aircraft, the grant component of the PSP2 and PSP3 agreements with the Treasury, the CARES Act Employee Retention credit and amounts paid in connection with our involuntary employee separation programs.
Loss on Disposal of Assets. Loss on disposal of assets includes the net losses on the disposal of our fixed assets. In addition, subsequent toassets, the adoption of Topic 842 that became effective for the Company on January 1, 2019, it includes net losses or gains resulting from our aircraft and engine sale-leaseback transactions.
Special Charges (Credits). Special chargestransactions as well as the net losses or gains resulting from sale of our A319 airframes and credits include recognition of the grant component of the Payroll Support Program ("PSP") with the Treasury, the CARES Act Employee Retention credit, amounts paid in connection with our voluntary and involuntary employee separation programs, ratification incentive payouts related to the collective bargaining agreements with our pilots and dispatchers and the write-off of aircraft related credits.engines.
Other Operating Expenses. Other operating expenses include airport operations expense and fees charged by third-party vendors for ground handling services and food and liquor supply service expenses, passenger re-accommodation expense, the cost of passenger liability and aircraft hull insurance, all other insurance policies except for employee related insurance, travel and training expenses for crews and ground personnel, professional fees, personal property taxes and all other administrative and operational overhead expenses. No individual item included in this category represented more than 5% of our total operating expenses.
Other (Income) Expense
Interest Expense. Interest expense in 20202023 and 2022 primarily related to the financing of purchased aircraft, the interest and accretion related to our 8.00% senior secured notes, the interest and discount amortization related to our convertible notes and favorable mark to market adjustments of the derivative liability related to our convertible notes due 2026. Interest expense in 2021 primarily related to the financing of purchased aircraft as well as the interest and accretion related to our convertible notes and the interest and accretion related to our 8.00% senior secured notes. Interest expense
Loss (gain) on Extinguishment of Debt. Gain on extinguishment of debt in 2019 and 20182023 was primarily related to the gain recognized due to the early extinguishment of certain of our outstanding fixed-rate term loans, and was partially offset by the write-offs of related deferred financing costs. Refer to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements —13. Debt and Other Obligations" for more information. We had no loss (gain) on extinguishment of purchased aircraft.debt in 2022. Loss on extinguishment of debt in
2021 primarily related to premiums paid to early extinguish a portion of our 8.00% senior secured notes and convertible notes due 2025. In addition, it includes the write-off of related deferred financing costs and original issuance discount.
Capitalized Interest. The Company capitalizesWe capitalize the interest that is primarily attributable to the outstanding PDP balances as a percentage of the related debt on which interest is incurred. Capitalized interest represents interest cost incurred during the acquisition period of a long-term asset and is the amount which theoretically could have been avoided had we not paid PDPs for the related aircraft or engines. Capitalization of interest ceases when the asset is ready for service. Capitalized interest for 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 20182021 primarily relates to the interest incurred on long-term debt. In addition, during 2023, we capitalized interest related to the outstanding work in progress in connection to the building of our new headquarters.
Interest Income. For 2020,2023, 2022 and 2021, interest income represents interest income earned on cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments as well as interest earned on income tax refunds. For 2019, interest income represents interest income earned on cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments. For 2018, interest income represents interest income earned on cash, cash
equivalents, short-term investments and on funds required to be held in escrow in accordance with the terms of our Series 2017-1 EETC.
Other Expense. Other expense primarily includes realized gains and losses related to foreign currency transactions.
Special Charges, Non-operating. We had no special charges, non-operating in 2020 and 2019. For 2018, special charges, non-operating represents interest related to an aircraft purchase agreement for the acquisition of 14 A319 aircraft previously operated under operating leases. The contract was deemed a lease modification which resulted in a change of classification from operating leases to finance leases, until the purchase date of the aircraft. Please see "Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—5. Special Charges and Credits" for further discussion.
Income Taxes
We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method. We record a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets reported if, based on the weight of the evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred taxes are recorded based on differences between the financial statement basis and tax basis of assets and liabilities and available tax loss and credit carryforwards. In assessing the realizability of the deferred tax assets, we consider whether it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. In evaluating the ability to utilize our deferred tax assets, we consider all available evidence, both positive and negative, in determining future taxable income on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis.
Trends and Uncertainties Affecting Our Business
We believe our operating and business performance is driven by various factors affecting airlines and their markets, trends affecting the broader travel industry and trends affecting the specific markets and customer base that we target. The following key factors may affect our future performance.
Ability to Execute our Growth Strategy and Maintain or Grow Capacity. Over recent years, we have pursued a high-growth strategy, which we expect to continue. Execution of such a strategy requires us to effectively deploy new flying into our network, as new routes or increased frequency of existing routes develop. New flying may not perform as well as expected or may result in a competitive reaction. Moreover, our growth strategy depends on the timely delivery of aircraft and engines in accordance with the intended delivery schedule in accordance with the applicable agreement. Delivery delays and engine performance issues, as we have experienced from time to time in recent years, may cause us to scale back our growth, unless we are able to replace delayed aircraft in the secondary market or otherwise. Finally, ourgrowth. Our growth strategy also relies in part on our ability to obtain additional facilities in airports, some of which are constrained, as well as additional flight crew, maintenance, and other personnel. We expect to experience an increase in our compensation expense to attract and retain qualified personnel.
Ability to Maintain or Grow Capacity
. We
In addition, we pursue a high-growth strategy that expands revenue and maintains lower cost due to economies of scale and lower initial expense for aircraft and labor. Execution of such a strategy depends on the ability to maintain efficient utilization of existing capacity and the timely delivery of new aircraft and engines. In recent years,addition, we havepreviously experienced aircraft operational reliability issues and delivery delays particularly regarding our PW1100G engine on our A320neo aircraft. Beginning in the second half of 2020, the A320neo aircraft fleet reliability had stabilized and the PW1100G engine technical issues had improved. However, beginning in the second half of 2022, we began experiencing reliability issues with the PW1100G engines once again resulting in diminished service availability of aircraft. Supply chain delivery issues and limited capacity at MRO shops available to service PW1100G engines have resulted in extended turnaround time to perform the modifications required to improve the reliability of these engines. These impacts are expected to continue throughout 2024 and beyond, until supply chain and engine MRO shop capacity returns to required levels to support our growth. In addition, in July 2023, Pratt & Whitney announced that it had determined that a rare condition in the powdered metal used to manufacture certain engine parts will require accelerated inspection of the GTF fleet, which powers the A320neo aircraft. As of December 31, 2023, we have removed five engines from service, three of which are currently awaiting induction for inspection. Pratt & Whitney notified us that all GTF engines in its fleet, including the engines slotted for future aircraft deliveries, for a yet to be determined period, may be subject to the removal and inspection, or replacement, of the powdered metal high-pressure turbine and compressor discs. We currently estimate these engines will require removal and inspection in 2024, but continuing through 2026. Lower capacity resulting from manufacturer or supplier issues may lead to a significant adverse impact on our financial position and results of operations.
Supply chain delivery issues and limited capacity at MRO shops available to service PW1100G engines have resulted in extended turnaround time to perform the modifications required to improve the reliability of these engines. The new generation
aircraft provide fuel burn and other efficiencies, as compared to the older A320ceo aircraft, and the ability to serve additional markets with greater operating range. However, ongoing or expanded reliability and delivery issues could materially impact our operations, revenues, costs and net results.
ImpactIn addition to the effects of COVID-19. During 2020,Pratt & Whitney GTF engine issues on our operations, we have experienced sharp declinesan overall increase in passenger demandvolatility in seasonality as well as a decrease in year over year unit revenue and bookings beginning in March 2020 due topersistently high fuel prices, which have negatively affected revenue and costs. Should these trends continue into the future, our operating results may be negatively impacted. As a result, we have assessed the impact of such trends on our liquidity requirements and expect to have sufficient liquidity to meet our future cash needs for the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we had unprecedented levelsnext twelve months with cash and cash equivalents, cash flows from operations, the implementation of cancellationsdiscretionary cost reduction strategies, and refunds. Our operationsother financing arrangements. We also expect to receive compensation from Pratt & Whitney for 2020 were adversely affected by the reduction in air travel demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. With the sudden and significant reduction in air travel demand, our load factor significantly decreased beginning in the latter partloss of March 2020 and remained as such through the remainderutilization of the year. We continued to experience weak passenger demand and bookings during the last three quarters of 2020 driving a significant decrease in capacity and operating revenues, year over year. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, our financial and operational outlook remains subject to change. We continue to monitor the impact of the pandemic on our operations and financial condition, and to implement and adapt mitigation strategies while working to preserve our cash and protect our long-term sustainability. For more detailed information on the impact of COVID-19, please refer to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—2. Impact of COVID-19."GTF engines.
Competition. The airline industry is highly competitive. The principal competitive factors in the airline industry are fare pricing, total price, flight schedules, aircraft type, passenger amenities, number of routes served from a city, customer service, safety record, reputation, code-sharing relationships, frequent flyerloyalty programs and redemption opportunities. Price competition occurs on a market-by-market basis through price discounts, changes in pricing structures, fare matching, target
promotions and frequent flyerloyalty program initiatives. Airlines typically use discount fares and other promotions to stimulate traffic during normally slower travel periods in efforts to maximize unit revenue. The prevalence of discount fares can be particularly acute when a competitor has excess capacity that it is under financial pressure to sell.sell tickets.
Moreover, the network carriers have developed a fare-class pricing approach, in which a portion of available seats may be sold at or near ULCC prices, but without most product features available to their passengers paying at higher fare levels on the same flight. Broad fare discounting may have the effect of diluting the profitability of revenues of high-cost carriers but the fare-class approach may allow network carriers to continue offering a competitive price to ULCCs on some flights or routes, while maintaining higher pricing to their traditional constituencies of corporate and less price-sensitive travelers. Refer to “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Industry—We operate in an extremely competitive industry."
Seasonality and Volatility. Our results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of those for the entire year because the air transportation business is subject to significant seasonal fluctuations. We generally expect demand to be greater in the second and third quarters compared to the rest of the year. The air transportation business is also volatile and highly affected by economic cycles and trends. Consumer confidence and discretionary spending, fear of terrorism or war, weakening economic conditions, fare initiatives, fluctuations in fuel prices, labor actions, changes in governmental regulations on taxes and fees, weather, outbreaks of pandemic or contagious diseases and other factors have resulted in significant fluctuations in revenues and results of operations in the past. We believe demand for business travel historically has been more sensitive to economic pressures than demand for low-price travel. Finally, a significant portion of our operations are concentrated in markets such as South Florida, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Northeast and northern Midwest regions of the United States, which are particularly vulnerable to weather, airport traffic constraints and other delays.
Aircraft Fuel. Fuel costs represents one of our largest operating expenses, as it does for most airlines. Fuel costs have been subject to wide price fluctuations in recent years. Fuel availability and pricing are also subject to refining capacity, periods of market surplus, and shortage and demand for heating oil, gasoline and other petroleum products, as well as meteorological, economic and political factors and events occurring throughout the world, which we can neither control nor accurately predict. We source a significant portion of our fuel from refining resources located in the southeast United States, particularly facilities adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf Coast fuel is subject to volatility and supply disruptions, particularly in hurricane season when refinery shutdowns have occurred, or when the threat of weather-related disruptions has caused Gulf Coast fuel prices to spike above other regional sources. Our fuel hedging practices are dependent upon many factors, including our assessment of market conditions for fuel, our access to the capital necessary to support margin requirements, the pricing of hedges and other derivative products in the market, our overall appetite for risk and applicable regulatory policies. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had no outstanding jet fuel derivatives and we have not engaged in fuel derivative activity since 2015. As of December 31, 2020, we purchased a majority of our aircraft fuel under a single fuel service contract. The cost and future availability of jet fuel cannot be predicted with any degree of certainty.
Labor. The airline industry is heavily unionized. The wages, benefits and work rules of unionized airline industry employees are determined by collective bargaining agreements, or CBAs. Relations between air carriers and labor unions in the United States are governed by the RLA. Under the RLA, CBAs generally contain “amendable dates” rather than expiration dates, subject to standard early opener provisions, and the RLA requires that a carrier maintain the existing terms and conditions of employment following the amendable date through a multi-stage and usually lengthy series of bargaining processes overseen by the NMB. This process continues until either the parties have reached agreement on a new CBA, or the parties have been released to “self-help” by the NMB. In most circumstances, the RLA prohibits strikes; however, after release by the NMB, carriers and unions are free to engage in self-help measures such as strikes and lockouts.
We have fivesix union-represented employee groups comprising approximately 82%85% of our employees at December 31, 2020.2023. Our pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International, or ALPA, our flight attendants are represented by the Association of Flight Attendants, or AFA-CWA, our dispatchers are represented by the Professional Airline Flight Control Association, or PAFCA, our ramp service agents are represented by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, or IAMAW and our passenger service agents are represented by the Transport Workers Union, or TWU. In addition, our aircraft maintenance technicians are represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association, or AMFA. The related collective bargaining agreement is currently under negotiation. Conflicts between airlines and their unions can lead to work slowdowns or stoppages.
During 2017,the fourth quarter of 2022, we experienced operational disruption from pilot-related work actionreached an agreement with ALPA for a new two-year agreement, which adversely impacted our results. We obtained a temporary restraining order to enjoin further illegal labor action. Inwas ratified by ALPA members on January 2018, under the guidance of the NMB assigned mediators, the parties reached a tentative agreement. 10, 2023. The ratified agreement includes increased pay rates and other enhanced benefits.
In February 2018, the pilot group voted to approve the current five-year agreement with us. In connection with the current agreement, we incurred a one-time ratification incentive of $80.2 million, including payroll taxes, and an $8.5 million adjustment related to other contractual provisions. These amounts were recorded in special charges (credits) within operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2018.
In March 2016, under the supervision of the NMB, we reached a tentative agreement for a five-year contract with our flight attendants. In May 2016,2021, we entered into a five-yearLetter of Agreement with the AFA-CWA to change the amendable date of the collective bargaining agreement from May 4, 2021 to September 1, 2021. All other terms of the collective bargaining agreement remained the same. In June 2021, the AFA-CWA notified us, as required by the RLA, that it intended to submit proposed changes to the collective bargaining agreement covering our flight attendants. We commenced negotiations with the AFA-CWA on September 27, 2021. In February 2023, we reached an agreement with our flight attendants which was ratified by the flight attendants on April 13, 2023 and becomes amendable May 2021.in January 2026. The ratified agreement includes increased pay rates and other enhanced benefits.
Our dispatchers are represented by the PAFCA. In JuneOctober 2018, we commenced negotiations with PAFCA for an amended agreement with our dispatchers. In October 2018, PAFCA and the Company reached a tentative agreement with PAFCA for a new five-year agreement, which was ratified by the PAFCA members in October 2018. In May 2023, PAFCA provided notice that it intends to amend its Collective Bargaining Agreement with our dispatchers. The parties began negotiating changes to the CBA on July 12, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, we continued to negotiate with PAFCA.
In July 2014, certainOur ramp service agents directly employed by us voted to beare represented by IAMAW. Representation only applies to our Fort Lauderdale station where we have direct employees in the IAMAW. In May 2015, we entered into a five-year interim collective bargaining agreement with the IAMAW, including material economic terms. In June 2016, we reached an agreement on the remaining terms of the collective bargaining agreement.ramp service agent classification. In February 2020, the IAMAW notified us, as required by the Railway Labor Act,RLA, that it intendsintended to submit proposed changes to the collective bargaining agreement covering our ramp service agents which became amendable in June 2020. The parties expectOn September 28, 2021, we filed an “Application for Mediation Services” with the NMB. We were able to schedule meeting dates for negotiations soon.reach a tentative agreement with the IAMAW with the assistance of the NMB on October 16, 2021. Our ramp service agents ratified the five-year agreement in November 2021.
In June 2018, our passenger service agents voted to be represented by the TWU, but the representation only applies to our Fort Lauderdale station where we have direct employees in the passenger service classification. We began meeting with the TWU in late October 2018 to negotiate an initial collective bargaining agreement. AsDuring February 2022, we reached a tentative agreement with the TWU. Our passenger service agents ratified the five-year agreement on February 21, 2022.
In August 2022, our AMTs voted to be represented by AMFA as their collective bargaining agent. In November 2022, AMFA notified us of December 31, 2020, we continuedits intent to negotiate a CBA and began negotiations. In October 2023, AMFA filed for mediation with the TWU.NMB, and we are currently waiting for mediation dates from the NMB to continue negotiating with AMFA.
We believe the five-year term of our CBAs is valuable in providing stability to our labor costs and provide us with competitive labor costs compared to other U.S.-based low-cost carriers. If we are unable to reach agreement with any of our unionized work groups in current or future negotiations regarding the terms of their CBAs, we may be subject to work interruptions or stoppages, such as the strike by our pilots in June 2010. A strike or other significant labor dispute with our unionized employees is likely to adversely affect our ability to conduct business. Any agreement we do reach could increase our labor and related expenses.
In 2010, the PatentPatient Protection and Affordable Care Act was passed into law. This law may be repealed in its entirety or certain aspects may be changed or replaced. If the law is repealed or modified or if new legislation is passed, such action could potentially increase our operating costs, with healthcare costs increasing at a higher rate than our employee headcount.
Maintenance Expense. Maintenance expense generally increases each yeargrew through 2023 and 2022 mainly as a result of increased aircraft utilization compared to the prior year, a growing fleet and the gradual increase of required maintenance for the older aircraft in our fleet. However, in 2020, maintenance expense decreased year over year mainly as a result of decreased aircraft utilization due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As our fleet ages, we expect that maintenance costs will increase in absolute terms. The amount of total maintenance costs and related amortization of heavy maintenance (included in depreciation and amortization expense) is subject to many variables such as future utilization rates, average stage length, the interval between heavy maintenance events, the size and makeup of the fleet in future periods and the level of unscheduled maintenance events and their actual costs. Accordingly, we cannot reliably quantify future maintenance expenses for any significant period of time particularly in the current period given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our airline.time.
As a result of a majority of our fleet being acquired over a relatively short period of time, heavy maintenance scheduled on certain aircraft will overlap, meaning we will incur our most expensive scheduled maintenance obligations on certain aircraft at roughly the same time. These more significant maintenance activities will result in out-of-service periods during which our aircraft will be dedicated to maintenance activities and unavailable to fly revenue service. When accounting for maintenance expense under the deferral method, heavy maintenance is amortized over the shorter of either the remaining lease term or the next estimated heavy maintenance event. As a result, deferred maintenance events occurring closer to the end of the lease term will generally have shorter amortization periods than those occurring earlier in the lease term. This will create higher depreciation and amortization expense specific to any aircraft related to heavy maintenance during the final years of the lease as compared to earlier periods.
Maintenance Reserve Obligations. The terms of some of our aircraft lease agreements require us to post deposits for future maintenance, also known as maintenance reserves, to the lessor in advance of and as collateral for the performance of major maintenance events, resulting in our recording significant prepaid deposits on our consolidated balance sheet. As a result, the cash costs of scheduled major maintenance events are paid in advance of the recognition of the maintenance event in our results of operations.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
The following discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations is based on our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The preparation of these consolidated financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amount of assets and liabilities, revenues and expenses and related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of our consolidated financial statements. For a detailed discussion of our significant accounting policies, refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.”
Critical accounting policies are defined as those policies that reflect significant judgments or estimates about matters both inherently uncertain and material to our financial condition or results of operations.
Loyalty Mileage Credits earned with Co-branded credit card. Customers may earn mileage credits based on their spending with our co-branded credit card company with which we have an agreement to sell mileage credits. The contract to sell mileage credits under this agreement has multiple performance obligations. The agreement provides for joint marketing and we account for this agreement consistently with the accounting method that allocates the consideration received to the individual products and services delivered. The value is allocated based on the relative selling prices of those products and services, which generally consists of (i) travel miles to be awarded, (ii) licensing of brand and access to member lists and (iii) advertising and marketing efforts. We determined the best estimate of the selling prices by considering discounted cash flow analysis using multiple inputs and assumptions, including: (1) the expected number of miles awarded and number of miles redeemed, (2) equivalent ticket value ("ETV") for the award travel obligation, (3) licensing of brand and access to member lists and (4) advertising and marketing efforts.
We defer the amount for award travel obligation as part of loyalty deferred revenue within air traffic liability on our consolidated balance sheet and recognize loyalty travel awards in passenger revenue as the mileage credits are used for travel. Revenue allocated to the remaining performance obligations, primarily marketing components, is recorded in other revenue as miles are delivered. During the year ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, total cash sales from this agreement were $33.2 million and $48.1 million, respectively, which are allocated to travel and other performance obligations.
Aircraft Maintenance Deposits. Some of our aircraft and engine master lease agreements provide that we pay maintenance reserves to aircraft lessors to be held as collateral in advance of our performance of major maintenance activities. These lease agreements generally provide that maintenance reserves are reimbursable to us upon completion of the maintenance event. A majority of these maintenance reserve payments are calculated based on a utilization measure, such as flight hours or cycles, and are used solely to collateralize the lessor for maintenance time run off the aircraft until the completion of the maintenance of the aircraft.
Maintenance reserve payments are reflected as aircraft maintenance deposits in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. We make certain assumptions to determine the recoverability of maintenance deposits. These assumptions are based on various factors such as the estimated time between the maintenance events and the utilization of the aircraft is estimated before it is returned to the lessor. When it is not probable we will recover amounts currently on deposit with a lessor, such amounts are expensed as supplemental rent.
Supplemental rent is made up of maintenance reserves paid to aircraft lessors that are not probable of being reimbursed and probable and estimable return condition obligations. We expensed $3.3 million and $4.8 million of supplemental rent recorded within aircraft rent during 2020 and 2019, respectively. We did not expense any paid maintenance reserves as supplemental rent in 2020. During 2019, we expensed $0.5 million of paid maintenance reserves as supplemental rent. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we had aircraft maintenance deposits of $126.3 million and $170.6 million, respectively, on our consolidated balance sheets.
Leased Aircraft Return Costs. Our aircraft lease agreements often contain provisions that require us to return aircraft airframes and engines to the lessor in a certain condition or pay an amount to the lessor based on the airframe and engine's actual return condition. Lease return costs include all costs that would be incurred at the return of the aircraft, including costs incurred to repair the airframe and engines to the required condition as stipulated by the lease. Lease return costs are recognized beginning when it is probable that such costs will be incurred and they can be estimated. When costs become both probable and estimable, they are accrued as a component of supplemental rent, through the remaining lease term. We expensed $14.0 million and $16.5 million of supplemental rent recorded within aircraft rent during 2023 and 2022, respectively. Supplemental rent, recorded within aircraft rent expense, is primarily made up of probable and estimable return condition obligations and lease return costs adjustments for aircraft and engines purchased off lease.
When determining the need to accrue lease return costs, there are various factors which need to be considered such as the contractual terms of the lease agreement, current condition of the aircraft, the age of the aircraft at lease expiration, and projected number of hours run on the engine at the time of return, among others. In addition, typically near the lease return date, the lessors may allow reserves to be applied as return condition consideration or pass on certain return provisions if they do not align with their current plans to remarket the aircraft. As a result of the different factors listed above, management assesses the need to accrue lease return costs periodically throughout the year or whenever facts and circumstances warrant an assessment.
Lease return costs will generally be estimable closer to the end of the lease term but may be estimable earlier in the lease term depending on the contractual terms of the lease agreement and the timing of maintenance events for a particular aircraft. As a result of COVID-19, we are currently operating our aircraft at lower utilization levels. If we continue flying our aircraft at lower utilization levels beyond our current projections, the timing of future maintenance events may change such that we will be required to accrue lease return costs and/or record reserves against our maintenance deposits earlier than we would have expected and such amounts could be significant. We expect lease return costs and unrecoverable maintenance deposits will increase as individual aircraft lease agreements approach their respective termination dates and we begin to accrue the estimated cost of return conditions for the corresponding aircraft. Upon a termination of the lease due to a breach by us, we would be liable for standard contractual damages, possibly including damages suffered by the lessor in connection with remarketing the aircraft or while the aircraft is not leased to another party.
Results of Operations
In 2020,2023, we generated operating revenues of $1,810.0$5,362.5 million and had an operating loss of $507.8$495.8 million resulting in a negative operating margin of 28.1%9.2% and a net loss of $428.7$447.5 million. In 2019,2022, we generated operating revenues of $3,830.5$5,068.4 million and had an operating incomeloss of $501.0$598.9 million, resulting in a 13.1%negative operating margin of 11.8% and a net incomeloss of $335.3$554.2 million. The decreaseincrease in operating revenues, year over year, is primarily due to reduced air travel demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, beginningan increase in Marchtraffic of 13.7%, year over year, partially offset by a decrease in average yield of 7.0%, year over year. Increased salaries, wages and continuing through the remainder of the year. The lengthbenefits expense and severity of the reduction in air travel demand dueaircraft rent expense compared to the COVID-19 pandemic continueprior year period, primarily contributed to be uncertain. We expect air travel demand recovery will continue to be volatile and will fluctuatehigher operating expenses. In addition, increased operations resulted in higher operating expenses across the upcoming months until the global pandemic has moderated and demand for air travel returns.board.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, our cash and cash equivalents was $1,789.7$865.2 million, an increasea decrease of $810.8$481.1 million compared to the prior year. Cash and cash equivalents is generally driven by cash from our operating activities as well as capital from debt and equity financings, offset by cash used to fund PDPs and capital expenditures. In 2020, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the increase in cashexpenditures and cash equivalents was mostly driven by cash provided from financing activities primarily through the issuance of long-term debt, common stock and warrants as well as funds received in connection with the PSP.principal payments related to our long-
term debt. In addition to cash and cash equivalents, as of December 31, 2020,2023, we had $106.3$112.5 million in short-term investment securities.
Comparative Operating Statistics
The following tables set forth our operating statistics for the twelve month periods ended December 31, 2023 and 2022:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Twelve Months Ended December 31, | | Percent Change |
| | 2023 | | 2022 | |
| Operating Statistics (unaudited) (A): | | | | | |
| Average aircraft | 199.5 | | | 180.7 | | | 10.4 | % |
| Aircraft at end of period | 205 | | | 194 | | | 5.7 | % |
| | | | | |
| Average daily aircraft utilization (hours) | 11.1 | | | 10.7 | | | 3.7 | % |
| Average stage length (miles) | 1,007 | | | 1,013 | | | (0.6) | % |
| | | | | |
| Departures | 297,900 | | | 261,079 | | | 14.1 | % |
| Passenger flight segments (PFSs) (thousands) | 44,105 | | | 38,463 | | | 14.7 | % |
| Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) (thousands) | 45,243,787 | | | 39,775,253 | | | 13.7 | % |
| Available seat miles (ASMs) (thousands) | 55,665,561 | | | 48,567,978 | | | 14.6 | % |
| Load factor (%) | 81.3 | % | | 81.9 | % | | (0.6) pts |
| Fare revenue per passenger flight segment ($) | 53.01 | | | 63.85 | | | (17.0) | % |
| Non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment ($) | 68.57 | | | 67.93 | | | 0.9 | % |
| Total revenue per passenger flight segment ($) | 121.58 | | | 131.78 | | | (7.7) | % |
| Average yield (cents) | 11.85 | | | 12.74 | | | (7.0) | % |
| TRASM (cents) | 9.63 | | | 10.44 | | | (7.8) | % |
| CASM (cents) | 10.52 | | | 11.67 | | | (9.9) | % |
| Adjusted CASM (cents) | 10.33 | | | 10.71 | | | (3.5) | % |
| Adjusted CASM ex-fuel (cents) | 7.06 | | | 6.73 | | | 4.9 | % |
| Fuel gallons consumed (thousands) | 591,796 | | | 527,290 | | | 12.2 | % |
| Average fuel cost per gallon ($) | 3.08 | | | 3.66 | | | (15.8) | % |
(A) See "Glossary of Airline Terms" elsewhere in this annual report for definitions used in this table.
Operating Revenues
| | Year Ended 2020 | | % change 2020 versus 2019 | | Year Ended 2019 | |
| Year Ended 2023 | |
| Year Ended 2023 | |
| Year Ended 2023 | |
| Operating revenues: | |
| Operating revenues: | |
| Operating revenues: | Operating revenues: | | | | | | |
| Fare (thousands) | Fare (thousands) | $ | 756,225 | | | (59.9)% | | $ | 1,886,855 | | |
| Fare (thousands) | |
| Fare (thousands) | |
| Non-fare (thousands) | |
| Non-fare (thousands) | |
| Non-fare (thousands) | Non-fare (thousands) | 1,009,308 | | | (46.0)% | | 1,870,750 | | |
| Passenger (thousands) | Passenger (thousands) | 1,765,533 | | | (53.0)% | | 3,757,605 | | |
| Passenger (thousands) | |
| Passenger (thousands) | |
| Other (thousands) | |
| Other (thousands) | |
| Other (thousands) | Other (thousands) | 44,489 | | | (39.0)% | | 72,931 | | |
| Total operating revenue (thousands) | Total operating revenue (thousands) | $ | 1,810,022 | | | (52.7)% | | $ | 3,830,536 | | |
| Total operating revenue (thousands) | |
| Total operating revenue (thousands) | |
| Total operating revenue per ASM (TRASM) (cents) | |
| Total operating revenue per ASM (TRASM) (cents) | |
| Total operating revenue per ASM (TRASM) (cents) | Total operating revenue per ASM (TRASM) (cents) | 6.53 | | | (28.8)% | | 9.17 | | |
| Fare revenue per passenger flight segment | Fare revenue per passenger flight segment | $ | 41.00 | | | (24.9)% | | $ | 54.63 | | |
| Fare revenue per passenger flight segment | |
| Fare revenue per passenger flight segment | |
| Non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment | |
| Non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment | |
| Non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment | Non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment | 57.14 | | | 1.5% | | 56.28 | | |
| Total revenue per passenger flight segment | Total revenue per passenger flight segment | $ | 98.14 | | | (11.5)% | | $ | 110.91 | | |
| Total revenue per passenger flight segment | |
| Total revenue per passenger flight segment | |
Operating revenues decreasedincreased by $2,020.5$294.1 million, or 52.7%5.8%, to $1,810.0$5,362.5 million in 20202023 compared to 2019,2022, primarily due to a decreasean increase in traffic of 45.2%13.7%, andpartially offset by a decrease in average yield of 13.8%7.0%, year over year, driven by reduced air travel demand as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.year.
TRASM for 20202023 was 6.539.63 cents, a decrease of 28.8%7.8% compared to 2019.2022. This decrease was primarily a result of a 13.8%7.0% decrease in operating yields and a load factor decrease of 14.7 percentage points,yield, year over year.
Total revenue per passenger flight segment decreased 11.5%7.7% from $110.91$131.78 in 20192022 to $98.14$121.58 in 2020. Fare revenue per passenger flight segment decreased 24.9% and non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment increased 1.5%.2023. The decrease in faretotal revenue per passenger flight segment was primarily due to a decrease of 13.8%7.0% in average yield, year over year. For the year ended December 31, 2020, breakage, brand-related and other revenues (typically not directly driven by the number ofFare revenue per passenger flight segments) as a percentage of total revenue was 14.1%segment decreased 17.0%, as compared to 8.8% for the sameprior year period, inwhile non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment increased slightly by 0.9%, as compared to the prior year. Breakage revenue is comprised of estimated unredeemed flight credits that expired unused, no-show revenue, and cancellation fees. Brand-related revenue is comprised of revenues associated with $9 Fare ClubTM membership and the marketing component of our co-branded credit card revenue.year period.
Operating Expenses
Since adopting our ULCC model, we have continuously sought to reduce our unit operating costs and have created one of the industry's lowest cost structures in the United States. The table below presents our unit operating costs (CASM) and year-over-year changes.
| | | |
| | | |
| | | | | | Year Ended 2020 | | Change 2020 versus 2019 | | Year Ended 2019 | |
| | | CASM | | Per-ASM Change | | Percent change | | CASM | |
| Operating expenses: | Operating expenses: | | | | | | | | |
| Operating expenses: | |
| Operating expenses: | |
| Aircraft fuel | |
| Aircraft fuel | |
| Aircraft fuel | |
| Salaries, wages and benefits | Salaries, wages and benefits | $3.28 | | $1.21 | | 58.5% | | 2.07 | |
| Aircraft fuel | 1.55 | | (0.83) | | (34.9) | | 2.38¢ | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 1.01 | | 0.47 | | 87.0 | | 0.54 | |
| Salaries, wages and benefits | |
| Salaries, wages and benefits | |
| Landing fees and other rentals | |
| Landing fees and other rentals | |
| Landing fees and other rentals | Landing fees and other rentals | 0.91 | | 0.30 | | 49.2 | | 0.61 | |
| Aircraft rent | Aircraft rent | 0.71 | | 0.27 | | 61.4 | | 0.44 | |
| Aircraft rent | |
| Aircraft rent | |
| Depreciation and amortization | |
| Depreciation and amortization | |
| Depreciation and amortization | |
| | Maintenance, materials and repairs | |
| | Maintenance, materials and repairs | |
| | Maintenance, materials and repairs | Maintenance, materials and repairs | 0.40 | | 0.06 | | 17.6 | | 0.34 | |
| Distribution | Distribution | 0.31 | | (0.06) | | (16.2) | | 0.37 | |
| Distribution | |
| Distribution | |
| Special charges (credits) | |
| Special charges (credits) | |
| Special charges (credits) | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | Loss on disposal of assets | 0.01 | | (0.03) | | NM | | 0.04 | |
| Special charges (credits) | (1.09) | | (1.09) | | NM | | — | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | |
| Other operating expenses | |
| Other operating expenses | |
| Other operating expenses | Other operating expenses | 1.28 | | 0.10 | | 8.5 | | 1.18 | |
| Total operating expense | Total operating expense | | |
| Total operating expense | |
| Total operating expense | |
| CASM | |
| CASM | |
| CASM | CASM | 8.36 | | 0.39 | | 4.9 | | 7.97 | |
| | Adjusted CASM (1) | Adjusted CASM (1) | 9.45 | | 1.52 | | 19.2 | | 7.93 | |
| | Adjusted CASM (1) | |
| | Adjusted CASM (1) | |
| Adjusted CASM ex fuel (2) | Adjusted CASM ex fuel (2) | 7.89 | | 2.34 | | 42.2 | | 5.55 | |
| Adjusted CASM ex fuel (2) | |
| Adjusted CASM ex fuel (2) | |
(1)Reconciliation of CASM to Adjusted CASM:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, | | | | |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | |
| (in millions) | | Per ASM | | (in millions) | | Per ASM | | | | |
| CASM (cents) | | | 8.36 | | | | | 7.97 | | | | | |
| Less: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | $ | 2.3 | | | 0.01 | | | $ | 17.4 | | | 0.04 | | | | | |
| Special charges (credits) | (302.8) | | | (1.09) | | | 0.7 | | | — | | | | | |
| Supplemental rent adjustments | 2.3 | | | 0.01 | | | (0.5) | | | — | | | | | |
| Federal excise tax recovery | (3.1) | | | (0.01) | | | — | | | — | | | | | |
| Adjusted CASM (cents) | | | 9.45 | | | | | 7.93 | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, | | | | |
| 2023 | | 2022 | | |
| (in millions) | | Per ASM | | (in millions) | | Per ASM | | | | |
| CASM (cents) | | | 10.52 | | | | | 11.67 | | | | | |
| Less: | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Special charges (credits) | $ | 69.5 | | | 0.12 | | | $ | 420.2 | | | 0.87 | | | | | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 34.0 | | | 0.06 | | | 46.6 | | | 0.10 | | | | | |
| Litigation loss contingency | 6.0 | | | 0.01 | | | — | | | — | | | | | |
| Adjusted CASM (cents) | | | 10.33 | | | | | 10.71 | | | | | |
(2)Excludes aircraft fuel expense, loss on disposal of assets, special charges (credits), supplemental rent adjustments and federal excise tax recovery adjustments.
Operating expenses decreasedincreased by $1,011.7$190.9 million, or 30.4%3.4%, in 20202023 primarily due to a decreasean increase in salaries, wages and benefits expense, aircraft rent expense, other operating expense and landing fees and other rents expense, compared to the prior year period. In addition, we had an increase in operations, as reflected by a 33.7% reduction13.7% increase in traffic and a 14.6% increase in capacity, as a result of increased travel demand as compared to the prior year. These increases were offset by decreases in special charges, period over period, as well as a decrease of 15.8% in fuel price per gallon, of which contributed to a $108.8 million decrease in aircraft fuel expense, period over period.
Our adjustedAdjusted CASM ex fuelex-fuel for 2020 increased by 42.2%the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 was 7.06 cents, as compared to 2019.6.73 cents for the twelve months ended December 31, 2022. The increase on a per-ASM basis was primarily due to increases in salaries, wages and benefits expense depreciation and amortization expense, landing fees and other rents expense and aircraft rent expense, on a per-ASM basis. These increases on a per-ASM basis were mostly drivenpartially offset by the semi-fixed nature of many of these costs combined with a decrease in capacity of 33.7%, compared to the same period in the prior year due to reduced air travel demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.depreciation and amortization expense.
Aircraft fuel expenses includes both into-plane expense (as defined below) and realized and unrealized net gains or losses from fuel derivatives, if any. Into-plane fuel expense is defined as the price that we generally pay at the airport, including taxes and fees. Into-plane fuel prices are affected by the global oil market, refining costs, transportation taxes and fees, which can vary by region in the United States and other countries where we operate. Into-plane fuel expense approximates cash paid to the supplier and does not reflect the effect of any fuel derivatives. We had no activity related to fuel derivative instruments during 20202023 and 2019.
Aircraft fuel expense decreased by 56.6%5.6% from $993.5$1,930.0 million in 20192022 to $431.0$1,821.2 million in 2020.2023. This decrease was due to a 38.5% decrease in fuel gallons consumed, primarily driven by a 36.1% decrease in block hours, and a 29.4%15.8% decrease in fuel price per gallon.gallon, partially offset by a 12.2% increase in fuel gallons consumed.
The elements of the changes in aircraft fuel expense are illustrated in the following table:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, | | |
| | 2020 | | 2019 | |
| (in thousands, except per-gallon amounts) | | Percent Change |
| Fuel gallons consumed | 289,401 | | | 470,939 | | | (38.5) | % |
| Into-plane fuel cost per gallon | $ | 1.49 | | | $ | 2.11 | | | (29.4) | % |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Aircraft fuel expense (per consolidated statements of operations) | $ | 431,000 | | | $ | 993,478 | | | (56.6) | % |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Twelve Months Ended December 31, | | |
| | 2023 | | 2022 | |
| (in thousands, except per-gallon amounts) | | Percent Change |
| Fuel gallons consumed | 591,796 | | | 527,290 | | | 12.2 | % |
| Into-plane fuel cost per gallon | $ | 3.08 | | | $ | 3.66 | | | (15.8) | % |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Aircraft fuel expense (per consolidated statements of operations) | $ | 1,821,165 | | | $ | 1,929,969 | | | (5.6) | % |
Gulf Coast Jet indexed fuel is the basis for a substantial majority of our fuel consumption and is impacted by both the price of crude oil as well as increases or decreases in refining margins associated with the conversion of crude oil to jet fuel.
Labor costsSalaries, wages and benefits expense in 20202023 increased by $44.8$365.6 million, or 5.2%29.2%, compared to 2019. The2022. This increase on a dollar and per-ASM basis was primarily driven by higher salaries, vacation-time expense, 401(k) expense and crew overtime. These increases were mainly driven by contractual pay rate increases related to the collective bargaining agreements with our pilots and flight attendants ratified in January 2023 and April 2023, respectively. In addition, these increases were driven by a 8.9%16.4% increase in our pilot and flight attendant workforce, prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., resulting fromperiod over period, as well as an increase to our aircraft fleet of 12 aircraft in 2020. In March 2020, we suspended hiring across the Company except to fill essential roles. On both a dollar and per-ASM basis, labor costs increased due to the rate increase our pilots received in connection with the collective bargaining agreement that became effective on March 1, 2018 and which provides for annual increases on each anniversary of the effective date. Additionally, the increase on a per-ASM basis was partially due to a decrease in capacity of 33.7%,operations as compared to the same period in prior year. In addition, beginning March 2020, we paid salaries and wages to our unionized employees at a guaranteed volume greater than what we actually operated due to the reduced demand resulting from COVID-19, and the requirements of the PSP under the CARES Act. For more detailed information on the impact of COVID-19, please refer to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—2. Impact of COVID-19."
Depreciation and amortization increased by $53.3 million, or 23.7%, compared to the prior year. The increase in depreciation expense on both a dollar and per-ASM basis was primarily due to the purchase of 8 new aircraft and the purchase of 2 previously leased aircraft during 2020. Since depreciation and amortization expense is generally a fixed cost, the decrease in capacity of 33.7% compared to the prior year periodperiod. The increase in salaries, wages and benefits expense is also impacted thedue to an increase on a per-ASM basis.in health insurance expense, mainly driven by higher volume of claims.
Landing fees and other rents for 2020 decreased2023 increased by $5.2$61.0 million, or 2.0%17.6%, compared to 2019 primarily due to2022. On a decrease indollar basis, landing fees and overfly fees driven by a 36.5% decrease in departuresother rents expense primarily increased as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on air travel demand. This decrease was partially offset by an increase in facility rent, landing fees and gatestation baggage rent, driven by increased operations, higher rent rates and the addition of new stations as well as new gates at our existing stations,
period over period. Gate charges, landing fees, as well as a decreaseportion of facility rent and station baggage rent are variable in signatory adjustment credits received,nature and vary based on factors such as the number of departures and passengers. As compared to the prior year. This decrease in signatory adjustment credits, year period, departures increased by 14.1% and passenger flight segments increased by 14.7%. On a per-ASM basis, landing fees and other rents remained relatively consistent, period over year, is due to airports recovering operating losses from lower utilization fees as well as increased market share at certain airports where other airlines have decreased flying due to the impact of COVID-19 on air travel demand.period.
Aircraft rent expense in 20202023 increased by $13.8$98.8 million, or 7.5%35.0%, compared to 2019. The2022. This increase in aircraft rent expense was primarily driven bydue to an increase in the number of aircraft financed under operating leases throughout 2020,the current period, as compared to the prior year. During 2020, we have acquired 4 newyear period. The increase on a dollar and per-ASM basis in aircraft rent expense was primarily due to an increase in the number of aircraft financed under operating leases.leases throughout the current period, as compared to the prior year period. Since 2022, we have recorded 29 new operating leases related to new and previously owned aircraft.
Depreciation and amortization increased by $7.8 million, or 2.5%, compared to the prior year. The increases generatedincrease in depreciation and amortization expense on a dollar basis was primarily driven by an increase in spare engines and computer software, as well as amortization of new engine overhauls capitalized in the new leased aircraft wereperiod. Since 2022, we have taken delivery of four spare engines purchased with cash. This increase was partially offset by a decrease in depreciation and amortization expense in the purchasecurrent period, as a result of 2the impact of the impairment of 29 of our A319 aircraft off leaseassociated with the decision to accelerate their retirement during 2020.the fourth quarter of 2022 and the sale of 12 A319 airframes and 20 A319 engines during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. On a per-ASM basis, aircraft rentdepreciation and amortization expense also increaseddecreased due to a change in the composition of our aircraft fleet between leased aircraft (for which rent expense is recorded under aircraft rent) and purchased aircraft (for which depreciation expense is recorded under depreciation and amortization) and leased aircraft (for which rent expense is recorded under aircraft rent). DuringSince the prior year ended December 31, 2020,period, we tookhave taken delivery of eight23 new purchasedleased aircraft, which increased capacity but had no effect on aircraft rent expense, as these assets were purchased and are being depreciated over their useful life.
We account for heavy maintenance under the deferral method. Under the deferral method, the cost of heavy maintenance is capitalized and amortized as a component of depreciation and amortization expense in the consolidated statements of operations until the earlier of the next heavy maintenance event or end of the lease term. The amortization of heavy maintenance costs was $88.9$79.8 million and $63.4$96.7 million for the year ended December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, respectively. The increasedecrease in amortization of heavy maintenance costs, period over period, was primarily duerelated to the timing and numberimpact of the impairment of 29 of our A319 aircraft, including the related net capitalized maintenance, events inassociated with the current year,decision to accelerate their retirement during the fourth quarter of 2022. However, as compared to the prior year. This increase in heavy maintenance amortization also contributed to the per-ASM increase in depreciation and amortization expense, year over year. As our fleet continues to age, we expect that the amount of deferred
heavy maintenance events will increase and will result in an increase in the amortization of those costs. If the amortization of heavy maintenance events were amortizedrecorded within maintenance, materials and repairs expense in the consolidated statements of operations, our maintenance, materials and repairs expense would have been $200.2$303.1 million and $206.9$284.5 million for the year ended December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, respectively.
Maintenance, materials and repairs expense increased by $35.5 million, or 18.9%, in 2023, as compared to 2022. The increase on a dollar basis was mainly due to a higher volume of aircraft and rotable maintenance events as a result of a 14.1% increase in departures in the current period as compared to the prior year period. On a per-ASM basis, maintenance, materials and repairs expense remained relatively stable since the prior year period.
Distribution expense decreasedincreased by $68.7$13.3 million, or 44.7%7.5%, in 2020,2023, compared to 2019.2022. The decreaseincrease on a dollar and per-ASM basis was primarily due to decreasedincreased sales volume as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on air travel demandwell as an increase in credit card fee rates, which impacts our variable distribution costs such as credit card fees and GDS fees.
The following table shows our distribution channel usage:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, | | |
| | 2020 | | 2019 | | Change |
| Website | 68.1 | % | | 66.6 | % | | 1.5 | |
| Third-party travel agents | 25.6 | | | 26.8 | | | (1.2) | |
| Call center | 6.3 | | | 6.6 | | | (0.3) | |
Maintenance, materials and repairs expense decreased by $32.3 million, or 22.5%, in 2020, as compared to 2019. This decrease is mainly due to fewer aircraft maintenance events as a result of lower utilization in the current year compared to the prior year as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on air travel demand. On a per-ASM basis, the increase isdistribution costs decreased primarily relateddue to lower average fare resulting in a decrease in credit card fees, year over year, and also due to a decrease in capacity of 33.7% with no associated decrease in the fixed maintenance, material and repairs costs.sales from third-party travel agents.
Loss on disposal of assets totaled $2.3 million for the year ended 2020. This loss on disposal of assets mainly consists of $1.5 million related to the write-off of certain unrecoverable costs previously capitalized with a project to upgrade our enterprise accounting software which was subsequently suspended and $0.8 million related to the disposal of excess and obsolete inventory. Loss on disposal of assets totaled $17.4 million for the year ended 2019. This loss consisted of $13.4 million related to the disposal of excess and obsolete inventory, $3.1 million related to the write-down of certain held-for-sale assets to fair value less cost to sell and $2.4 million related to the write-off of certain unrecoverable costs previously capitalized with the project to upgrade our enterprise accounting software which was subsequently suspended. These losses on disposal of assets were partially offset by a $1.5 million gain on sale leaseback transactions for 6 aircraft delivered during the year ended December 31, 2019.
Special charges (credits) for the year ended 20202023 consisted of a $266.8$50.0 million credit of deferred salaries, wages in legal, advisory and benefits, net ofother fees related to the Merger Agreement with JetBlue, as well as $19.5 million related costs, recognizedto the retention award program in connection with the grant componentMerger Agreement with JetBlue. Special charges (credits) for the year ended 2022 consisted of the PSP with the Treasury and $38.5$333.7 million in impairment charges related to the CARES Employee Retention credit. These special credits were partially offset by $2.5purchase agreement to sell 29 of our A319 aircraft, $47.2 million in special charges recordedlegal, advisory and other fees related to the Former Frontier Merger Agreement, JetBlue's unsolicited proposal to acquire all of our outstanding shares in an all-cash transaction and the third and fourth quarters of 2020JetBlue Merger Agreement as well as $39.3 million related to our voluntary and involuntary employee separationretention award programs. For additional information, refer to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—5. 4. Special Charges and Credits." Special charges (credits)
Loss on disposal of assets totaled $34.0 million for the year ended ended 20192023. This loss on disposal of assets primarily consisted of a $0.7$32.1 million write-offloss related to the 6 aircraft sale-leaseback transactions (on existing aircraft), a net loss of $1.6 million related to the sale of 12 A319 airframes and 20 A319 engines as well as a $3.3 million loss primarily related to the disposal of obsolete assets, partially offset by a net gain of $3.0 million related to 10 aircraft sale-leaseback transactions related credits resulting from the exchange of credits negotiated under theto new purchase agreement with Airbus executedaircraft deliveries completed during the fourthtwelve months ended December 31, 2023. Loss on disposal of assets totaled $46.6 million for the year ended 2022. This loss on disposal of assets primarily consisted of $38.5 million related to the loss on 16 aircraft sale-leaseback transactions completed during 2022 and $6.6 million related to the impairment of 1 spare engine during the first quarter of 2019.2022 which was damaged beyond economic repair.
Other operating expenses in 2020 decreased2023 increased by $136.2$81.0 million, or 27.7%11.4%, compared to 20192022. The increase in other operating expenses on a dollar basis was primarily due to an increase in ground handling expense, software maintenance, travel and lodging expense and other airport services expense, period over period, primarily as a result of an increase in operations. As compared to the prior year period, departures increased by 14.1%, and we had 14.7% more passenger flight segments, which drove increases in variable other operating expenses. Additionally, we recorded a litigation loss contingency of $6.0 million in the second quarter of 2023. These increases were offset by a decrease in passenger reaccommodation expense, period over period, related to a number of adverse weather events and increases in air traffic control programs and restrictions, which led to a significant number of flight delays and cancellations during the first half of 2022. In addition, these increases were partially offset by engine credits earned in the current period. On a per-ASM basis, other operating expenses decreased primarily due to a decrease in overall operations as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on air travel demand. Aspassenger reaccommodation expense compared to the prior year departures decreasedperiod as well as engine credits earned in the period, partially offset by 36.5% and we had 46.6% less passenger flight segments, which drove decreasesan increase in other variable operating expenses. In addition, we had lower passenger reaccommodation expense, year over year, due to fewer storm-related flight disruptions during the year ended December 31, 2020.software maintenance.
Other (Income) Expense
Other (income) expense, net increaseddecreased from $64.6$101.8 million in 20192022 to $112.4$62.8 million in 20202023, was primarily driven by an increase in interest expenseincome of $33.2$41.6 million which primarily consisted of interest related to the financing of purchased aircraft as well as the interest and accretion related to our convertible notes and 8.00% senior secured notes. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, we had 72 and 64 purchased aircraft financed through secured long-term debt arrangements, respectively. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—14. Debt and Other Obligations” for additional information. In addition, thean increase in other (income) expense was attributed to a decreasegain on extinguishment of debt of $15.4 million, recognized from favorable interest rate swap provisions contained in certain debt agreements extinguished during the fourth quarter of 2023, and partially offset by the write-off of related deferred financing costs. The increase in interest income of $18.8 millionwas primarily due lowerto an increase in interest rates as compared to the prior year period. These increases in interest income and gain on extinguishment of debt were partially offset by an increase in capitalized interest expense of $3.5 million.
$29.3 million, which was primarily due to the increase in interest and accretion, year over year, as a result of the additional $600.0 million 8.00% senior secured notes incurred during the fourth quarter 2022.
Income Taxes
In 2020,2023, our effective tax rate was 30.9%19.9% compared to 23.2%20.9% in 2019. The increase in the effective tax rate is primarily related to the tax benefit of the federal net operating loss carry back filed in 2020.2022. While we expect our tax rate to be fairly consistent in the near term, it will tend to vary depending on recurring items such as the amount of income we earn in each state and the state tax rate applicable to such income. Discrete items particular to a given year may also affect our effective tax rates.
Quarterly Financial Data (unaudited)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Three Months Ended |
| | | March 31, 2019 | | June 30, 2019 | | September 30, 2019 | | December 31, 2019 | | March 31, 2020 | | June 30, 2020 | | September 30, 2020 | | December 31, 2020 |
| | | (in thousands, except share and per-share amounts) |
| Operating revenues: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Fare | | $ | 416,345 | | | $ | 515,696 | | | $ | 493,376 | | | $ | 461,438 | | | $ | 321,447 | | | $ | 63,769 | | | $ | 164,432 | | | $ | 206,577 | |
| Non-fare | | 421,720 | | | 478,734 | | | 479,977 | | | 490,319 | | | 432,103 | | | 67,048 | | | 228,312 | | | 281,845 | |
| Total passenger revenues | | $ | 838,065 | | | $ | 994,430 | | | $ | 973,353 | | | $ | 951,757 | | | $ | 753,550 | | | $ | 130,817 | | | $ | 392,744 | | | $ | 488,422 | |
| Other revenues | | 17,731 | | | 18,526 | | | 18,615 | | | 18,059 | | | 17,531 | | | 7,712 | | | 9,178 | | | 10,068 | |
| Total operating revenues | | $ | 855,796 | | | $ | 1,012,956 | | | $ | 991,968 | | | $ | 969,816 | | | $ | 771,081 | | | $ | 138,529 | | | $ | 401,922 | | | $ | 498,490 | |
| Operating income (loss) | | 87,804 | | | 163,938 | | | 124,681 | | | 124,624 | | | (57,992) | | | (190,384) | | | (99,471) | | | (159,915) | |
| Net income (loss) | | $ | 56,076 | | | $ | 114,501 | | | $ | 83,464 | | | $ | 81,214 | | | $ | (27,828) | | | $ | (144,428) | | | $ | (99,140) | | | $ | (157,304) | |
| Earnings (loss) per share: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Basic | | $ | 0.82 | | | $ | 1.67 | | | $ | 1.22 | | | $ | 1.19 | | | $ | (0.41) | | | $ | (1.81) | | | $ | (1.07) | | | $ | (1.61) | |
| Diluted | | $ | 0.82 | | | $ | 1.67 | | | $ | 1.22 | | | $ | 1.18 | | | $ | (0.41) | | | $ | (1.81) | | | $ | (1.07) | | | $ | (1.61) | |
| Weighted average shares outstanding: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Basic | | 68,379,707 | | | 68,439,261 | | | 68,441,899 | | | 68,452,317 | | | 68,520,872 | | | 79,601,406 | | | 92,731,012 | | | 97,684,053 | |
| Diluted | | 68,515,454 | | | 68,620,330 | | | 68,544,690 | | | 68,553,114 | | | 68,520,872 | | | 79,601,406 | | | 97,731,012 | | | 97,684,053 | |
Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for other interim periods or for the full year. The air transportation business is subject to significant seasonal fluctuations as demand is generally greater in the second and third quarters of each year. The air transportation business is also volatile and highly affected by economic cycles and trends.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Three Months Ended |
| | | March 31,
2019 | | June 30, 2019 | | September 30, 2019 | | December 31, 2019 | | March 31,
2020 | | June 30, 2020 | | September 30, 2020 | | December 31, 2020 |
| Other operating statistics | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Aircraft at end of period | | 133 | | | 135 | | | 136 | | | 145 | | | 151 | | | 154 | | | 155 | | | 157 | |
| Average daily Aircraft utilization (hours) | | 12.2 | | | 12.8 | | | 12.5 | | | 11.7 | | | 11.8 | | | 2.0 | | | 6.9 | | | 7.2 | |
| Average stage length (miles) | | 1,029 | | | 1,004 | | | 979 | | | 998 | | | 1,021 | | | 960 | | | 1,037 | | | 1,057 | |
| Departures | | 52,175 | | | 58,517 | | | 59,314 | | | 57,035 | | | 58,174 | | | 10,754 | | | 37,120 | | | 38,224 | |
| Passenger flight segments (thousands) | | 7,820 | | | 8,953 | | | 9,004 | | | 8,760 | | | 7,653 | | | 900 | | | 4,623 | | | 5,267 | |
| Revenue passenger miles (RPMs) (thousands) | | 8,133,030 | | | 9,157,488 | | | 9,057,574 | | | 8,897,193 | | | 7,948,963 | | | 894,900 | | | 4,879,334 | | | 5,596,213 | |
| Available seat miles (ASMs) (thousands) | | 9,829,044 | | | 10,775,878 | | | 10,686,246 | | | 10,491,833 | | | 10,913,934 | | | 1,809,874 | | | 7,164,634 | | | 7,829,944 | |
| Load factor (%) | | 82.7 | | | 85.0 | | | 84.8 | | | 84.8 | | | 72.8 | | | 49.4 | | | 68.1 | | | 71.5 | |
| Fare revenue per passenger flight segment ($) | | 53.24 | | | 57.60 | | | 54.80 | | | 52.68 | | | 42.00 | | | 70.82 | | | 35.57 | | | 39.22 | |
| Non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment ($) | | 56.20 | | | 55.54 | | | 55.37 | | | 58.03 | | | 58.75 | | | 83.03 | | | 51.37 | | | 55.42 | |
| Total operating revenue per ASM (TRASM) (cents) | | 8.71 | | | 9.40 | | | 9.28 | | | 9.24 | | | 7.07 | | | 7.65 | | | 5.61 | | | 6.37 | |
| CASM (cents) | | 7.81 | | | 7.88 | | | 8.12 | | | 8.06 | | | 7.60 | | | 18.17 | | | 7.00 | | | 8.41 | |
| Adjusted CASM (cents) (1) | | 7.79 | | | 7.86 | | | 8.03 | | | 8.01 | | | 7.60 | | | 26.57 | | | 9.07 | | | 8.34 | |
| Adjusted CASM ex fuel (cents) (2) | | 5.46 | | | 5.41 | | | 5.66 | | | 5.67 | | | 5.64 | | | 25.47 | | | 7.75 | | | 7.06 | |
| Fuel gallons consumed (thousands) | | 109,828 | | | 122,447 | | | 122,072 | | | 116,591 | | | 117,944 | | | 18,997 | | | 74,222 | | | 78,237 | |
| Average fuel cost per gallon ($) | | 2.09 | | | 2.16 | | | 2.08 | | | 2.10 | | | 1.81 | | | 1.05 | | | 1.27 | | | 1.32 | |
(1) Reconciliation of CASM to Adjusted CASM:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Three Months Ended |
March 31,
2019 | | June 30, 2019 | | September 30, 2019 | | December 31, 2019 | | March 31,
2020 | | June 30, 2020 | | September 30, 2020 | | December 31, 2020 |
| (in millions) | Per ASM | | (in millions) | Per ASM | | (in millions) | Per ASM | | (in millions) | Per ASM | | (in millions) | Per ASM | | (in millions) | Per ASM | | (in millions) | Per ASM | | (in millions) | Per ASM |
| CASM (cents) | | 7.81 | | | | 7.88 | | | | 8.12 | | | | 8.06 | | | | 7.60 | | | | 18.17 | | | | 7.00 | | | | 8.41 | |
| Less: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 1.9 | | 0.02 | | | 1.6 | | 0.01 | | | 13.4 | | 0.13 | | | 0.5 | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | 2.3 | | 0.03 | |
| Special charges (credits) | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | 0.7 | | 0.01 | | | — | | — | | | (151.9) | (8.39) | | | (148.3) | (2.07) | | (2.5) | | (0.03) | |
| Supplemental rent adjustments | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | (4.3) | | (0.04) | | | 3.8 | | 0.04 | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | 2.3 | | 0.03 | |
| Federal excise tax recovery | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | — | | — | | | (3.1) | | (0.04) | |
| Adjusted CASM (cents) | | 7.79 | | | | 7.86 | | | | 8.03 | | | | 8.01 | | | | 7.60 | | | | 26.57 | | | | 9.07 | | | | 8.34 | |
(2) Excludes aircraft fuel expense, loss on disposal of assets, special charges (credits), supplemental rent adjustments and federal excise tax recovery adjustments.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Since its initial onset in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved throughout the year and continues to be fluid. Therefore, our financial and operational outlook still remains subject to change and fluctuation. We continue to monitor the impacts of the pandemic on our liquidity and financial condition, and to implement and adapt mitigation strategies while working to preserve cash and protect our long-term sustainability. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken, and are continuing to take, certain actions to increase liquidity and strengthen our financial position. Please refer to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—2. Impact of COVID-19," "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 11. Common Stock and Preferred Stock," and "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 14. Debt and Other Obligations" for additional information on the PSP and the measures we have implemented to focus on the safety of our Guests and employees as well as the impact on our liquidity, financial position and operations. As of December 31, 2020, we had $1,896.1 million in liquid assets comprised of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and short-term investment securities.
Generally, ourOur primary sources of liquidity aregenerally include cash on hand, cash provided by operations and capital from debt and equity financing. Primary uses of liquidity are for working capital needs, capital expenditures, aircraft and engine pre-delivery deposit payments ("PDPs") and debt and lease obligations and maintenance reserves. Our total unrestricted cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 2020 was $1,789.7 million, an increase of $810.8 million from December 31, 2019. In addition to unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, as of December 31, 2020, we had $106.3 million in short-term investment securities.obligations. We expect to meet our cash needs for the next twelve months primarily with cash and cash equivalents, cash flows from operations, the implementation of discretionary cost reduction strategies and other financing arrangements and funds to be received in connection with the PSP2.
Refer to the section “Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Liquidity” within our Year in Review above for further information about actions we have taken to increase liquidity and strengthen our financial position in response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. These actions include the private offering of $850 million of the 8.00% senior secured notes, the public offering of $175.0 million in convertible notes, the public offering of 20,125,000 shares of our voting common stock for which we received net proceeds of $192.4 million, the issuance and sale of 9,000,000 shares of our voting common stock through our ATM Program for which we received net proceeds of $156.7 million and the execution of a revolving credit facility with a total commitment of $180.0 million asarrangements. As of December 31, 2020, among others. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020,2023, we made $84.8had $1,277.7 million in liquid assets comprised of unrestricted cash and cash equivalents, short-term investment securities and funds available under our revolving credit facility. From time to time and subject to market conditions and any applicable contractual requirements, we may refinance portions of our debt, payments (principal,including our 2025 maturities, which, at current interest rates and fees)market conditions, may negatively impact our interest expense or result in higher dilution. In addition, from time to time, we may decide to repurchase or otherwise retire portions of our existing indebtedness through transactions in the open market, privately negotiated transactions, tender offers, exchange offers or otherwise, or we may redeem or prepay portions of our existing indebtedness pursuant to its terms. Any such action will depend on our outstanding non-aircraft debt obligations. Refer to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 11. Common Stockmarket conditions and Preferred Stock" and "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—Note 14. Debt and Other Obligations" for additional information.any applicable contractual requirements.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had $109.0$25.1 million recorded within current maturities of long-term debt and finance leases on our consolidated balance sheets related to our convertible debt.notes due 2025. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the convertible notes due 2025 may be converted by noteholders through March 31, 2021. No2024. During the first quarter of 2023, $0.3 million of our convertible notes due 2025 were converted during the year ended December 31, 2020. Upon conversion and at our election, we may satisfy part or all of our conversion obligation in either cash orto 27,204 shares of our voting common stock. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—13. Debt and Other Obligations,” for additional information.
As of December 31, 2023, we had $472.6 million, net of the related unamortized debt discount of $27.4 million, recorded within long-term debt, net and finance leases, less current maturities on our consolidated balance sheets related to our convertible notes due 2026. As of December 31, 2023, the convertible notes due 2026 did not qualify for conversion by noteholders through March 31, 2024. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements —13. Debt and Other Obligations” for additional information.
Currently, one of our largest capital expenditure needs is funding the acquisition costs of our aircraft. Aircraft are acquired through debt financing, cash purchases, direct leases or sale leasebacksale-leaseback transactions. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020,2023, we purchased 8took delivery of 13 aircraft through debt financingunder direct operating leases, 10 aircraft under sale-leaseback transactions and4 spare engines purchased with cash. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, we made $261.7$730.1 million in debt payments (principal, interest and fees) on our outstanding aircraft debt obligations. The debt entered into during the current year solely to finance aircraft acquisition costs has maturity dates ranging from 2030 to 2032 and interest rates ranging from 1.90% to 3.32%. During 2020, we entered into 1 new aircraft sale leaseback transaction. In addition, during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, we took delivery of 3 aircraft financed through direct operating leases and purchased 2 aircraft previously financed under operating leases. We also purchased 2 spare engines through cash purchases.
Under our purchase agreements with Airbus for aircraft and International Aero Engines AG ("IAE") and Pratt & Whitney for engines, we are required to pay PDPs relating to future deliveries at various times prior to each delivery date. During 2020,2023, we paid $143.2$23.2 million in PDPs, net of refunds, and $12.2$21.9 million of capitalized interest for future deliveries of aircraft and spare engines. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had $356.3$480.7 million of pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment, including capitalized interest, on our consolidated balance sheet.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had secured financing for 1022 aircraft to be leased directly from third-party lessors, scheduled for delivery in 2021.through 2025, and 18 aircraft which will be financed through sale-leaseback transactions, scheduled for delivery through 2025. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we did not have financing commitments in place for the 126remaining 81 Airbus firm aircraft orders, scheduled for delivery through 2027.2029. However, we have signed a financing letter of agreement with Airbus which provides backstop financing for a majority of the aircraft included in the A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement. The agreement provides a standby credit facility in the form of senior secured mortgage debt financing. Future aircraft deliveries
may be paid in cash, leased or otherwise financed based on market conditions, our prevailing level of liquidity, and capital market availability.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, we were compliant with our credit card processing agreements, and not subject to any credit card holdbacks. The maximum potential exposure to cash holdbacks by our credit card processors, based upon advance ticket sales and $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® memberships, as of December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 2019,2022, was $423.7$408.3 million and $342.3$468.5 million, respectively.
During the fourth quarter of 2023, we early extinguished $323.3 million of outstanding fixed-rate term loans on 16 of our aircraft. In connection with this debt extinguishment, we received $17.8 million related to favorable interest rate swap provisions contained in the debt agreements associated with these fixed-rate term loans. This amount was recorded within loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt on our consolidated statement of operations for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023. In addition, during December 2023, we completed 20 sale-leaseback transactions (on aircraft we previously owned) of which, 6 resulted in operating leases and 14 would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements — Note 14”, Leases for additional information on the 20 sale-leaseback transactions.
Net Cash Flows Provided (Used) By Operating Activities. Operating activities in 20202023 used $225.3$246.7 million in cash compared to $551.3$89.0 million providedused in 2019.2022. Cash providedused by operating activities decreased, year over year,during 2023 was primarily duerelated to athe net loss duringin the twelve months ended December 31, 2020. In addition, we had decreasesperiod as well as an increase in income tax receivable,deferred heavy maintenance and a decrease in deferred income tax expense and deferred heavy maintenance, net,benefit in the period. The cash used in the period was partially offset by increases in accounts receivable, net, and air traffic liability, as well as a higher non-cash expense of depreciation and amortization, as compared to the prior year. Due to the impact of COVID-19 on our operations, we may continue to experience negative cash flows from operations.well as increases in other liabilities and air traffic liability.
Operating activities in 2019 provided $551.32022 used $89.0 million in cash compared to $506.5$208.9 million provided in 2018.2021. Cash providedused by operating activities increased, year over year,during 2022 was primarily duerelated to higherthe net loss in the period as well as an increase in deferred heavy maintenance and a decrease in deferred income year over year. In addition, we hadtax benefit in the period. The cash used in the period was partially offset by higher non-cash expensesexpense of fixed asset impairment and depreciation and amortization, as well as increases in other liabilities and deferred income tax expense, as compared to the prior year. Partially offsetting this increase was a decrease in cash provided by income tax receivable, year over year, as we had a decrease of $69.8 million income tax receivable during 2018 as compared to an increase in income tax receivable of $21.0 million recorded during 2019. In addition, there was a decrease in cash, year over year, provided by other working capital accounts.air traffic liability.
Net Cash Flows Used In Investing Activities. During 2020,2023, investing activities used $554.0$36.5 million, compared to $456.9$265.4 million used in 2019.2022. The increasecash used was mainly due to an increase in purchasesdriven by the purchase of property, plant and equipment, year over year, as well as an increase in PDPs paid, netpartially offset by proceeds from the sale of refunds, driven by timing of future aircraft deliveries.property, plant and equipment.
During 2019,2022, investing activities used $456.9$265.4 million, compared to $783.7$352.4 million used in 2018. This decrease2021. The cash used was mainly driven by a decrease in the purchase of property, plant and equipment, year over year, as well as a decrease in PDPs paid, net of refunds, driven by timing of future aircraft deliveries.equipment.
Net Cash Provided (Used) By Financing Activities. During 2020,2023, financing activities provided $1,661.4used $198.0 million. We received $1,585.7 million, netCash used was mainly driven by cash payments on debt obligations and payments to extinguish debt early, partially offset by the proceeds of issuance costs, primarily related to the debt financing of 8 aircraft delivered during 2020, the revolving credit facilities, the unsecured term loan in connection with the PSP, the issuance of convertible notes and the issuance of the 8.00% senior secured notes. In addition, during 2020, we received an additional $353.0 million, net of issuance costs, in connection with the issuance of common stock and issuance of warrants in connection with the PSP. We paid $254.3 million in debt principal payment obligations and $25.4 million in finance lease obligations. The payments on finance lease obligations were primarily related to an aircraft purchase agreement for the purchase of two A319 aircraft.long-term debt. Refer to "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements - 15. Leases—13. Debt and Prepaid Maintenance Deposits"Other Obligations" for more information on these two aircraft.additional information.
During 2019,2022, financing activities used $120.2provided $391.3 million. WeDuring the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, we received $225.9$591.0 million, primarilynet, related to the debt financingissuance of 4 aircraft delivered during 2019. In addition, we paid $246.8the 8.00% Additional Notes due 2025, partially offset by $193.0 million in debt principal payment obligations and $96.5 million in finance lease obligations. The payments on finance lease obligations are primarily relateddebt obligations. Refer to an aircraft purchase agreement"Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements —13. Debt and Other Obligations" for the purchase of four A320ceo aircraft which were previously financed under operating leases.
Commitments and Contractual Obligations
Our contractual purchase commitments consist primarily of aircraft and engine acquisitions through manufacturers and aircraft leasing companies. As of December 31, 2020,2023, our firm aircraft orders consisted of 12699 A320 family aircraft with Airbus, including A319neos, A320neos and A321neos, with deliveries expected through 2027.2029. On July 31, 2023, we entered into Amendment No. 6 (the “Amendment”) to the Airbus Purchase Agreement. The Amendment converts the A319neo aircraft to be delivered under the Airbus Purchase Agreement to A321neo aircraft. The Amendment also (i) defers certain A320neo aircraft deliveries from 2024 to 2025 and later years, (ii) extends delivery dates for certain A320neo and A321neo aircraft deliveries from 2025-2027 to 2025-2029 and (iii) adjusts the timing of option aircraft delivery dates from 2026-2028 to 2027-2029. In addition, the Amendment creates a more equal distribution of aircraft deliveries and option rights across the delivery periods. As of December 31, 2023, we had 10 direct operating leasessecured financing for A320neos18 aircraft, scheduled for delivery from Airbus from through 2025, which will be financed through sale-leaseback transactions. The contractual purchase amounts for these aircraft from Airbus are included within the flight equipment purchase obligations in the table below. We did not have financing commitments in place for the remaining 81 Airbus aircraft currently on firm order, which are scheduled for delivery through 2029. However, we have signed a financing letter of agreement with third-party lessors, with deliveries expected through 2021.Airbus which provides backstop financing for a majority of the aircraft included in the A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement. The agreement provides a standby credit facility in the form of senior secured mortgage debt financing.
On December 20, 2019,During the third quarter of 2021, we entered into an A320 NEO FamilyEngine Purchase Support Agreement with Airbus for the purchase of 100 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft, with optionswhich requires us to purchase upa certain number of spare engines in order to 50 additional aircraft. This agreement includesmaintain a mixcontractual ratio of Airbus A319neo, A320neo and A321neospare engines to aircraft with such aircraft scheduled for delivery through 2027. We also have one spare engine order for a V2500 SelectTwo engine with IAE and two spare engine orders for PurePower PW 1100G-JM engines with Pratt & Whitney. Spare engines are scheduled for delivery from 2021 through 2023.in the fleet. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we are committed expenditures for these aircraft andto purchase 19 PW1100G-JM spare engines, including estimated amounts for contractual price escalations and aircraft PDPs, are expected to be $415.7 million in 2021, $849.1 million in 2022, $676.0 million in 2023, $1,001.6 million in 2024, $1,209.1 million in 2025, and $2,367.8 million in 2026 and beyond. with deliveries through 2029.
During the third quarter of 2019, the United States
announced its decision to levy tariffs on certain imports from the European Union, including commercial aircraft and related parts. These tariffs include aircraft and other parts that we are already contractually obligated to purchase including those reflected above. The imposition of thesebelow. In June 2021, the United States Trade Representative announced that the United States and European Union had agreed to suspend reciprocal tariffs may substantially increase the cost of new Airbuson large civilian aircraft and parts requiredfor five years, pending discussions to service our Airbus fleet.resolve their trade dispute. For further discussion on this topic, please refer to "Risk Factors - Risks Related to Our Business - Any tariffs imposed on commercial aircraft and related parts imported from outside the United States may have a material adverse effect on our fleet, business, financial condition and our results of operations."
In addition to the aircraft purchase agreement, as of December 31, 2023, we had secured financing for 22 aircraft to be leased directly from third-party lessors, scheduled for delivery through 2025. Aircraft rent commitments for future aircraft deliveries to be financed under these direct leases from third-party lessors and sale-leaseback transactions are expected to be approximately $72.4 million in 2024, $167.8 million in 2025, $183.3 million in 2026, $183.3 million in 2027, $183.3 million in 2028 and $1,409.3 million in 2029 and beyond. These future commitments are not included in the table below.
We have significant obligations for aircraft and spare engines as 56we had 132 leased aircraft, of ourwhich 117 aircraft were financed under operating leases and 8 of our15 aircraft would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions, and 6 spare engines arewere financed under operating leases. These leases expire between 2022 and 2038. Aircraft rent payments were $172.0$389.6 million and $181.0$286.0 million for 20202023 and 2019, respectively.2022, respectively, for aircraft which were financed under operating leases. Aircraft rent payments were $6.5 million and $4.3 million for 2023 and 2022, respectively, for aircraft which would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions. Refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—13. Debt and Other Obligations” and “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—14. Leases" for additional information.
We have contractual obligations and commitments primarily with regard to future purchases of aircraft and engines, payment of debt and lease arrangements. The following table discloses aggregate information about our contractual obligations as of December 31, 20202023 and the periods in which payments are due (in millions):
| | Total | | 2021 | | 2022 - 2023 | | 2024 - 2025 | | 2026 and beyond |
| | Total | | | | Total | | 2024 | | 2025 - 2026 | | 2027 - 2028 | | 2029 and beyond |
| Long-term debt (1) | Long-term debt (1) | | $ | 3,581 | | | $ | 290 | | | $ | 708 | | | $ | 1,433 | | | $ | 1,150 | |
| Interest and fee commitments (2) | Interest and fee commitments (2) | | 789 | | | 162 | | | 287 | | | 237 | | | 103 | |
| Finance and operating lease obligations | Finance and operating lease obligations | | 2,109 | | | 242 | | | 416 | | | 332 | | | 1,119 | |
| Flight equipment purchase obligations | | 6,520 | | | 416 | | | 1,525 | | | 2,211 | | | 2,368 | |
| Other (3) | | 113 | | | 18 | | | 30 | | | 30 | | | 35 | |
| Flight equipment purchase obligations (3) | |
| Other (4) | |
| Total future payments on contractual obligations | Total future payments on contractual obligations | | $ | 13,112 | | | $ | 1,128 | | | $ | 2,966 | | | $ | 4,243 | | | $ | 4,775 | |
(1)Includes principal only associated with our 8.00% senior secured notes, senior termfixed-rate loans fixed-rate loans,(includes failed sale-leaseback transactions), unsecured term loans, Class A Class B, and Class CB Series 2015-1 EETCs, Class AA, Class A Class B, and Class CB Series 2017-1 EETCs, convertible notes and our revolving credit facilities. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—14.13. Debt and Other Obligations.”
(2)Related to our 8.00% senior secured notes, senior termfixed-rate loans fixed-rate loans,(includes failed sale-leaseback transactions), unsecured term loans and Class A Class B, and Class CB Series 2015-1 EETCs, and Class AA, Class A Class B, and Class CB Series 2017-1 EETCs and convertible debt. Includes interest accrued as of December 31, 20202023 related to our variable-rate revolving credit facilities.facility.
(3)Includes estimated amounts for contractual price escalations and PDPs.
(4)Primarily related to our new headquarters campus and residential building, reservation system and other miscellaneous subscriptions and services. Refer to “Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements—18.17. Commitments and Contingencies.”
Some of our master lease agreements require that we pay maintenance reserves to aircraft lessors to be held as collateral in advance of our required performance of major maintenance activities. Some maintenance reserve payments are fixed contractual amounts, while others are based on utilization.
As of December 31, 2020, we had secured financing for 10 aircraft to be leased directly from third-party lessors, scheduled for delivery in 2021. We did not have financing commitments in place for the 126 Airbus aircraft currently on firm order, which are scheduled for delivery through 2027. However, we have signed a financing letter of agreement with Airbus which provides backstop financing for a majority of the aircraft included in the A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement. The agreement provides a standby credit facility in the form of senior secured mortgage debt financing.
As of December 31, 2020, aircraft rent commitments for future aircraft deliveries to be financed under direct leases from third-party lessors are expected to be approximately $18.1 million in 2021, $34.2 million in 2022, $34.2 million in 2023, $34.2 million in 2024, $34.2 million in 2025, and $255.5 million in 2026 and beyond. These future commitments are not included in the table above.
During the fourth quarter of 2019, we purchased an 8.5-acre parcel of land for $41.0 million and entered into a 99-year lease agreement for the lease of a 2.6-acre parcel of land, in Dania Beach, Florida, where we intend to buildare building a new headquarters campus. During the first quarter of 2022, we began building our new headquarters campus with an expected completion during the first quarter of 2024. Operating lease commitments related to this lease are included in the table above under the caption "Finance and operating lease obligations." For more detailed information, please refer to “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements— 15. Leases and Aircraft Maintenance Deposits.14. Leases."
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, we had a line of credit for $3.1$20.1 million and $33.6$20.1 million, respectively, related to corporate credit cards. As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, we had drawn $0.6$1.5 million and $4.6$1.8 million, respectively, which is included within accounts payable on our consolidated balance sheets.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had lines of credit with counterparties for both physical fuel delivery and derivatives, if any, in the amount of $41.5$25.0 million. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had not drawn $3.7 million on these lines of credit for physical fuel delivery. We are required to post collateral for any excess above the lines of credit if the derivatives, if any, are in a net liability
position and make periodic payments in order to maintain an adequate undrawn portion for physical fuel delivery. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we did not hold any derivatives.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had $11.5$13.0 million in uncollateralized surety bonds and a $30.0$85.0 million cash collateralized standby letterletters of credit facility,collateralized by $75.0 million of restricted cash, representing an off balance-sheet commitment, of which $23.6$55.9 million had been drawn upon for were issued letters of credit.
GLOSSARY OF AIRLINE TERMS
Set forth below is a glossary of industry terms:
“Adjusted CASM” means operating expenses, excluding unrealized gains or losses related to fuel derivative contracts, out of period fuel federal excise tax, loss on disposal of assets, special charges (credits), supplemental rent adjustments and federal excise tax recovery adjustments,a litigation loss contingency recorded in the second quarter of 2023, divided by ASMs.
“Adjusted CASM ex fuel” means operating expenses excluding aircraft fuel expense, loss on disposal of assets, special charges (credits), supplemental rent adjustments and federal excise tax recovery adjustments,a litigation loss contingency recorded in the second quarter of 2023, divided by ASMs.
“AFA-CWA” means the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA.
“Air traffic liability” or “ATL” means the value of tickets sold in advance of travel.
“ALPA” means the Air Line Pilots Association, International.
“AMFA” means the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association.
“ASIF” means an Aviation Security Infrastructure Fee assessed by the TSA on each airline.
“Available seat miles” or “ASMs” means the number of seats available for passengers multiplied by the number of miles the seats are flown, also referred to as "capacity."
“Average aircraft” means the average number of aircraft in our fleet as calculated on a daily basis.
“Average daily aircraft utilization” means block hours divided by number of days in the period divided by average aircraft.
“Average fuel cost per gallon” means total aircraft fuel expense divided by the total number of fuel gallons consumed.
“Average stage length” represents the average number of miles flown per flight.
“Average yield” means average operating revenue earned per RPM, calculated as total revenue divided by RPMs, also referred to as "passenger yield."
“Block hours” means the number of hours during which the aircraft is in revenue service, measured from the time of gate departure before take-off until the time of gate arrival at the destination.
“CASM” or “unit costs” means operating expenses divided by ASMs.
“CBA” means a collective bargaining agreement.
“CBP” means United States Customs and Border Protection.
“DOT” means the United States Department of Transportation.
"EETC" means enhanced equipment trust certificate.
“EPA” means the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
"EETC" means enhanced equipment trust certificate.
“FAA” means the United States Federal Aviation Administration.
“Fare revenue per passenger flight segment” means total fare passenger revenue divided by passenger flight segments.
“FCC” means the United States Federal Communications Commission.
"FLL Airport" means the Fort Lauderdale Hollywood International Airport.
“GDS” means Global Distribution System (e.g., Amadeus, Galileo, Sabre and Worldspan).
"IAMAW" means the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
“Into-plane fuel cost per gallon” means into-plane fuel expense divided by number of fuel gallons consumed.
“Into-plane fuel expense” represents the cost of jet fuel and certain other charges such as fuel taxes and oil.
“Load factor” means the percentage of aircraft seats actually occupied on a flight (RPMs divided by ASMs).
“NMB” means the National Mediation Board.
"Non-ticket revenue" means total non-fare passenger revenue and other revenue.
“Non-ticket revenue per passenger flight segment” means total non-fare passenger revenue and other revenue divided by passenger flight segments.
“OTA” means Online Travel Agent (e.g., Orbitz and Travelocity).
"PAFCA" means the Professional Airline Flight Control Association.
“Passenger flight segments” means the total number of passengers flown on all flight segments.
“PDP” means pre-delivery deposit payment.
“Revenue passenger mile” or “RPM” means one revenue passenger transported one mile. RPMs equals revenue passengers multiplied by miles flown, also referred to as "traffic."
“RLA” means the United States Railway Labor Act.
“Total operating revenue per ASM,” “TRASM” or “unit revenue” means operating revenue divided by ASMs.
“TWU” means the Transport Workers Union of America.
“TSA” means the United States Transportation Security Administration.
“ULCC” means “ultra low-cost carrier.”
ITEM 7A. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
Market Risk-Sensitive Instruments and Positions
We are subject to certain market risks, including commodity prices (specifically aircraft fuel) and interest rates. We purchase the majority of our jet fuel at prevailing market prices and seek to manage market risk through execution of our hedging strategy and other means. However, we do not currently hold any derivative financial instruments. We have market-sensitive instruments in the form of fixed-rate debt instruments. The adverse effects of changes in these markets could pose a potential loss as discussed below. The sensitivity analysis provided below does not consider the effects that such adverse changes may have on overall economic activity, nor does it consider additional actions we may take to mitigate our exposure to such changes. Actual results may differ.
Aircraft Fuel. Our results of operations can vary materially due to changes in the price and availability of aircraft fuel. Aircraft fuel expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 20182023, represented approximately18.6%, 29.8% and 31.6%approximately 31.1% of our operating expenses, respectively.expenses. Volatility in aircraft fuel prices or a shortage of supply could have a material adverse effect on our operations and operating results. We source a significant portion of our fuel from refining resources located in the southeast United States, particularly facilities adjacent to the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf Coast fuel is subject to volatility and supply disruptions, particularly during hurricane season when refinery shutdowns have occurred, or when the threat of weather relatedweather-related disruptions has caused Gulf Coast fuel prices to spike above other regional sources. Gulf Coast Jet indexed fuel is the basis for a substantial majority of our fuel consumption. Based on our annual fuel consumption, a hypothetical 10% increase in the average price per gallon of aircraft fuel would have increased into-plane aircraft fuel cost for 20202023 by $43.1$182.1 million.
Interest Rates. We have market risk associated with our short-term investment securities, which had a fair market value of $106.3 million and $105.3$112.5 million as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively.2023.
Fixed-Rate Debt. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had $2,207.1$1,667.7 million outstanding in fixed-rate debt related to the purchase of 4241 Airbus A320 aircraft and 30 Airbus A321 aircraft, which had a fair value of $2,235.3$1,611.1 million. In addition, as of December 31, 2020,2023, we had $850.0$1,110.0 million and $73.3$136.3 million outstanding in fixed-rate debt related to our 8.00% senior secured notes and our unsecured term loans, respectively, which had fair values of $886.0$1,121.9 million and $83.1$128.3 million. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we also had $175.0$525.1 million outstanding in convertible debt which had a fair value of $380.3 million. As of December 31, 2019, we had $2,053.6 million outstanding in fixed-rate debt related to the purchase of 34 Airbus A320 aircraft and 30 Airbus A321 aircraft, which had a fair value of $2,143.0$392.2 million.
Variable-Rate Debt. As of December 31, 2020,2023, we had $275.1 milliondid not have any outstanding in variable-rate long-term debt, which had a fair value of $275.1 million. As of December 31, 2019, we had $160.0 million outstanding in variable-rate long-term debt, which had a fair value of $160.0 million. A hypothetical increase of 100 basis points in average annual interest rates would have increased the annual interest expense on our variable-rate long-term debt by $2.3 million in 2020.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY DATA
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| Consolidated Financial Statements: | Page |
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Spirit Airlines, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Operations
(In thousands, except per-share data)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| | | | | | |
| Operating revenues: | | | | | |
| Passenger | $ | 1,765,533 | | | $ | 3,757,605 | | | $ | 3,260,015 | |
| Other | 44,489 | | | 72,931 | | | 63,019 | |
| Total operating revenues | 1,810,022 | | | 3,830,536 | | | 3,323,034 | |
| Operating expenses: | | | | | |
Salaries, wages and benefits
| 909,834 | | | 865,019 | | | 719,635 | |
| Aircraft fuel | 431,000 | | | 993,478 | | | 939,324 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 278,588 | | | 225,264 | | | 176,727 | |
| Landing fees and other rents | 251,028 | | | 256,275 | | | 214,677 | |
| Aircraft rent | 196,359 | | | 182,609 | | | 177,641 | |
| Maintenance, materials and repairs | 111,227 | | | 143,575 | | | 129,078 | |
| Distribution | 85,059 | | | 153,770 | | | 137,001 | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 2,264 | | | 17,350 | | | 9,580 | |
| Special charges (credits) | (302,761) | | | 717 | | | 88,921 | |
| Other operating | 355,186 | | | 491,432 | | | 379,536 | |
| Total operating expenses | 2,317,784 | | | 3,329,489 | | | 2,972,120 | |
| | | | | |
| Operating income (loss) | (507,762) | | | 501,047 | | | 350,914 | |
| Other (income) expense: | | | | | |
| Interest expense | 134,520 | | | 101,350 | | | 83,777 | |
| Capitalized interest | (15,995) | | | (12,471) | | | (9,841) | |
| Interest income | (6,314) | | | (25,133) | | | (19,107) | |
| | | | | |
| Other (income) expense | 211 | | | 875 | | | 752 | |
| Special charges, non-operating | 0 | | | 0 | | | 90,357 | |
| Total other (income) expense | 112,422 | | | 64,621 | | | 145,938 | |
| | | | | |
| Income (loss) before income taxes | (620,184) | | | 436,426 | | | 204,976 | |
| Provision (benefit) for income taxes | (191,484) | | | 101,171 | | | 49,227 | |
| | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (428,700) | | | $ | 335,255 | | | $ | 155,749 | |
| Basic earnings (loss) per share | $ | (5.06) | | | $ | 4.90 | | | $ | 2.28 | |
| Diluted earnings (loss) per share | $ | (5.06) | | | $ | 4.89 | | | $ | 2.28 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, |
| 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| | | | | | |
| Operating revenues: | | | | | |
| Passenger | $ | 5,268,161 | | | $ | 4,989,365 | | | $ | 3,175,802 | |
| Other | 94,388 | | | 79,082 | | | 54,973 | |
| Total operating revenues | 5,362,549 | | | 5,068,447 | | | 3,230,775 | |
| Operating expenses: | | | | | |
| Aircraft fuel | 1,821,165 | | | 1,929,969 | | | 913,945 | |
Salaries, wages and benefits
| 1,616,803 | | | 1,251,225 | | | 1,065,461 | |
| Landing fees and other rents | 408,262 | | | 347,268 | | | 315,999 | |
| Aircraft rent | 381,239 | | | 282,428 | | | 246,601 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 320,872 | | | 313,090 | | | 297,211 | |
| Maintenance, materials and repairs | 223,339 | | | 187,820 | | | 159,502 | |
| Distribution | 190,891 | | | 177,557 | | | 132,499 | |
| Special charges (credits) | 69,537 | | | 420,172 | | | (377,715) | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 33,966 | | | 46,624 | | | 3,320 | |
| Other operating | 792,232 | | | 711,211 | | | 530,826 | |
| Total operating expenses | 5,858,306 | | | 5,667,364 | | | 3,287,649 | |
| | | | | |
| Operating income (loss) | (495,757) | | | (598,917) | | | (56,874) | |
| Other (income) expense: | | | | | |
| Interest expense | 169,191 | | | 139,905 | | | 155,611 | |
| Loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt | (15,411) | | | — | | | 331,630 | |
| Capitalized interest | (33,360) | | | (22,818) | | | (18,998) | |
| Interest income | (61,647) | | | (20,083) | | | (5,374) | |
| | | | | |
| Other (income) expense | 4,065 | | | 4,818 | | | 577 | |
| | | | | |
| Total other (income) expense | 62,838 | | | 101,822 | | | 463,446 | |
| | | | | |
| Income (loss) before income taxes | (558,595) | | | (700,739) | | | (520,320) | |
| Provision (benefit) for income taxes | (111,131) | | | (146,589) | | | (47,751) | |
| | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (447,464) | | | $ | (554,150) | | | $ | (472,569) | |
| Basic earnings (loss) per share | $ | (4.10) | | | $ | (5.10) | | | $ | (4.50) | |
| Diluted earnings (loss) per share | $ | (4.10) | | | $ | (5.10) | | | $ | (4.50) | |
`
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Spirit Airlines, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss)
(In thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (428,700) | | | $ | 335,255 | | | $ | 155,749 | |
| | | | | |
| Unrealized gain (loss) on short-term investment securities and cash and cash equivalents, net of deferred taxes of $(1), $38 and $44 | (20) | | | 167 | | | 30 | |
| Interest rate derivative loss reclassified into earnings, net of taxes of $63, $76 and $75 | 189 | | | 239 | | | 241 | |
| Other comprehensive income (loss) | $ | 169 | | | $ | 406 | | | $ | 271 | |
| Comprehensive income (loss) | $ | (428,531) | | | $ | 335,661 | | | $ | 156,020 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, |
| 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (447,464) | | | $ | (554,150) | | | $ | (472,569) | |
| | | | | |
| Unrealized gain (loss) on short-term investment securities and cash and cash equivalents, net of deferred taxes of $84, $(65) and $(27) | 287 | | | (216) | | | (92) | |
| Interest rate derivative loss reclassified into earnings, net of taxes of $72, $47 and $49 | 242 | | | 152 | | | 178 | |
| Other comprehensive income (loss) | $ | 529 | | | $ | (64) | | | $ | 86 | |
| Comprehensive income (loss) | $ | (446,935) | | | $ | (554,214) | | | $ | (472,483) | |
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Spirit Airlines, Inc.
Consolidated Balance Sheets
(In thousands, except share data)
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| December 31, 2020 | | December 31, 2019 |
| Assets | | | |
| Current assets: | | | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 1,789,723 | | | $ | 978,957 | |
| Restricted cash | 71,401 | | | 0 | |
| Short-term investment securities | 106,339 | | | 105,321 | |
| Accounts receivable, net | 42,940 | | | 73,807 | |
| | | |
| Aircraft maintenance deposits, net | 73,134 | | | 102,906 | |
| | | |
| Income tax receivable | 147,460 | | | 21,013 | |
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 124,983 | | | 103,439 | |
| Total current assets | 2,355,980 | | | 1,385,443 | |
| | | |
| Property and equipment: | | | |
| Flight equipment | 4,177,631 | | | 3,730,751 | |
| Ground property and equipment | 334,167 | | | 291,998 | |
| Less accumulated depreciation | (680,230) | | | (492,447) | |
| 3,831,568 | | | 3,530,302 | |
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 1,417,823 | | | 1,369,555 | |
| Pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment | 356,262 | | | 291,930 | |
| Long-term aircraft maintenance deposits | 53,158 | | | 67,682 | |
| | | |
| Deferred heavy maintenance, net | 347,907 | | | 361,603 | |
| Other long-term assets | 36,127 | | | 36,897 | |
| Total assets | $ | 8,398,825 | | | $ | 7,043,412 | |
| | | |
| Liabilities and shareholders’ equity | | | |
| Current liabilities: | | | |
| Accounts payable | $ | 28,454 | | | $ | 43,601 | |
| Air traffic liability | 401,966 | | | 315,408 | |
| Current maturities of long-term debt and finance leases | 384,197 | | | 258,852 | |
| Current maturities of operating leases | 133,791 | | | 120,662 | |
| Other current liabilities | 393,614 | | | 373,521 | |
| | | |
| Total current liabilities | 1,342,022 | | | 1,112,044 | |
| | | |
| Long-term debt and finance leases, less current maturities | 3,066,635 | | | 1,960,453 | |
| Operating leases, less current maturities | 1,248,519 | | | 1,218,014 | |
| Deferred income taxes | 439,894 | | | 469,292 | |
| Deferred gains and other long-term liabilities | 52,060 | | | 22,277 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Shareholders’ equity: | | | |
| Common stock: Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 240,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively; 99,427,203 and 70,148,386 issued and 97,689,583 and 68,455,011 outstanding as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively | 10 | | | 7 | |
| | | |
| Additional paid-in-capital | 799,549 | | | 379,380 | |
| Treasury stock, at cost: 1,737,620 and 1,693,375 as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively | (74,124) | | | (72,455) | |
| Retained earnings | 1,524,878 | | | 1,955,187 | |
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | (618) | | | (787) | |
| Total shareholders’ equity | 2,249,695 | | | 2,261,332 | |
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ | 8,398,825 | | | $ | 7,043,412 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| December 31, 2023 | | December 31, 2022 |
| Assets | | | |
| Current assets: | | | |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 865,211 | | | $ | 1,346,350 | |
| Restricted cash | 119,400 | | | 119,392 | |
| Short-term investment securities | 112,501 | | | 107,115 | |
| Accounts receivable, net | 205,468 | | | 197,276 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Income tax receivable | — | | | 36,261 | |
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 209,547 | | | 187,589 | |
| Total current assets | 1,512,127 | | | 1,993,983 | |
| | | |
| Property and equipment: | | | |
| Flight equipment | 3,961,785 | | | 4,326,515 | |
| Ground property and equipment | 726,364 | | | 521,802 | |
| Less accumulated depreciation | (1,169,021) | | | (1,098,819) | |
| 3,519,128 | | | 3,749,498 | |
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 3,561,028 | | | 2,699,574 | |
| Pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment | 480,717 | | | 487,553 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Deferred heavy maintenance, net | 313,505 | | | 190,349 | |
| Other long-term assets | 30,732 | | | 63,817 | |
| Total assets | $ | 9,417,237 | | | $ | 9,184,774 | |
| | | |
| Liabilities and shareholders’ equity | | | |
| Current liabilities: | | | |
| Accounts payable | $ | 42,098 | | | $ | 75,449 | |
| Air traffic liability | 383,751 | | | 429,618 | |
| Current maturities of long-term debt, net, and finance leases | 315,580 | | | 346,888 | |
| Current maturities of operating leases | 224,865 | | | 188,296 | |
| Other current liabilities | 705,298 | | | 556,330 | |
| | | |
| Total current liabilities | 1,671,592 | | | 1,596,581 | |
| | | |
| Long-term debt and finance leases, less current maturities | 3,055,221 | | | 3,200,376 | |
| Operating leases, less current maturities | 3,298,871 | | | 2,455,619 | |
| Deferred income taxes | 107,761 | | | 226,843 | |
| Deferred gains and other long-term liabilities | 149,450 | | | 133,704 | |
| | | |
| | | |
| Shareholders’ equity: | | | |
| Common stock: Common stock, $0.0001 par value, 240,000,000 shares authorized at December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively; 111,303,660 and 110,840,751 issued and 109,263,005 and 108,941,920 outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively | 11 | | | 11 | |
| | | |
| Additional paid-in-capital | 1,158,278 | | | 1,146,015 | |
| Treasury stock, at cost: 2,040,655 and 1,898,831 as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, respectively | (80,635) | | | (77,998) | |
| Retained earnings | 56,755 | | | 504,219 | |
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | (67) | | | (596) | |
| Total shareholders’ equity | 1,134,342 | | | 1,571,651 | |
| Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity | $ | 9,417,237 | | | $ | 9,184,774 | |
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Spirit Airlines, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
(In thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, |
| | | Restated | | |
| | 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| Operating activities: | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (428,700) | | | $ | 335,255 | | | $ | 155,749 | |
| Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operations: | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Losses reclassified from other comprehensive income | 252 | | | 315 | | | 315 | |
| | | | | |
| Share-based compensation | 11,575 | | | 8,154 | | | 11,021 | |
| Allowance for doubtful accounts (recoveries) | (249) | | | 0 | | | (11) | |
| Amortization of debt issuance costs | 10,752 | | | 8,654 | | | 8,819 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 278,588 | | | 225,264 | | | 176,727 | |
| Accretion of convertible debt and 8.00% senior secured notes | 10,138 | | | 0 | | | 0 | |
| Deferred income tax expense (benefit) | (46,086) | | | 115,689 | | | 46,303 | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 2,264 | | | 17,350 | | | 9,580 | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Special charges, non-operating | 0 | | | 0 | | | 90,357 | |
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Accounts receivable, net | 30,486 | | | (26,147) | | | 1,674 | |
| Aircraft maintenance deposits, net | 23,732 | | | 22,453 | | | 14,019 | |
| Deposits and other assets | (12,944) | | | 14,999 | | | (4,803) | |
| Deferred heavy maintenance, net | (75,230) | | | (175,957) | | | (190,381) | |
| Income tax receivable | (126,447) | | | (21,013) | | | 69,844 | |
| Prepaid income taxes | (223) | | | 1,431 | | | 0 | |
| Accounts payable | (17,052) | | | 569 | | | 15,317 | |
| Air traffic liability | 86,558 | | | 23,429 | | | 28,270 | |
| Other liabilities | 27,194 | | | 1,698 | | | 74,038 | |
| Other | 118 | | | (822) | | | (375) | |
| Net cash provided (used) by operating activities | (225,274) | | | 551,321 | | | 506,463 | |
| Investing activities: | | | | | |
| Purchase of available-for-sale investment securities | (118,893) | | | (122,410) | | | (124,430) | |
| Proceeds from the maturity and sale of available-for-sale investment securities | 117,665 | | | 120,830 | | | 122,947 | |
| Proceeds from sale of property and equipment | 0 | | | 0 | | | 11,400 | |
| | | | | |
| Pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment, net of refunds | (143,220) | | | (102,102) | | | (177,424) | |
| Capitalized interest | (12,233) | | | (10,774) | | | (8,729) | |
| Assets under construction for others | (3,944) | | | (7,936) | | | (501) | |
| Purchase of property and equipment | (393,375) | | | (334,537) | | | (606,971) | |
| Net cash used in investing activities | (554,000) | | | (456,929) | | | (783,708) | |
| Financing activities: | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt | 1,612,391 | | | 225,891 | | | 832,099 | |
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock and warrants | 366,783 | | | 0 | | | 0 | |
| Proceeds from stock options exercised | 39 | | | 1 | | | 51 | |
| Payments on debt obligations | (254,304) | | | (246,783) | | | (137,275) | |
| Payments on finance lease obligations | (25,401) | | | (96,547) | | | (205,720) | |
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| | | | | |
| Reimbursement for assets under construction for others | 4,153 | | | 5,618 | | | 501 | |
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| Repurchase of common stock | (1,669) | | | (5,439) | | | (1,162) | |
| Debt and equity issuance costs | (40,551) | | | (2,909) | | | (7,365) | |
| Net cash provided (used) by financing activities | 1,661,441 | | | (120,168) | | | 481,129 | |
| Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | 882,167 | | | (25,776) | | | 203,884 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period | 978,957 | | | 1,004,733 | | | 800,849 | |
| Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period (1) | $ | 1,861,124 | | | $ | 978,957 | | | $ | 1,004,733 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Year Ended December 31, |
| | 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| Operating activities: | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (447,464) | | | $ | (554,150) | | | $ | (472,569) | |
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operations: | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Losses reclassified from other comprehensive income | 314 | | | 199 | | | 226 | |
| | | | | |
| Share-based compensation | 11,963 | | | 11,483 | | | 12,536 | |
| Allowance for doubtful accounts (recoveries) | 159 | | | (108) | | | (88) | |
| Amortization of debt issuance costs | 15,454 | | | 13,468 | | | 12,912 | |
| Depreciation and amortization | 320,872 | | | 313,090 | | | 297,211 | |
| Accretion of convertible debt and 8.00% senior secured notes | 4,210 | | | 1,421 | | | 1,272 | |
| Amortization of debt discount | 8,145 | | | 13,962 | | | — | |
| | | | | |
| Deferred income tax benefit | (119,239) | | | (148,611) | | | (49,502) | |
| Fixed asset impairment charges | — | | | 333,691 | | | — | |
| Loss on disposal of assets | 33,966 | | | 46,624 | | | 3,320 | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Loss (gain) on extinguishment of debt | — | | | — | | | 331,630 | |
| | | | | |
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Accounts receivable, net | (8,351) | | | (68,340) | | | (85,800) | |
| | | | | |
| Deposits and other assets | 4,215 | | | (28,883) | | | 47,855 | |
| Prepaid income taxes | — | | | — | | | 156 | |
| | | | | |
| Deferred heavy maintenance | (202,926) | | | (149,287) | | | (74,083) | |
| Income tax receivable | 36,261 | | | 1,629 | | | 109,570 | |
| Accounts payable | (34,051) | | | 9,032 | | | 13,057 | |
| Air traffic liability | (45,867) | | | 47,301 | | | (19,649) | |
| Other liabilities | 176,440 | | | 68,389 | | | 80,103 | |
| Other | (762) | | | 68 | | | 731 | |
| Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities | (246,661) | | | (89,022) | | | 208,888 | |
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| | Investing activities: | |
| Purchase of available-for-sale investment securities | |
| Purchase of available-for-sale investment securities | |
| Purchase of available-for-sale investment securities | |
| Proceeds from the maturity and sale of available-for-sale investment securities | |
| Proceeds from sale of property and equipment | |
| | Pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment, net of refunds | |
| Pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment, net of refunds | |
| Pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment, net of refunds | |
| Capitalized interest | |
| Assets under construction for others | |
| Purchase of property and equipment | |
| Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities | |
| Financing activities: | |
| | Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt | |
| | Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt | |
| | Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt | |
| Proceeds from issuance of common stock and warrants | |
| | Payments on debt obligations | |
| Payments on debt obligations | |
| Payments on debt obligations | |
| Payments for the early extinguishment of debt | |
| Payments on finance lease obligations | |
| | | Reimbursement for assets under construction for others | |
| | Reimbursement for assets under construction for others | |
| | Reimbursement for assets under construction for others | |
| | Repurchase of common stock | |
| | Repurchase of common stock | |
| | Repurchase of common stock | |
| Debt issuance costs | |
| Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | |
| Net increase (decrease) in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash | |
| Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at beginning of period (1) | |
| Cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash at end of period (1) | |
| Supplemental disclosures | Supplemental disclosures | |
| Cash payments for: | Cash payments for: | |
| Cash payments for: | |
| Cash payments for: | |
| Interest, net of capitalized interest | |
| Interest, net of capitalized interest | |
| Interest, net of capitalized interest | Interest, net of capitalized interest | $ | 80,837 | | | $ | 80,254 | | | $ | 65,123 | |
| Income taxes paid (received), net | Income taxes paid (received), net | $ | (17,790) | | | $ | 5,843 | | | $ | (73,489) | |
| Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities: | Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities: | |
| Operating cash flows for operating leases (2) | $ | 180,805 | | | $ | 191,004 | | | — | |
| Financing cash flows for finance leases (2) | $ | 194 | | | $ | 674 | | | — | |
| Operating cash flows for operating leases | |
| Operating cash flows for operating leases | |
| Operating cash flows for operating leases | |
| Financing cash flows for finance leases | |
| Non-cash transactions: | Non-cash transactions: | |
| | Capital expenditures funded by finance lease borrowings | Capital expenditures funded by finance lease borrowings | $ | 565 | | | $ | 45,608 | | | $ | 987 | |
| Capital expenditures funded by operating lease borrowings (2) | $ | 168,526 | | | 569,948 | | | 0 | |
| | Capital expenditures funded by finance lease borrowings | |
| | Capital expenditures funded by finance lease borrowings | |
| Capital expenditures funded by operating lease borrowings | |
|
(1) The sum of cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash on ourthe consolidated balance sheets equals cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash in our statementthe consolidated statements of cash flows.
(2) The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)," utilizing the modified retrospective adoption method with an effective date of January 1, 2019. Therefore, the consolidated financial statements for 2020 and 2019 are presented under the new standard, while 2018 is not adjusted and continues to be reported in accordance with the Company's historical accounting policy.
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Spirit Airlines, Inc.
Consolidated Statements of Shareholders’ Equity
(In thousands)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Common Stock | | | | Additional Paid-In Capital | | Treasury Stock | | Retained Earnings | | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) | | Total |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Balance at December 31, 2017 | $ | 7 | | | | | $ | 360,153 | | | $ | (65,854) | | | $ | 1,469,732 | | | $ | (1,464) | | | $ | 1,762,574 | |
| Share-based compensation | — | | | | | 11,021 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 11,021 | |
| Repurchase of common stock | — | | | | | — | | | (1,162) | | | — | | | — | | | (1,162) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Proceeds from options exercised | — | | | | | 51 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 51 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Changes in comprehensive income | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 271 | | | 271 | |
| Net income | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | 155,749 | | | — | | | 155,749 | |
| Balance at December 31, 2018 | $ | 7 | | | | | $ | 371,225 | | | $ | (67,016) | | | $ | 1,625,481 | | | $ | (1,193) | | | $ | 1,928,504 | |
| Effect of ASU No. 2016-02 implementation | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | (5,549) | | | — | | | (5,549) | |
| Share-based compensation | — | | | | | 8,154 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 8,154 | |
| Repurchase of common stock | — | | | | | — | | | (5,439) | | | — | | | — | | | (5,439) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Proceeds from options exercised | — | | | | | 1 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 1 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Changes in comprehensive income | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 406 | | | 406 | |
| Net income | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | 335,255 | | | — | | | 335,255 | |
| Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | 7 | | | | | $ | 379,380 | | | $ | (72,455) | | | $ | 1,955,187 | | | $ | (787) | | | $ | 2,261,332 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Effect of ASU No. 2016-13 implementation (refer to Note 3) | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | (1,609) | | | — | | | (1,609) | |
| Share-based compensation | — | | | | | 11,575 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 11,575 | |
| Repurchase of common stock | — | | | | | — | | | (1,669) | | | — | | | — | | | (1,669) | |
| Proceeds from options exercised | — | | | | | 39 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 39 | |
| Changes in comprehensive income | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 169 | | | 169 | |
| Issuance of Common Stock and Warrants, net | 3 | | | | | 352,965 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 352,968 | |
| Equity component value of convertible debt issuance, net | — | | | | | 55,590 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 55,590 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net loss | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | (428,700) | | | — | | | (428,700) | |
| Balance at December 31, 2020 | $ | 10 | | | | | $ | 799,549 | | | $ | (74,124) | | | $ | 1,524,878 | | | $ | (618) | | | $ | 2,249,695 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Common Stock | | | | Additional Paid-In Capital | | Treasury Stock | | Retained Earnings | | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) | | Total |
| Balance at December 31, 2020 | $ | 10 | | | | | $ | 799,549 | | | $ | (74,124) | | | $ | 1,524,878 | | | $ | (618) | | | $ | 2,249,695 | |
| Effect of ASU No. 2020-06 implementation | — | | | | | (55,590) | | | — | | | 6,060 | | | — | | | (49,530) | |
| Share-based compensation | — | | | | | 12,536 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 12,536 | |
| Repurchase of common stock | — | | | | | — | | | (1,515) | | | — | | | — | | | (1,515) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Changes in comprehensive income (loss) | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 86 | | | 86 | |
| Issuance of common stock and warrants, net | 1 | | | | | 375,331 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 375,332 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | (472,569) | | | — | | | (472,569) | |
| Balance at December 31, 2021 | $ | 11 | | | | | $ | 1,131,826 | | | $ | (75,639) | | | $ | 1,058,369 | | | $ | (532) | | | $ | 2,114,035 | |
| Convertible debt conversions | — | | | | | 2,706 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 2,706 | |
| Share-based compensation | — | | | | | 11,483 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 11,483 | |
| Repurchase of common stock | — | | | | | — | | | (2,359) | | | — | | | — | | | (2,359) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Changes in comprehensive income (loss) | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | (64) | | | (64) | |
| Issuance of common stock and warrants, net | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | (554,150) | | | — | | | (554,150) | |
| Balance at December 31, 2022 | $ | 11 | | | | | $ | 1,146,015 | | | $ | (77,998) | | | $ | 504,219 | | | $ | (596) | | | $ | 1,571,651 | |
| Convertible debt conversions | — | | | | | 300 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 300 | |
| Share-based compensation | — | | | | | 11,963 | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 11,963 | |
| Repurchase of common stock | — | | | | | — | | | (2,637) | | | — | | | — | | | (2,637) | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Changes in comprehensive income (loss) | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | — | | | 529 | | | 529 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | — | | | | | — | | | — | | | (447,464) | | | — | | | (447,464) | |
| Balance at December 31, 2023 | $ | 11 | | | | | $ | 1,158,278 | | | $ | (80,635) | | | $ | 56,755 | | | $ | (67) | | | $ | 1,134,342 | |
See accompanying Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements
1.Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Basis of Presentation
The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Spirit Airlines, Inc. ("Spirit") and its consolidated subsidiaries (the "Company"). Spirit is an ultra low-cost, low-fare airline that provides affordable travel opportunities principally throughout the domestic United States, the Caribbean and Latin America and is headquartered in Miramar, Florida. Spirit manages operations on a system-wide basis due to the interdependence of its route structure in the various markets served. As only one service is offered (i.e., air transportation), management has concluded there is only 1one reportable segment.
In August 2020, Spirit formed several new subsidiaries; Spirit Finance Cayman 1 Ltd. (“HoldCo 1”), Spirit Finance Cayman 2 Ltd. (“HoldCo 2), Spirit IP Cayman Ltd. (“Spirit IP”) and Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd. (“Spirit Loyalty”). Each are Cayman Islands exempted companies incorporated with limited liability. Spirit IP and Spirit Loyalty are wholly-owned subsidiaries of HoldCo 2 (other than the special share issued to the special shareholder, who granted a proxy to vote such share to the collateral agent for the 8.00% senior secured notes (as defined herein)). HoldCo 1 and HoldCo 2 are special purpose holding companies. HoldCo 2 is a wholly-owned direct subsidiary of HoldCo 1 (other than the special share issued to the special shareholder, who granted a proxy to vote such share to the collateral agent for the 8.00% senior secured notes). HoldCo 1 is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Spirit (other than the special share issued to the special shareholder, who granted a proxy to vote such share to the collateral agent for the 8.00% senior secured notes). As a result, the Company's financial statements are presented on a consolidated basis.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America requires the Company's management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company's estimates and assumptions are based on historical experience and changes in the business environment. However, actual results may differ from estimates under different conditions, sometimes materially. Critical accounting policies and estimates are defined as those that both (i) are most important to the portrayal of the Company's financial condition and results and (ii) require management's most subjective judgments. The Company's most critical accounting policies and estimates are described below.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with maturities of less than three months at the date of acquisition to be cash equivalents. Investments included in this category primarily consist of cash and money market funds. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value.
Restricted Cash
The Company's restricted cash is comprised of cash held in account subject to account control agreements to be used for the payment of interest and fees on the Company's 8.00% senior secured notes and cash pledged as collateral against the Company's secured letters of credit.
Short-term Investment Securities
The Company's short-term investment securities are classified as available-for-sale and generally consist of U.S. Treasury and U.S. government agency securities with contractual maturities of twelve months or less. These securities are stated at fair value within current assets on the Company's consolidated balance sheet. For all short-term investments, at each reset period or upon reinvestment, the Company accounts for the transaction as proceeds from the maturity of short-term investment securities for the security relinquished, and purchase of short-term investment securities for the security purchased, in the Company's consolidated statements of cash flows. Realized gains and losses on sales of investments, if any, are reflected in non-operating income (expense)other (income) expense in the consolidated statements of operations. Unrealized gains and losses on investment securities are reflected as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income.
Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable primarily consist of amounts due from credit card processors associated with the sales of tickets, and amounts due from the Internal Revenue Service related to federal excise fuel tax.tax and amounts expected to be received related to the CARES Employee Retention credit. The Company records an allowance for amounts not expected to be collected. The Company estimates the allowance based on historical write-offs and aging trends as
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
well as an estimate of the expected lifetime credit losses. The allowance for doubtful accounts was immaterial as of December 31, 20202023 and 2019.2022.
In addition, the provision for doubtful accounts and write-offs for 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 20182021 were each immaterial.
Income Tax Receivable
Income tax receivable consists of amounts due from tax authorities for recovery of income taxes paid in prior periods.
Property and Equipment
Property and equipment is stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation of operating property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method applied to each unit of property. Residual values for new aircraft, new engines, major spare rotable parts, avionics and assemblies are generally estimated to be 10%. Property under
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
finance leases and related obligations are initially recorded at an amount equal to the present value of future minimum lease payments computed using the Company's incremental borrowing rate or, when known, the interest rate implicit in the lease. Amortization of property under finance leases is recorded on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is included in depreciation and amortization expense.
The depreciable lives used for the principal depreciable asset classifications are:
| | | | | |
| | Estimated Useful Life |
| Aircraft, engines and flight simulators | 25 |
| Spare rotables and flight assemblies | 7 to 25 years |
| Other equipment and vehicles | 5 to 7 years |
| Internal use software | 3 to 10 years |
| Finance leases | Lease term or estimated useful life of the asset |
| Leasehold improvements | Lesser of lease term or estimated useful life of the improvement |
| Buildings | Lesser of lease term or 30 years |
As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had 10188 aircraft 16(including 15 aircraft that would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions), 28 spare engines and 13 flight simulatorsimulators capitalized within flight equipment with depreciable lives of 25 years. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had 56117 aircraft financed through operating leases with lease terms from 84 years to 18 years. In addition, the Company had 86 spare engines financed through operating leases with lease terms from 12 years to 1618 years.
The following table illustrates the components of depreciation and amortization expense:
| | | | Year Ended December 31, | | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| (in thousands) |
| 2023 | | | 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| (in thousands) | | | (in thousands) |
| Depreciation | Depreciation | $ | 179,470 | | | $ | 155,326 | | | $ | 129,412 | |
| Amortization of heavy maintenance | Amortization of heavy maintenance | 88,927 | | | 63,364 | | | 41,286 | |
| Amortization of capitalized software | Amortization of capitalized software | 10,191 | | | 6,574 | | | 6,029 | |
| Total depreciation and amortization | Total depreciation and amortization | $ | 278,588 | | | $ | 225,264 | | | $ | 176,727 | |
The Company capitalizes certain internal and external costs associated with the acquisition and development of internal-use software for new products, and enhancements to existing products, that have reached the application development stage and meet recoverability tests. Capitalized costs include external direct costs of materials and services utilized in developing or obtaining internal-use software, and labor cost for employees who are directly associated with, and devote time, to internal-use software projects. Capitalized computer software, included as a component of ground and other equipment in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, net of amortization, was $24.3$53.6 million and $13.0$41.1 million at December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, respectively.
The Company accounts for heavy maintenance and major overhaul under the deferral method whereby the cost of heavy maintenance and major overhaul is deferred and amortized until the earlier of the end of the useful life of the related asset, the end of the remaining lease term or the next scheduled heavy maintenance event.
The Company records amortization of capitalized software on a straight-line basis within depreciation and amortization expense in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. The Company placed in service internal-use software of $21.5$35.5 million, $5.9$25.7 million and $12.0$20.5 million, during the years ended 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Asset and Liabilities
The Company adopted Topic 842 utilizing the modified retrospective adoption method with an effective date of January 1, 2019. This standard requires all lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, for all leases with a term greater than 12 months.
Right-of-use assets represent the Company's right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company's obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the estimated present value of lease payments over the lease term. When available, the Company uses the rate implicit in the lease to discount lease payments to present value. However, the Company's leases generally do not provide a readily determinable implicit rate. Therefore, the Company estimates the incremental borrowing rate to discount lease payments based on information available at lease commencement. The Company uses publicly available data for instruments with similar characteristics when calculating its incremental borrowing rates. The Company has options to extend certain of its operating leases for an additional period of time and options to early terminate several of its
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
operating leases. The lease term consists of the noncancellable period of the lease, periods covered by options to extend the lease if the Company is reasonably certain to exercise the option, periods covered by an option to terminate the lease if the Company is reasonably certain not to exercise the option and periods covered by an option to extend or not terminate the lease in which the exercise of the option is controlled by the lessor. The Company's lease agreements do not contain any residual value guarantees. The Company elected to not separate non-lease components from the associated lease component for all underlying classes of assets with lease and non-lease components.
The Company elected not to apply the recognition requirements in Topic 842 to short-term leases (i.e., leases of 12 months or less) but instead recognize these lease payments in income on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company elected this accounting policy for all classes of underlying assets. In addition, in accordance with Topic 842, variable lease payments in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred are not included in the recognition of a lease liability or right-of-use asset.
Prior to the adoption of Topic 842, gains and losses on sale-leaseback transactions were generally deferred and recognized in income over the lease term. Under Topic 842, gains and losses on sale-leaseback transactions, subject to adjustment for off-market terms, are recognized immediately and recorded within loss on disposal of assets on the Company's consolidated statements of operations.
Pre-Delivery Deposits on Flight Equipment
The Company is required to make pre-delivery deposit payments ("PDPs") towards the purchase price of each new aircraft and engine prior to the scheduled delivery date. These deposits are initially classified as pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment on the Company's consolidated balance sheets until the aircraft or engine is delivered, at which time the related PDPs are deducted from the final purchase price of the aircraft or engine and are reclassified to flight equipment on the Company's consolidated balance sheets.
In addition, the Company capitalizes the interest that is attributable to the outstanding PDP balances as a percentage of the related debt on which interest is incurred. Capitalized interest represents interest cost incurred during the acquisition period of a long-term asset, and is the amount which theoretically could have been avoided had the Company not paid PDPs for the related aircraft or engines.
Related interest is capitalized and included within pre-delivery deposits on flight equipment through the acquisition period until delivery is taken of the aircraft or engine and the asset is ready for service. Once the aircraft or engine is delivered, the capitalized interest is also reclassified into flight equipment on the Company's consolidated balance sheets along with the related PDPs as they are included in the cost of the aircraft or engine. Capitalized interest for 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018 is2021 was primarily related to the interest incurred on long-term debt.
Measurement of Asset Impairments
The Company records impairment charges on long-lived assets used in operations when events and circumstances indicate that the assets may be impaired, the undiscounted future cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than the carrying amount of those assets, and the net book value of the assets exceeds their estimated fair value. Factors which could be indicators of impairment include but are not limited to (1) a decision to permanently remove flight equipment or other long-lived assets from operations, (2) significant changes in the estimated useful life, (3) significant changes in projected cash flows, (4) permanent and significant declines in related fair values and (5) changes to the regulatory environment. In making these determinations, the Company uses certain assumptions, including, but not limited to: (i) estimated fair value of the assets; and (ii) estimated, undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by these assets, which are based on additional assumptions such as asset utilization, length of service the asset will be used in the Company’s operations, and estimated salvage values.
During 2023, the Company did not recognize impairment-related charges. During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company made the decision to accelerate the retirement of 29 of its A319 aircraft, which were owned and unencumbered, as of December 31, 2022. In January 2023, the Company executed a purchase agreement to sell these aircraft over the next two years. The Company has assessed whether anyconcluded that Management’s plan to early retire and ultimately sell these 29 A319 aircraft is an impairment indicator which required the Company to test the recoverability of its long-lived assetsthe related asset group as of December 31, 2022. No impairment indicators existed and has determined that no charges were deemed necessary under applicable accounting standards as of December 31, 2020. 2022, for the remaining flight equipment, which together represent one asset group.
The Company's assumptions aboutCompany concluded that the net book value of this specific asset group of owned A319 aircraft is not recoverable as of December 31, 2022, due to changes to the estimated future conditionscash flows primarily driven by the significant reductions to their remaining operating lives. As a result, during 2022, the Company recognized $333.7 million in impairment-related charges for the amount by which the carrying amount of this asset group, including the related net capitalized maintenance, exceeded its estimated fair value. During 2022, the impairment charges were recorded within special charges (credits) in the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. The fair values of these assets were determined using Level 3 fair value inputs primarily based on the agreed upon sales price for each aircraft, adjusted for estimated utilization in the period of operation from December 31, 2022 to the expected future sales date. For additional information, refer to Note 4, Special Charges and Credits.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
important to its assessment of potential impairment of its long-lived assets, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to its business, are subject to uncertainty, and the Company will continue to monitor these conditions in future periods as new information becomes available, and will updated its analyses accordingly.
Passenger Revenues
Fare revenues. Tickets sold are initially deferred within air traffic liability ("ATL") on the Company's consolidated balance sheet. Passenger fare revenues are recognized at time of departure when transportation is provided. Generally, all tickets sold by the Company are nonrefundable. An unused ticket expires at the date of scheduled travel and is recognized as revenue at the date of scheduled travel. As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company had air traffic liability ("ATL")ATL balances of $402.0$383.8 million and $315.4$429.6 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2020,2023, substantially all of the ATL balance as of December 31, 2019 has2022 had been recognized. Substantially all of the Company's ATL balance as of December 31, 20202023 is expected to be recognized within 12 months.
Non-fare revenues. The adoption of ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018 impacted the classificationNon-fare revenues is primarily comprised of certain ancillary items such as bags, seats and other travel-related fees, since theywhich are deemed part of the single performance obligation of providing passenger transportation. These ancillary items are now recognized in non-fare revenues within passenger revenues, at the time of departure, in the Company's disaggregated revenue table within Note 4, Revenue Disaggregation.departure. In addition, non-fare revenues related to other travel-related programs and services provided are recognized as deemed appropriate.
The following table summarizesshows disaggregated operating revenues for the primary components of the Company's non-fare revenuetwelve months ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and the revenue recognition method utilized for each service or product:2021:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| Non-fare revenue | Recognition method | 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| | | (in thousands) |
| Baggage | Time of departure | $ | 404,896 | | | $ | 734,243 | | | $ | 620,154 | |
| Passenger usage fee | Time of departure | 358,561 | | | 669,177 | | | 531,459 | |
| Advance seat selection | Time of departure | 125,213 | | | 228,876 | | | 180,012 | |
| Other | | 120,638 | | | 238,454 | | | 224,283 | |
| Non-fare revenue | | $ | 1,009,308 | | | $ | 1,870,750 | | | $ | 1,555,908 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Twelve Months Ended December 31, |
| | | | 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| | | | (in thousands) |
| Operating revenues: | | | | | | | | |
| Fare | | | | $ | 2,338,191 | | | $ | 2,455,817 | | | $ | 1,422,927 | |
| Non-fare | | | | 2,929,970 | | | 2,533,548 | | | 1,752,875 | |
| Total passenger revenues | | | | 5,268,161 | | | 4,989,365 | | | 3,175,802 | |
| Other | | | | 94,388 | | | 79,082 | | | 54,973 | |
| Total operating revenues | | | | $ | 5,362,549 | | | $ | 5,068,447 | | | $ | 3,230,775 | |
Changes and cancellations. CustomersAn unused ticket expires at the date of scheduled travel, at which time a service charge is assessed, and is recognized as revenue at the date of scheduled travel. However, customers may elect to change or cancel their itinerary prior to the date of departure. For changes, a service charge is recognized at time of departure of newly scheduled travel and is deducted from the face value of the original purchase price of the ticket, and the original ticket becomes invalid. For cancellations, a service charge is assessed and the amount remaining after deducting the service charge is called a credit shell which prior to 2020 had an expiration of 60generally expires 90 days from the date the credit shell wasis created. During 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company increased the expiration period on some of its credit shells from 60 days to up to 12 months and waived change and cancellation fees for the Guests who booked travel to occur by February 28, 2021. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, the Company will evaluate any continued impact to travel plans and may decide to further extend credit shell expiration dates and/or waive change and cancellation fees in the future. Credit shells can be used towards the purchase of a new ticket and the Company’s other service offerings. Both service charge and credit shell amounts are recorded as deferred revenue and amounts expected to expire unused are estimated based on historical experience.
Estimating the amount of credits that will go unused involves some level of subjectivity and judgment. Assumptions used to generate breakage estimates can be impacted by several factors including, but not limited to, changes to the Company's ticketing policies, changes to the Company’s refund, exchange, and credit shell policies, and economic factors. Given the unprecedentedThe amount of cancellationscredit shells issued varies, primarily due to the flight delays and cancellation events throughout the year. The Company generally experiences some variability in the currentamount of breakage revenue recognized throughout the year and the related increase in credit shells provided, the Company expects additionalsome variability in the amount of breakage revenue recorded in future periods, as the estimates of the portion of those funds that will expire unused may differ from historical experience.
Other Revenues
Other revenues primarily consist of the marketing component of the sale of frequent flyer milesloyalty points to the Company's credit card partner and commissions revenue from the sale of various items such as hotels and rental cars.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
Frequent FlyerLoyalty Program
The Company's frequent flyerCompany operates the Free Spirit loyalty program generates(the "Free Spirit Program"), which attracts members and partners and builds customer loyalty for the Company by rewarding customers with mileage credits to traveloffering a variety of awards, benefits and services. Free Spirit Program members earn and accrue points for dollars spent on Spirit. When traveling, customers earn redeemable mileage creditsSpirit for each mile flown on Spirit. Customers can also earn mileage credits through participating companiesflights and other non-fare services as well as services from non-air partners such as the co-branded Spiritretail merchants, hotels or car rental companies or by making purchases with credit card. Mileage creditscards issued by partner banks and financial services providers. Points are redeemable by customers in future periods for air travel on Spirit.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
To reflect the mileagepoint credits earned, the program includes 2two types of transactions that are considered revenue arrangements with multiple performance obligations: (1) mileage creditspoints earned with travel and (2) mileage creditspoints sold to its co-branded credit card partner.
Passenger ticket sales earning mileage credits.points. Passenger ticket sales earning mileage creditspoints provide customers with (1) mileage creditspoints earned and (2) air transportation. The Company values each performance obligation on a standalone basis.stand-alone basis and allocates the consideration to each performance obligation based on their relative fair value. To value the mileagepoint credits earned, the Company considers the quantitative value a passenger receives by redeeming milespoints for a ticket rather than paying cash, which is referred to as equivalent ticket value ("ETV").
The Company defers revenue for the mileage creditspoints when earned and recognizes loyalty travel awards in passenger revenue as the milespoints are redeemed and services are provided. The Company records the air transportation portion of the passenger ticket sales in air traffic liability and recognizes passenger revenue when transportation is provided or if the ticket goes unused, at the date of scheduled travel.
Sale of mileage credits.points. Customers may earn mileage creditspoints based on their spending with the Company's co-branded credit card company with which the Company has an agreement to sell mileage credits.points. The contract to sell mileage creditspoints under this agreement has multiple performance obligations, as discussed below.
The Company's co-branded credit card agreement provides for joint marketing where cardholders earn mileage creditspoints for making purchases using co-branded cards. During 2020,2023, the Company extended its agreement with the administrator of the FREE SPIRITFree Spirit affinity credit card program to extend through MarchDecember 31, 2024. In connection with its extension of the agreement, in January 2021, the Company launched a new loyalty program with extended mileage expiration, additional benefits based on status tiers, and other changes.2028. The Company accounts for this agreement consistently with the accounting method that allocates the consideration received to the individual products and services delivered. The value is allocated based on the relative stand-alone selling prices of those products and services, which generally consists of (i) travel milespoints to be awarded, (ii) airline benefits, (iii) licensing of brand and access to member lists and (iii)(iv) advertising and marketing efforts. The Company determined the best estimate of the stand-alone selling prices by considering discounted cash flow analysis using multiple inputs and assumptions, including: (1) the expected number of milespoints awarded and number of milespoints redeemed, (2) ETV forthe estimated stand-alone selling price of the award travel obligation and airline benefits, (3) licensing of brand and access to member lists and (4) the cost of advertising and marketing efforts. The new program terms will require updated estimates ofefforts undertaken by the allocation of future revenues to the performance obligations described above.Company.
The Company defers the amount for award travel obligation as part of loyalty deferred revenuerevenue. These amounts that are expected to be redeemed during the following twelve months are recorded within air traffic liabilityATL on the consolidated balance sheet and the portion that is not expected to be redeemed during the following twelve months is recorded within long-term liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. In addition, the Company recognizes loyalty travel awards in passenger revenue as the mileage creditspoints are used for travel. Revenue allocated to advertising and the remaining performance obligations, primarily marketing components, is recorded in other revenue over time as milespoints are delivered. Total unrecognized revenue from future FREE SPIRIT award redemptions and the sale of mileage creditsFree Spirit Program was $31.6$104.6 million and $29.8$81.3 million at December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, respectively. The current portion of this balance is recorded within air traffic liability and the long-term portion of this balance is recorded within deferred gains and other long-term liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
The following table illustrates total cash proceeds received from the sale of mileage creditspoints and the portion of such proceeds recognized in non-ticket revenue immediately as marketing component:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Consideration received from credit card mile programs | | Portion of proceeds recognized immediately as marketing component |
| Year Ended | (in thousands) |
| December 31, 2020 | $ | 33,201 | | | $ | 25,918 | |
| December 31, 2019 | 48,136 | | | 37,151 | |
| December 31, 2018 | 39,194 | | | 30,353 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Consideration received from credit card loyalty programs | | Portion of proceeds recognized immediately as marketing component |
| Year Ended | (in thousands) |
| December 31, 2023 | $ | 93,147 | | | $ | 48,071 | |
| December 31, 2022 | 80,970 | | | 40,987 | |
| December 31, 2021 | 48,035 | | | 23,681 | |
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
MileagePoints breakage. For mileage creditspoints that the Company estimates are not likely to be redeemed ("breakage"), the Company recognizes the associated value proportionally during the period in which the remaining mileage creditspoints are redeemed. Management uses statistical models to estimate breakage based on historical redemption patterns. A change in assumptions as to the period over which mileage creditspoints are expected to be redeemed, the actual redemption activity for mileage creditspoints or the estimated fair value of mileage creditspoints expected to be redeemed could have an impact on revenues in the year in which the change occurs and in future years.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
Current activity of frequent flyerloyalty program. Mileage creditsPoints are combined in one homogeneous pool and are not separately identifiable. As such, revenue is comprisedcomposed of milespoints that were part of the frequent flyerloyalty deferred revenue balance at the beginning of the period as well as milespoints that were issued during the period.
Airframe and Engine Maintenance
The Company accounts for heavy maintenance and major overhaul under the deferral method whereby the cost of heavy maintenance and major overhaul is deferred and amortized until the earlier of the end of the useful life of the related asset, the end of the remaining lease term or the next scheduled heavy maintenance event.
Amortization of heavy maintenance and major overhaul costs charged to depreciation and amortization expense was $88.9$79.8 million, $63.4$96.7 million and $41.3$91.9 million for the years ended 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively. During the years ended 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, the Company deferred $75.2$202.9 million, $176.0$149.3 million and $190.5$74.1 million, respectively, of costs for heavy maintenance, netmaintenance. As of reimbursements. At December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company had a deferred heavy maintenance balance of $570.6$529.8 million and $504.2$349.0 million, and accumulated heavy maintenance amortization of $222.7$216.2 million and $142.6$158.6 million, respectively.
The Company outsources certain routine, non-heavy maintenance functions under contracts that require payment on a utilization basis, such asprimarily based on flight hours. Costs incurred for maintenance and repair under flight hour maintenance contracts, where labor and materials price risks have been transferred to the service provider, are expensed based on contractual payment terms. All other costs for routine maintenance of the airframes and engines are charged to expense as performed.
The table below summarizes the components of the Company’s maintenance cost:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| (in thousands) |
| Flight hour-based maintenance expense | $ | 52,092 | | | $ | 78,253 | | | $ | 68,039 | |
| Non-flight hour-based maintenance expense | 59,135 | | | 65,322 | | | 61,039 | |
| Total maintenance, materials and repairs | $ | 111,227 | | | $ | 143,575 | | | $ | 129,078 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| (in thousands) |
| Utilization-based maintenance expense | $ | 117,458 | | | $ | 97,930 | | | $ | 81,591 | |
| Non-utilization-based maintenance expense | 105,881 | | | 89,890 | | | 77,911 | |
| Total maintenance, materials and repairs | $ | 223,339 | | | $ | 187,820 | | | $ | 159,502 | |
Leased Aircraft Return Costs
The Company's aircraft lease agreements often contain provisions that require the Company to return aircraft airframes, engines and other aircraft components to the lessor in a certain condition or pay an amount to the lessor based on the airframe and engine's actual return condition. Lease return costs include all costs that would be incurred at the return of the aircraft, including costs incurred to repair the airframe and engines to the required condition as stipulated by the lease. Lease return costs are recognized beginning when it is probable that such costs will be incurred and they can be estimated.
When determining the needprobability to accrue lease return costs, there are various probability and estimated cost there are variousand factors which need to be considered such as the contractual terms of the lease agreement, current condition of the aircraft, the age of the aircraft at lease expiration, projected number of hours run on the engine at the time of return, and the number of projected cycles run on the airframe at the time of return, among others. Management assesses the need to accrue lease return costs periodically throughout the year or whenever facts and circumstances warrant an assessment. Lease return costs will generally be estimable closer to the end of the lease term but may be estimable earlier in the lease term depending on the contractual terms of the lease agreement and the timing of maintenance events for a particular aircraft.
Aircraft Maintenance Deposits
Some of the Company's aircraft and engine master lease agreements provide that the Company pay maintenance reserves to aircraft lessors to be held as collateral in advance of the Company's required performance of major maintenance activities. A majority of these maintenance reserve payments are calculated based on a utilization measure, such as flight hours or cycles, while some maintenance reserve payments are fixed, time-based contractual amounts. These lease agreements
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
generally provide that maintenance reserves are reimbursable to the Company upon completion of the maintenance event. Some of the master lease agreements do not require that the Company pay maintenance reserves so long as the Company's cash balance does not fall below a certain level. As of December 31, 2020, the Company is in full compliance with such requirements and does not anticipate having to pay reserves related to these master leases in the future.
Maintenance reserve payments are reflected as aircraft maintenance deposits in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The Company makes certain assumptions to determine the recoverability of maintenance deposits. These assumptions are based on various factors such as the estimated time between the maintenance events, the date the aircraft is due to be returned to the lessor, the cost of future maintenance events and the utilization of the aircraft is estimated before it is returned to the lessor. When it is not probable the Company will recover amounts currently on deposit with a lessor, such amounts are expensed as supplemental rent.
Aircraft Fuel
Aircraft fuel expense includes jet fuel and associated into-plane costs, taxes, and oil, and realized and unrealized gains and losses associated with fuel derivative contracts, if any.
Advertising
The Company expenses advertising and the production costs of advertising as incurred. Marketing and advertising expenses of $5.5$9.0 million, $6.3$9.2 million and $6.3$7.1 million for the years ended 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively, were recorded within distribution expense in the consolidated statements of operations.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets reported if, based on the weight of the evidence, it is more likely than not that some
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be not realized. As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company recordedhad a valuation allowance of $2.9$17.7 million and $1.7$10.9 million, respectively.respectively, recorded within deferred income taxes on the Company's consolidated balance sheets. For additional information, refer to Note 17,16, Income Taxes.
Stock-Based Compensation
The Company recognizes cost of employee services received in exchange for awards of equity instruments based on the fair value of each instrument at the date of grant. For the majority of awards, compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for an award. Certain awards have performance conditions that must be achieved prior to vesting and are expensed based on the expected achievement at each reporting period. The Company has issued and outstanding restricted stock awards, stock optionperformance share awards, market share awards and performance and market share awards. Restricted stock awards are valued at the fair value of the shares on the date of grant. The fair value of share option awards is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model. The fair value of performance share awards based on a market condition isand the market share awards are estimated through the use of a Monte Carlo simulation model. The fair value of performance share awards based on a performance condition is based on the fair value of the shares on the date of grant. The performance share awards based on a performance condition are evaluated at each report date and adjustments are made to stock-based compensation expense based on the number of shares deemed probable of issuance upon vesting. The fair value of the market and performance share awards are estimated through the use of a Monte Carlo simulation model and adjusted based on the number of shares deemed probable of issuance upon vesting. For additional information, refer to Note 12,11, Stock-Based Compensation.
Payroll Support Program
During 2020 and 2021, in order to assist the Company to pay for salaries, wages and benefits for its employees, the Company entered into three separate Payroll Support Program Agreements under the CARES Act (“PSP1”), as extended by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (“PSP2”) and the American Rescue Plan Act (“PSP3”) with the Treasury. The agreements provided the Company with grants (refer to Note 4, Special Charges and Credits for additional information), unsecured term loans (refer to Note 13, Debt and Other Obligations for additional information) and warrants (refer to Note 10, Equity for additional information). The funds provided were used exclusively to pay for salaries, wages and benefits for the Company's employees. As of December 31, 2023, the Company is in compliance with the terms of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3.
Concentrations of Risk
The Company’s business may be adversely affected by increases in the price of aircraft fuel, the volatility of the price of aircraft fuel, or both. Aircraft fuel, one of the Company’s largest expenditures, represented approximately 19%31%, 30%34% and 32%28% of total operating expenses in 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively.
The Company’s operations are largely concentrated in the southeast United States with Fort Lauderdale being the highest volume fueling point in the system. Gulf Coast Jet indexed fuel is the basis for a substantial majority of the Company’s fuel consumption. Any disruption to the oil production or refinery capacity in the Gulf Coast, as a result of weather or any other disaster, or disruptions in supply of jet fuel, dramatic escalations in the costs of jet fuel and/or the failure of fuel providers to perform under fuel arrangements for other reasons could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial condition and results of operations.
The Company’s operations will continue to be vulnerable to weather conditions (including hurricane season or snow and severe winter weather), which could disrupt service or create air traffic control problems. These events may result in decreased revenue and/or increased costs.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
The Company relies on a limited number of vendors for the delivery of additional aircraft and engines - currently Airbus A320-family, single-aisle aircraft, powered by engines manufactured by IAE and Pratt & Whitney. Due to the relatively small size of the Company's fleet and high utilization rate, the unavailability of aircraft and resultingengines, as well as the reduced capacity, resulting from delivery delays or performance issues from these vendors, could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition. Refer to Note 3, Current Developments, for additional information on the Pratt & Whitney engine performance issues.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had 5six union-represented employee groups that together represented approximately 82%85% of all employees. The Company's aircraft maintenance technicians are represented by AMFA. The related collective bargaining agreement is currently under negotiation. A strike or other significant labor dispute with the Company’s unionized employees is likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to conduct business. Additional disclosures are included in Note 18,17, Commitments and Contingencies.
2.Impact of COVID-19
Since its initial onset in early 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has evolved throughout the year and continues to be fluid. Therefore, the Company's financial and operational outlook still remains subject to change and fluctuation. The Company continues to monitor the impacts of the pandemic on its operations and financial condition, and to implement and adapt mitigation strategies while working to preserve cash and protect the long-term sustainability of the Company.
Capacity Reductions
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, in response to government restrictions on travel and drastically reduced consumer demand, the Company began to significantly reduce capacity each month with the largest capacity reduction in May 2020 at approximately 94%, year over year. In response to modest demand recovery, the Company strategically added back capacity during certain peak travel periods. During the holiday months of November and December, capacity was reduced to a lesser extent with reductions of 20.8% and 20.1%, year over year. The Company continues to closely monitor demand and will make adjustments to the flight schedule as appropriate.
The COVID-19 pandemic and its effects continue to evolve with recent developments including the uptick in the rate of infections following the 2020 holiday season, the emergency use authorization issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for certain COVID-19 vaccines in late 2020, and the requirement, effective January 26, 2021, that all U.S. inbound international travelers provide a negative COVID-19 test prior to flying. The Company currently estimates that air travel demand will continue to be volatile and will fluctuate in the upcoming months as the lingering effects of COVID-19 continue to develop. The Company expects that air travel demand will continue to gradually recover in 2021. However, the situation continues to be fluid and actual capacity adjustments may be different than what the Company currently expects. Refer to Note 4, Revenue Disaggregation, for discussion of the impact of COVID-19 on the Company's air traffic liability, credit shells and refunds.
COVID-19 Legislation
On March 27, 2020, President Donald Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act ("CARES Act")into law. The CARES Act was a relief package intended to assist many aspects of the American economy, including providing the airline industry with up to $25 billion in grants to be used for employee salaries, wages and benefits and up to $25 billion in secured loans.
In April 2020, the Company entered into a Payroll Support Program ("PSP") Agreement with the United States Department of the Treasury ("Treasury"), pursuant to which the Company received a total of $344.4 million, used exclusively to pay for salaries, wages and benefits for the Company’s Team Members through September 30, 2020. Of that amount, $73.3 million is in the form of a low-interest 10-year loan. In addition, in connection with its participation in the PSP, the Company issued to Treasury warrants pursuant to a warrant agreement to purchase up to 520,797 shares of the Company’s common stock at a strike price of $14.08 per share (the closing price for the shares of the Company's common stock on April 9, 2020) with a fair value of $3.9 million. The remaining amount of $267.2 million is in the form of a grant and was recognized in special charges and credits, net of related costs, in the Company's consolidated statement of operations. Refer to Note 5, Special Charges and Credits, for additional information.
Pursuant to the warrant agreement with the Treasury, the Company registered the resale of the warrants and the 520,797 shares of common stock issuable upon exercise of such warrants in September and October 2020. Total warrants issued represent less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock as of December 31, 2020. Refer to Note 14, Debt and Other Obligations, for additional information on the notes issued and Note 11, Common Stock and Preferred Stock, for additional information on the warrants.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
In connection with the Company's participation in the PSP, the Company was, and continues to be, subject to certain restrictions and limitations, including, but not limited to:
•Restrictions on payment of dividends and stock buybacks through September 30, 2021;
•Limits on certain executive compensation including limiting pay increases and severance pay or other benefits upon terminations, through March 24, 2022;
•Requirements to maintain certain levels of scheduled services (including to destinations where there may currently be significantly reduced or no demand) through September 30, 2020;
•A prohibition on involuntary terminations or furloughs of the Company's employees (except for health, disability, cause, or certain disciplinary reasons) through September 30, 2020;
•A prohibition on reducing the salaries, wages, or benefits of the Company's employees (other than the Company's executive officers or independent contractors, or as otherwise permitted under the terms of the PSP) through September 30, 2020;
•Limitations on the use of the grant funds exclusively for the continuation of payment of employee wages, salaries and benefits; and
•Additional reporting and recordkeeping requirements relating to the CARES Act funds.
On April 29, 2020, the Company applied for additional funds under the Treasury's loan program under the CARES Act (“Loan Program”). On July 1, 2020, the Company executed a non-binding letter of intent with the Treasury which summarized the principal terms of the financing request submitted by the Company to the Treasury. In September 2020, the Company decided that it would not participate in the Treasury's loan program as it was able to secure other forms of financing described below.
On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was signed into law. This new legislation provides an extension or additional benefits designed to address the continuing economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill extends the PSP program of the CARES Act through March 31, 2021 ("PSP2") and provides an additional $15 billion to fund the PSP2 program for employees of passenger air carriers. In late December, the Company notified the Treasury of its intent to participate in the PSP2 agreement. The Company entered into a new payroll support program agreement with the Treasury on January 15, 2021. The Company expects to receive approximately $184.5 million pursuant to its participation in the PSP2 program. In January 2021, the Company received the first installment of $92.2 million in the form of a grant. Of the remaining amount, the Company expects that approximately $25 million will be in the form of a low-interest 10-year loan. In addition, in connection with its participation in the PSP2, the Company expects to issue to Treasury warrants to purchase up to 103,761 shares of the Company’s common stock at a strike price of $24.42 per share (the closing price of the shares of the Company's common stock on December 24, 2020).
In connection with the Company's participation in the PSP2, the Company is subject to certain restrictions and limitations, including, but not limited to:
•Restrictions on payment of dividends and stock buybacks through March 31, 2022;
•Limits on executive compensation through October 1, 2022;
•Restrictions from conducting involuntary furloughs or reducing pay rates and benefits until March 31, 2021;
•Requirements to maintain certain levels of scheduled services through March 1, 2022;
•Reporting requirements; and
•A recall of all employees that were involuntarily furloughed or terminated between October 1, 2020 and the date the carrier enters into the new payroll support agreement with the Treasury. Such employees, if returning to work, must be compensated for lost pay and benefits between December 1, 2020 and the date of such new payroll support agreement.
The CARES Act also provided an employee retention credit (“CARES Employee Retention credit”) which is a refundable tax credit against certain employment taxes of up to $5,000 per employee for eligible employers. The credit is equal to 50% of qualified wages paid to employees during a quarter, capped at $10,000 of qualified wages through year end. The Company qualified for the credit beginning on April 1, 2020 and received additional credits for qualified wages through December 31, 2020. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded $38.5 million related to the CARES Employee Retention credit within special charges (credits) on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. Refer to Note 5, Special Charges and Credits, for additional information.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 also extends and expands the availability of the CARES Employee Retention credit through June 30, 2021, however, certain provisions apply only after December 31, 2020. This new legislation amends the employee retention credit to be equal to 70% of qualified wages paid to employees after December 31, 2020, and before July 1, 2021. During the first two quarters of 2021, a maximum of $10,000 in qualified wages for each employee per calendar quarter may be counted in determining the 70% credit. Therefore, the maximum tax credit that can be claimed by an eligible employer in 2021 is $7,000 per employee per calendar quarter for the first and second quarters of 2021.
The CARES Act also provides for certain tax loss carrybacks and a waiver on federal fuel taxes through December 31, 2020. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had recognized $142.0 million in related federal tax loss carrybacks and $6.5 million in federal fuel tax savings reflected within aircraft fuel in the Company’s statements of operations.
Finally, the CARES Act also provides for deferred payment of the employer portion of social security taxes through the end of 2020, with 50% of the deferred amount due December 31, 2021 and the remaining 50% due December 31, 2022. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had deferred $23.2 million in social security tax payments. The deferred amounts are recorded within other current liabilities and within deferred gains and other long-term liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet.
Income Taxes
The Company's effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 was 30.9% compared to 23.2% for the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. The increase in tax rate, as compared to the prior year period, is primarily due to a $56.1 million discrete federal tax benefit recorded during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 related to the passage of the CARES Act. The CARES Act allows for carryback of net operating losses generated at a 21% tax rate to recover taxes paid at a 35% tax rate. Excluding this discrete tax benefit, the Company's effective tax rate for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 would have been 21.8%. While the Company expects its tax rate to be fairly consistent in the near term, it will tend to vary depending on recurring items such as the amount of income we earn in each state and the state tax rate applicable to such income. Discrete items particular to a given year may also affect our effective tax rates. Refer to Note 17, Income Taxes, for additional information.
Balance Sheet, Cash Flow and Liquidity
Since the onset of the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2020, the Company has taken several actions to increase liquidity and strengthen its financial position. As a result of these actions, as of December 31, 2020, the Company had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents and short-term investment securities of $1,896.1 million.
In March 2020, the Company entered into a senior secured revolving credit facility (the "2022 revolving credit facility") for an initial commitment amount of $110.0 million, and subsequently, in the second quarter of 2020, increased its commitment amount to $180.0 million. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had fully drawn the available amount of $180.0 million under the 2022 revolving credit facility. The 2022 revolving credit facility matures on March 30, 2022. Refer to Note 14, Debt and Other Obligations, for additional information about the 2022 revolving credit facility.
On May 12, 2020, the Company completed the public offering of $175.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.75% convertible senior notes due 2025 (the “convertible notes”). The convertible notes will bear interest at the rate of 4.75% per year and will mature on May 15, 2025. Interest on the convertible notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year, beginning on November 15, 2020. The Company received proceeds of $168.3 million, net of total issuance costs of $6.7 million and recorded $95.6 million in long-term debt and finance leases, net of debt issuance costs of $3.8 million on its consolidated balance sheets, related to the debt component of the convertible notes, and $72.7 million in additional paid-in-capital ("APIC"), net of issuance costs of $2.9 million on its consolidated balance sheets, related to the equity component of the convertible notes. Refer to Note 14, Debt and Other Obligations for additional information about the Company’s convertible debt.
Also on May 12, 2020, the Company completed the public offering of 20,125,000 shares of its voting common stock, which includes full exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase an additional 2,625,000 shares of common stock, at a public offering price of $10.00 per share (the “common stock offering”). The Company received proceeds of $192.4 million, net of issuance costs of $8.9 million. Refer to Note 11, Common Stock and Preferred Stock, for further information about the Company’s common stock offering.
In June 2020, the Company entered into an agreement to amend its revolving credit facility entered into in 2018 to finance aircraft pre-delivery payments. The agreement amends the revolving credit facility to extend the final maturity date from
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
December 30, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Upon execution of the amended agreement, the maximum borrowing capacity decreased from $160.0 million to $111.2 million. This facility is secured by the collateral assignment of certain of the Company’s rights under the purchase agreement with Airbus. As of December 31, 2020, collateralized amounts were related to 11 Airbus A320neo aircraft scheduled to be delivered between June 2021 and April 2022. The maximum borrowing capacity of $95.1 million, as of December 31, 2020, decreased from $111.2 million due to the delivery of aircraft during the third and fourth quarters of 2020 andwill continue to decrease as the Company takes delivery of the related aircraft. The amendment provides approximately $54 million in additional liquidity through March 2021.Refer to Note 14, Debt and Other Obligations, for further information.
Also, in June 2020, the Company entered into an agreement to defer certain aircraft deliveries originally scheduled in 2020 and 2021, as well as the related pre-delivery deposit payments. The Company may elect to supplement these deliveries by additional acquisitions from the manufacturer or in the open market if demand conditions merit. The Company also may adjust or defer deliveries, or change models of aircraft in the delivery stream, from time to time, as a means to match future capacity with anticipated demand and growth trends. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, the Company took delivery of 12 aircraft. In addition, the Company has 16 aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2021. Refer to Note 18, Commitments and Contingencies, for further information about the Company’s future aircraft deliveries.
On July 22, 2020, the Company entered into an equity distribution agreement relating to the issuance and sale from time to time by the Company of up to 9,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock in sales deemed to be "at-the-market offerings" as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"). During the third quarter of 2020, the Company completed the sale of all 9,000,000 shares under its "at-the-market offering" program ("ATM program") and had received proceeds of $156.7 million, net of $5.0 million in related issuance costs. Refer to Note 11, Common Stock and Preferred Stock, for further information.
On September 17, 2020, the Company completed a private offering by Spirit IP Cayman Ltd., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company and Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, of an aggregate of $850 million principal amount of 8.00% senior secured notes. The 8.00% senior secured notes will be secured by, among other things, a first priority lien on the core assets of the Company’s loyalty programs, comprised of cash proceeds from its Free Spirit co-branded credit card programs, its $9 Fare ClubTM program membership fees, and certain intellectual property required or necessary to operate the loyalty programs, as well as the Company’s brand intellectual property. Refer to Note 4, Revenue Disaggregation, for further information on the Company's loyalty programs. The 8.00% senior secured notes will mature on September 20, 2025. The Company received proceeds of $823.9 million, net of issuance costs of $17.4 million and original issue discount of $8.7 million, related to this private offering. Refer to Note 14, Debt and Other Obligations, for further information.
For purposes of assessing its liquidity needs, the Company estimates that demand will continue to be volatile as it recovers through 2021, but remain well below 2019 levels. The Company believes the actions described above, along with the expected funds of the PSP2 program, sufficiently address its future liquidity needs, yet anticipates it may implement further discretionary changes and other cost reduction and liquidity preservation and/or enhancement measures, as needed, to address the volatility and changing dynamics of passenger demand and the impact of revenue changes, regulatory and public health directives and prevailing government policy and financial market conditions.
Workforce Actions
In July 2020, the Company distributed a letter to employees, including approximately 2,500 U.S.-based union represented employees, regarding the possibility of a workforce reduction at their work location. Throughout the second and third quarters of 2020, the Company worked with unionized employees and the related unions to create voluntary leave programs for pilots, flight attendants and other unionized employee groups. The Company also created voluntary leave programs for certain non-unionized employee groups. In August 2020, the Company announced a voluntary separation program for non-unionized employees. Due to the high level of support and acceptance of the voluntary programs offered, 0 unionized employees were involuntarily furloughed and the total number of non-unionized employees involuntarily separated as of October 1, 2020 was reduced by more than 95%. In the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded $2.5 million in expenses related to the voluntary and involuntary employee separations. These expenses were recorded within special credits on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. Expenses related to voluntary leave programs were recorded within salaries, wages and benefits on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. With the Company's expected participation in the PSP2 program, the Company will comply with any related restrictions and limitations on any workforce actions.
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
3.2.Recent Accounting Developments
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
Accounting for Credit Losses
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses." The standard requires the use of an "expected loss" model on certain types of financial instruments. For accounts receivables, aircraft maintenance deposits and security deposits (recorded within other long-term assets on the Company's consolidated balance sheets) the Company is required to estimate lifetime expected credit losses. The standard also amends the impairment model for available-for-sale securities and requires estimated credit losses to be recorded as allowances rather than as reductions to the amortized cost of the securities. As such, the Company is required to recognize an allowance for credit losses for its short-term available-for-sale investment securities, with the exception of U.S. Treasury securities which do not require an allowance for credit losses. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020. In connection with the adoption of this standard, the Company recognized a cumulative effect adjustment, net of tax, of $1.6 million to retained earnings on the Company's consolidated balance sheets with corresponding reserves against certain of our outstanding financial instruments. These amounts were not material to the Company's consolidated financial statements individually or in the aggregate.
Cloud Computing Arrangements
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software." This new standard requires a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 350-40, "Accounting for Internal-Use Software," to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as assets and amortize over the term of the hosting arrangement or expense as incurred. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2020 and is applying the standard prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. This adoption has not had a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statement presentation or results.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
Convertible InstrumentsIn October 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-06, Disclosure Improvements, to clarify or improve disclosure and Contractspresentation requirements of a variety of topics and align the requirements in the FASB accounting standard codification (ASC) with the SEC's regulations. The amendments in this ASU 2023-06 will be effective on the date the related disclosures are removed from Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K by the SEC, and will no longer be effective if the SEC has not removed the applicable disclosure requirement by June 30, 2027. Early adoption is prohibited. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the amendment, which is not expected to be material.
In August 2020,December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, "Accounting for Convertible Instruments2023-09 (“ASU 2023-09”), Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvement to Income Tax Disclosures to enhance the transparency and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity." This new standard simplifies and adds disclosure requirements for the accounting and measurementdecision usefulness of convertible instruments. It eliminates the treasury stock method for convertible instruments and requires application of the “if-converted” method for certain agreements.income tax disclosures. This standard is effective for the Company for fiscal years, and interim periods
within those years, beginning January 1, 2022.2025 on a prospective basis. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning January 1,
2021, including interim periods.permitted. The Company does not plan to early adopt and is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on its earnings (loss) per share calculation under the "if-converted" method related to its convertible debt.standard.
4. Revenue Disaggregation
Operating revenues is comprised of passenger revenues, which includes fare and non-fare revenues, and other revenues. The following table shows disaggregated operating revenues for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Twelve Months Ended December 31, |
| | | | 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| | | | (in thousands) |
| Operating revenues: | | | | | | | | |
| Fare | | | | $ | 756,225 | | | $ | 1,886,855 | | | $ | 1,704,107 | |
| Non-fare | | | | 1,009,308 | | | 1,870,750 | | | 1,555,908 | |
| Total passenger revenues | | | | 1,765,533 | | | 3,757,605 | | | 3,260,015 | |
| Other | | | | 44,489 | | | 72,931 | | | 63,019 | |
| Total operating revenues | | | | $ | 1,810,022 | | | $ | 3,830,536 | | | $ | 3,323,034 | |
The Company defers the amount for award travel obligation as part of loyalty deferred revenue within air traffic liability ("ATL") on the Company's consolidated balance sheets and recognizes loyalty travel awards in passenger revenues as the mileage credits are used for travel or expire unused.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company experienced significantly increased customer requests for credit shells, or customer travel funds held by the Company that can be redeemed for future travel, and refunds beginning in the second half of March 2020 and continuing to varying degrees through the remainder of the year primarily due to flight cancellations and a change in the Company's flight cancellation and refund policy. The total value of refunds issued during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 was $183.6 million.
The Company expects that the level of requests for credit shells and refunds will continue to fluctuate and vary as the effects of COVID-19 continue to develop. In addition, in response to COVID-19, the Company increased the expiration period on some of its credit shells from 60 days to up to 12 months and waived change and cancellation fees for the Guests who booked travel to occur by February 28, 2021. As a result, the outstanding balance of the unused credit shells (which is recorded within ATL on the Company's consolidated balance sheets), as of December 31, 2020, significantly exceeds the balance in the prior year period. As of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had ATL balances of $402.0 million and $315.4 million, respectively. Substantially all of the Company's ATL, including the balance of credit shells, is expected to be recognized within 12 months of the respective balance sheet date. Refer to Note 2, Impact of COVID-19, for further information on COVID-19's impact to the Company.
For credit shells that the Company estimates are not likely to be used prior to expiration (“breakage”), the Company recognizes the associated value proportionally during the period over which the remaining credit shells may be used. Breakage estimates are based on the Company's historical information about customer behavior as well as assumptions about customers' future travel behavior. Assumptions used to generate breakage estimates can be impacted by several factors including, but not limited to, changes to the Company's ticketing policies, changes to the Company’s refund, exchange, and credit shell policies, and economic factors. Given the unprecedented amount of cancellations in the current year and the related increase in credit shells provided, the Company expects additional variability in the amount of breakage revenue recorded in future periods, as the estimates of the portion of those funds that will expire unused may differ from historical experience.
Loyalty Programs
The Company operates the $9 Fare ClubTM which is a subscription-based loyalty program that allows members access to unpublished, extra-low fares as well as discounted prices on bags, exclusive offers on hotels, rental cars and other travel necessities. The Company also operates the Free Spirit loyalty program (the “Free Spirit Program”), which attracts members and partners and builds customer loyalty for the Company by offering a variety of awards, benefits and services. Free Spirit Program members earn and accrue miles for taking our flights and services from non-air partners such as retail merchants, hotels or car rental companies or by making purchases with credit cards issued by partner banks and financial services providers. Miles earned and accrued by Free Spirit Program members can be redeemed for travel awards such as free (other than taxes and government-imposed fees), discounted or upgraded travel.
The Company launched a more expansive Free Spirit Program with extended mileage expiration, additional benefits based on status tiers, and other changes in January 2021. The new program terms will require updated estimates of the allocation of future revenues to the performance obligations. Refer to Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, for further information. In addition, starting in January 2021, the benefits of the $9 Fare ClubTM , now known as the Spirit Saver$
ClubTM, were expanded to include discounts on seats, shortcut boarding and security, and "Flight Flex" flight modification product.
5.3.Current Developments
JetBlue Merger
On July 28, 2022, Spirit entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with JetBlue Airways Corporation, a Delaware corporation (“JetBlue”), and Sundown Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation and a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of JetBlue (“Merger Sub”), pursuant to which and subject to the terms and conditions therein, Merger Sub will merge with and into Spirit, with Spirit continuing as the surviving entity (the “Merger”). As a result of the Merger, each outstanding share of Spirit's common stock (except for dissenting shares, treasury stock, and shares of Spirit's common stock owned by JetBlue, Merger Sub or any of their respective wholly owned subsidiaries), will be converted into the right to receive an amount in cash per share, without interest, equal to (such amount, the “Merger Consideration”) (i) $33.50 minus (ii) (A) $2.50 (the “Approval Prepayment Amount”), paid on October 26, 2022 following the adoption by Spirit stockholders of the Merger Agreement on October 19, 2022 and (B) an additional monthly per share prepayment amount calculated as the product of $0.10 and the number of additional prepayments paid (or, in the event the Closing occurs after the record date of, but before the payment date of any such additional prepayment, to the extent payable after the Closing), not to exceed $1.15 per share of Spirit common stock, by JetBlue to Spirit stockholders in accordance with the Merger Agreement (each such payment is referred to as an “Additional Prepayment” and such $0.10 amount is referred to as the “Additional Prepayment Amount”). If an aggregate of $1.15 of Additional Prepayment Amounts has been paid out before consummation or termination of the Merger, Spirit stockholders will thereafter continue to receive monthly Additional Prepayments, at the same $0.10 per month rate, until the transaction closes or the Merger Agreement is terminated. The Merger Agreement becomes unilaterally terminable by either JetBlue or Spirit after July 24, 2024.
In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, JetBlue is required to pay or cause to be paid the Approval Prepayment Amount to Spirit stockholders as of the record date established by Spirit for the special meeting to approve the Merger Agreement within five business days following such Spirit stockholder approval. Thereafter, on or prior to the last business day of each month beginning after December 31, 2022 until the earlier of the Closing or termination of the Merger Agreement, JetBlue will also pay or cause to be paid the Additional Prepayment Amount to Spirit stockholders as of a record date not more than five business days prior to the last business day of such month. Payments made from JetBlue to Spirit stockholders do not impact the Company's results of operations or cash flows.
On October 19, 2022, Spirit’s stockholders approved the Merger Agreement at a special meeting of stockholders. The record date for both the Company’s special meeting and the Approval Prepayment was September 12, 2022. In accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement, on October 26, 2022, JetBlue paid the Spirit stockholders the Approval Prepayment Amount of $2.50 per share. Additionally, beginning January 2023, JetBlue paid on a monthly basis the Additional Prepayments of $0.10 per share of common stock to all Spirit stockholders as of each record date, per the Merger Agreement.
Due to the payment of the Approval Prepayment and each of the Additional Prepayment Amounts, in accordance with the terms of the respective debt indentures and warrant agreements, the Company announced related adjustments to the conversion rates of its convertible notes due 2025 and its convertible notes due 2026 as well as adjustments to the exercise prices and warrant shares of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants outstanding. As of December 31, 2023, the conversion rates of the convertible notes due 2025 and 2026 were 94.9262 and 24.6649 shares of voting common stock per $1,000 principal
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
amount of convertible notes, respectively. In addition, as of December 31, 2023, the exercise prices of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants were $11.663, $20.229 and $30.196, respectively, and the number of warrant shares issuable upon the exercise of the PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants were adjusted to 628,725.19, 166,292.37 and 97,219.73, respectively.
Completion of the Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of certain closing conditions, including, among other things: (1) approval of the transactions by Spirit’s stockholders, which was received on October 19, 2022; (2) receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, including approvals from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Department of Transportation ("DOT") and the expiration or early termination of the statutory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other competition laws, and other required regulatory approvals; (3) the absence of any law or order prohibiting the consummation of the transactions; and (4) the absence of any material adverse effect (as defined in the Merger Agreement) on Spirit.
On March 7, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice (“DOJ”) filed suit to block the Merger and a trial was held in late 2023. On January 16, 2024, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts (the “District Court”) granted a permanent injunction against the Merger (the "Injunction"). On January 19, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a notice of appeal to reverse the District Court's decision and allow Spirit and JetBlue to complete the Merger. On January 25, 2024, JetBlue made a public filing stating that certain closing conditions required by the Merger Agreement may not be satisfied prior to the outside dates set forth in the Merger Agreement and, accordingly, the Merger Agreement may be terminable on and after January 28, 2024. The Company does not believe there is a basis for terminating the Merger Agreement, and will continue to abide by all of its obligations under the Merger Agreement. On January 29, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a request with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit (the "Court of Appeals") seeking an expedited schedule for their appeal. On February 2, 2024, the Court of Appeals granted our motion, stating it would hear arguments in June 2024.
In addition, Spirit has agreed, among other things, that neither it nor any of its directors, officers, employees and representatives will (1) solicit alternative transactions, (2) participate in any discussions or negotiations relating to alternative transactions, (3) furnish any non-public information in connection with alternative transactions or (4) enter into any agreement relating to alternative transactions, except under limited circumstances described in the Merger Agreement. However, in certain circumstances, Spirit may terminate the Merger Agreement to enter into a definitive agreement for a Superior Proposal (as defined in the Merger Agreement). In addition, Spirit, JetBlue and Merger Sub each make certain customary representations, warranties and covenants, as applicable, in the Merger Agreement.
The Merger Agreement contains certain termination rights for Spirit and JetBlue, including, without limitation, a right for either party to terminate if the Merger is not consummated on or before July 28, 2023 (the "Outside Date"), subject to certain automatic extensions up to July 24, 2024 if needed to obtain regulatory approvals. Since all regulatory approvals required to consummate the Merger were not obtained as of July 28, 2023 and January 28, 2024, the current Outside Date has been automatically extended to July 24, 2024. Upon the termination of the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, Spirit will be required to pay JetBlue a termination fee of $94.2 million. Upon the termination of the Merger Agreement by JetBlue because of a material uncured breach by Spirit of the Merger Agreement, Spirit will be required to pay JetBlue an amount equal to the sum of all amounts paid by JetBlue to the Spirit stockholders. Upon the termination of the Merger Agreement for failure to obtain antitrust regulatory clearance, JetBlue will be required to pay (i) to Spirit, $70.0 million, and (ii) to the Spirit stockholders, the excess of (A) $400.0 million minus (B) the sum of the Approval Prepayment Amount and all Additional Prepayment Amounts previously paid by JetBlue to the Spirit stockholders.
Pratt & Whitney
On July 25, 2023, RTX Corporation, parent company of Pratt & Whitney, announced that it had determined that a rare condition in the powdered metal used to manufacture certain engine parts will require accelerated inspection of the PW1100G-JM ("GTF") fleet, which powers the Company's A320neo family of aircraft.
In September 2023, Pratt & Whitney notified the Company that all the GTF neo engines in its fleet, including the engines slotted for future aircraft deliveries, for a yet to be determined period, are subject to the inspection and possible replacement, of the powdered metal high-pressure turbine and compressor discs. In addition, Pratt & Whitney issued a special instruction ("SI"), requiring accelerated engine removals and inspections covering the initial tranche of operational engines, no later than September 15, 2023. As of December 31, 2023, in accordance with the SI issued by Pratt & Whitney, the Company has removed five engines from service, three of which are currently awaiting induction for inspection. For the remaining engines, Pratt & Whitney has provided an initial analysis on an inspection and removal schedule for these engines.
In addition, to the 5 engines removed from service, the Company had 12 neo aircraft grounded as of December 31, 2023 for reliability, durability, and inspection requirements combined. The Company currently estimates the majority of the affected
Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements—(Continued)
engines will require removal and inspection in 2024, but continuing through 2026, based on service bulletins ("SB") issued by Pratt & Whitney and related airworthiness directives issued by the FAA.
The temporary removal of engines from service is expected to drive a significant decrease in the Company's near-term growth projections. The Company has reduced capacity in amounts and timing commensurate with the initially scheduled removal and inspection of these impacted engines, however, the Company continues to assess the impact on its future capacity plans. Pratt & Whitney stated that they are focused on addressing the challenges arising from the powdered metal manufacturing issue and will proactively take steps to support and mitigate the operational impact to its customers. The Company has begun discussions with Pratt & Whitney regarding compensation for the loss of utilization; however, the amount, timing, or structure of the compensation that will be agreed upon is not yet known.
4.Special Charges and Credits
Special ChargesDuring the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded $50.0 million within special charges (credits) on the Company's consolidated statements of operations, in legal, advisory and Credits, Operatingother fees related to the Merger Agreement with JetBlue entered into on July 28, 2022. In addition, as part of the Merger Agreement with JetBlue, the Company implemented an employee retention award program (the "JetBlue Retention Award Program") during the third quarter of 2022. The target retention award is payable to the Company's employees upon the successful close of the Merger. In the event the Merger fails or is abandoned, 50% of the target retention award will be paid to the Company's employees. This amount will be paid to the Company's employees in two installments. The first installment was paid in July 2023 and the second installment is payable in July 2024 or upon termination or abandonment of the Merger, whichever comes first. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded $19.5 million within special charges (credits) on the Company's consolidated statements of operations, related to the JetBlue Retention Award Program.
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded $333.7 million within special charges (credits) on the Company's consolidated statements of operations in impairment charges related to the planned acceleration of the retirement of 29 of its A319 aircraft. For additional information, refer to Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.
In addition, during the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded $47.2 million within special charges (credits) on the Company's consolidated statements of operations, in legal, advisory and other fees related to the former merger agreement with Frontier Airlines (the "Former Frontier Merger Agreement"), JetBlue's unsolicited proposal, received in March 2022, to acquire all of the Company's outstanding shares in an all-cash transaction and the JetBlue Merger Agreement entered into on July 28, 2022.
As part of the Former Frontier Merger Agreement, the Company implemented an employee retention award program (the "Frontier Retention Award Program"). On July 27, 2022, the Frontier Merger Agreement was mutually terminated; therefore, 50% of the target retention bonus was awarded to the Company's employees during the third quarter of 2022. In addition, as part of the JetBlue Merger Agreement, the Company implemented the JetBlue Retention Award Program during the third quarter of 2022. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded $39.3 million within special charges (credits) on the Company's consolidated statements of operations, related to the Company's retention award programs.
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020,2021, the Company recorded a $266.8$342.2 million credit, net of the related costs, within special charges (credits) on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations related to the grant component of the PSPPSP2 and PSP3 agreements with the Treasury. These funds were used exclusively to pay for salaries, wages and benefits for the Company's Team Members through September 30, 2020.
In addition, during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020,2021, the Company recorded a credit of $38.5$37.5 million related to the CARES Act Employee Retention credit within special charges (credits) on the Company’s consolidated statements of operation. These special credits were partially offset by $2.52.0 million in special charges recorded during the twelve months ended December 31, 2021 related to salaries, wages and benefits paid to rehired employees, previously terminated with the Company's involuntary employee separation program, in compliance with the restrictions of PSP2 and PSP3.
5. Loss on Disposal of Assets
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded $34.0 million in loss on disposal of assets in the thirdconsolidated statement of operations. During December 2023, the Company completed 20 sale-leaseback transactions (on aircraft previously owned by the Company) of which, 6 resulted in operating leases and 14 would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions. As a result of the 6 sale-leaseback transactions that resulted in operating leases, the Company recorded a related loss of $32.1 million within loss on disposal of assets. Refer to Note 14, Leases for additional information on the 20 sale-leaseback transactions. Loss on disposal of assets for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 also included a $3.0 million net gain recorded as a result of 10 aircraft sale-leaseback transactions related to new aircraft deliveries completed during the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.
In addition, during the fourth quartersquarter 2022, the Company made the decision to accelerate the retirement of 202029 of its A319 aircraft and, in January 2023, the Company executed a sale agreement to sell these aircraft over the next two years. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023, the Company completed the sale of 12 A319 airframes and 20 A319 engines and recorded a related net loss of $1.6 million. The remaining A319 aircraft and engines subject to the sale agreement remain in service and will continue to operate until immediately before the sale of the aircraft. In addition, the Company recorded a $3.3 million loss primarily related to the Company's voluntary and involuntary employee separation programs. Refer to Note 2, Impactdisposal of COVID-19, for further information on the CARES Act and the Company 's workforce actions.obsolete assets.
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2019,2022, the Company recorded $0.7 million within special charges (credits) on the Company's consolidated statement of operations related to the write-off of aircraft related credits resulting from the exchange of credits negotiated under the new purchase agreement with Airbus S.A.S. ("Airbus") executed during the fourth quarter of 2019. For additional information on the new purchase agreement with Airbus, refer to Note 18, Commitments and Contingencies.
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, the Company negotiated and amended the collective bargaining agreement with the Air Line Pilots Association, International ("ALPA"), under the guidance of the National Mediation Board ("NMB"). In connection with the new agreement, the Company incurred a one-time ratification incentive of $80.2 million, including payroll taxes, and an $8.5 million adjustment related to other contractual provisions. As a result, the Company recorded $88.7 million within special charges (credits) on the Company's consolidated statement of operations for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018.
Special Charges, Non-Operating
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had 0 special charges, non-operating within other (income) expense in the consolidated statement of operations.
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded $90.4 million, in special charges, non-operating within other (income) expense in the consolidated statement of operations. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company entered into an aircraft purchase agreement for the purchase of 14 A319 aircraft previously operated under operating leases by the Company. The aggregate gross purchase price for the 14 aircraft was $285.0 million, and the price for each aircraft at the time of the sale comprised a cash payment net of the amount of maintenance reserves and security deposits for such aircraft held by the applicable lessor pursuant to the lease for such aircraft. The contract was deemed a lease modification which resulted in a change of classification from operating leases to finance leases for the 14 aircraft. During the first quarter of 2018, the finance lease assets were recorded at the lower of cost or fair value of the aircraft within flight equipment on the Company's consolidated balance sheets. During the second quarter of 2018, the purchase of the 14 aircraft was completed and the obligation was accreted up to the net cash payment price with interest charges recognized in special charges, non-operating in the consolidated statement of operations. The Company determined the valuation of the aircraft based on third-party appraisals considering the condition of the aircraft (a Level 3 measurement).
6. Loss on Disposal of Assets
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded $2.3$46.6 million in loss on disposal of assets in the consolidated statement of operations. This loss on disposal of assets mainly consistsconsisted of $1.5$38.5 million related to the write-off of certain unrecoverable costs previously capitalized with a project to upgrade the Company's enterprise accounting software which was subsequently suspendedloss on 16 aircraft sale-leaseback transactions completed during 2022 and $0.8$6.6 million related to the disposalimpairment of excess and obsolete inventory.1 spare engine during the first quarter of 2022 which was damaged beyond economic repair.
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2019,2021, the Company recorded $17.4 million in loss on disposal of assets in the statement of operations. This loss on disposal of assets consisted of $13.4 million related to the disposal of excess and obsolete inventory, $3.1 million related to the write-down of certain held-for-sale assets to fair value less cost to sell and $2.4 million related to the write-off of certain unrecoverable costs previously capitalized with a project to upgrade the Company's enterprise accounting software which was suspended as the Company pursued alternative solutions. Refer to Note 19, Fair Value Measurements for information regarding the Company's held-for-sale assets. These losses on disposal were partially offset by a $1.5 million gain on sale-leaseback transactions for 6 aircraft delivered during the twelve months ended December 31, 2019. Refer to Note 15, Leases and Prepaid Maintenance Deposits for information regarding the Company's accounting policy on sale-leaseback transactions.
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded $9.6$3.3 million in loss on disposal of assets in the consolidated statement of operations. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2018, the Company sold 6 used engines for $11.4 million at aThis loss on disposal of $5.2 million. In addition, the Company wrote off $4.4assets mainly consisted of $2.3 million related to the disposalloss on five aircraft sale-leaseback transactions completed during 2021 and $1.1 million related to the loss on the sale of excess and obsolete inventory.auxiliary power units ("APUs").
7.6.Letters of Credit
As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had a $30.0$85.0 million in standby letterletters of credit secured by $75.0 million of restricted cash, of which $23.6$55.9 million had been drawn upon forwere issued letters of credit. As of December 31, 2019,2022, the Company had a $35.0$85.0 million unsecured standby letterletters of credit facility,secured by $75.0 million restricted cash, of which $23.3 $31.0 million had been drawn upon for were issued letters of credit.
8.
7.Credit Card Processing Arrangements
The Company has agreements with organizations that process credit card transactions arising from the purchase of air travel, baggage charges and other ancillary services by customers. As it is standard in the airline industry, the Company's contractual arrangements with credit card processors permit them, under certain circumstances, to retain a holdback or other collateral, which the Company records as restricted cash, when future air travel and other future services are purchased via credit card transactions. The required holdback is the percentage of the Company's overall credit card sales that its credit card processors hold to cover refunds to customers if the Company fails to fulfill its flight obligations.
The Company's credit card processors do not require the Company to maintain cash collateral provided that the Company satisfies certain liquidity and other financial covenants. Failure to meet these covenants would provide the processors the right to place a holdback, resulting in a commensurate reduction of unrestricted cash. As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company was in compliance with such liquidity and other financial covenants in its credit card processing agreements, and the processors were holding back 0no remittances.
The maximum potential exposure to cash holdbacks by the Company's credit card processors, based upon advance ticket sales and $9 FareSpirit Saver$ ClubTM® memberships as of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, was $423.7$408.3 million and $342.3$468.5 million, respectively.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
9.8.Short-term Investment Securities
The Company's short-term investment securities are classified as available-for-sale and generally consist of U.S. Treasury and U.S. government agency securities with contractual maturities of twelve months or less. These securities are stated at fair value within current assets on the Company's consolidated balance sheet. Realized gains and losses on sales of investments, if any, are reflected in non-operating income (expense)other (income) expense in the consolidated statements of operations. Unrealized gains and losses on investment securities are reflected as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income, ("AOCI").
As of December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 2019,2022, the Company had $106.3$112.5 million and $105.3$107.1 million, respectively, in short-term available-for-sale investment securities, respectively.securities. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, these investments earned interest income at a weighted-average fixed rate of approximately 1.1%4.5%, 2.3%1.0% and 1.6%0.1% respectively. For the twelve months ended December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 2019,2022, an unrealized gain of $298 thousand and an unrealized loss of $73 thousand and an unrealized gain of $104$224 thousand, net of deferred taxes, of $21 thousand and $31 thousand, respectively, were recorded within AOCI related to these investment securities. For the twelve months ended December 31, 20202023 and 2019, a realized gain of $3 thousand and $5 thousand were recorded within non-operating income (expense) in the consolidated statements of operations. For the twelve months ended December 31, 2018,2022, the Company did not recognize any realized gains or losses related to these securities, as the Company did not transact any sales of these securities during these periods.this period. As of December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 2019, $312022, $32 thousand and $104$267 thousand, net of tax, respectively, remained in AOCI, related to these instruments.
10.9.Accrued Liabilities
Accrued liabilities included in other current liabilities as of December 31, 20202023 and 20192022 consist of the following:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | As of December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
| Salaries, wages and benefits | $ | 112,838 | | | $ | 89,163 | |
| Airport obligations | 68,677 | | | 80,134 | |
| Aircraft and facility lease obligations | 67,374 | | | 20,656 | |
| Interest payable | 37,202 | | | 16,941 | |
| Federal excise and other passenger taxes and fees payable | 36,884 | | | 65,312 | |
| Aircraft maintenance | 27,466 | | | 38,099 | |
| Fuel | 11,704 | | | 28,510 | |
| Other | 31,469 | | | 34,706 | |
| Other current liabilities | $ | 393,614 | | | $ | 373,521 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | As of December 31, |
| 2023 | | 2022 |
| (in thousands) |
| Salaries, wages and benefits | $ | 187,723 | | | $ | 154,881 | |
| Airport obligations | 125,278 | | | 84,928 | |
| Federal excise and other passenger taxes and fees payable | 104,447 | | | 96,424 | |
| Fuel | 64,149 | | | 76,979 | |
| Aircraft maintenance | 58,800 | | | 59,243 | |
| Aircraft and facility lease obligations | 36,115 | | | 22,068 | |
| Interest payable | 24,732 | | | 32,613 | |
| Other | 104,054 | | | 29,194 | |
| Other current liabilities | $ | 705,298 | | | $ | 556,330 | |
11.10.Common Stock and Preferred StockEquity
The Company’s amended and restated certificate of incorporation dated June 1, 2011, authorizes the Company to issue up to 240,000,000 shares of common stock, $0.0001 par value per share, 50,000,000 shares of non-voting common stock, $0.0001 par value per share and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, $0.0001 par value per share. All of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common stock and preferred stock, if any, are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable. The Company’s shares of common stock and non-voting common stock are not redeemable and do not have preemptive rights. As of December 31, 2023 and 2022, there were no shares of preferred stock or non-voting common stock outstanding.
Common Stock
Dividend Rights. Holders of the Company’s common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the Company’s board of directors out of legally available funds ratably with shares of the Company’s non-voting common stock, subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock and limitations under Delaware law.
Voting Rights. Each holder of the Company’s common stock is entitled to one vote for each share on all matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors. The Company’s stockholders do not have cumulative voting
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
rights in the election of directors. Accordingly, holders of a majority of the voting shares are able to elect all of the directors properly up for election at any given stockholders’ meeting.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
Liquidation. In the event of the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of the Company's common stock will be entitled to share ratably with shares of the Company’s non-voting common stock in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of the Company’s debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Rights and Preferences. Other than under the Rights Agreement (as defined below), holdersHolders of the Company’s common stock have no preemptive, conversion, subscription or other rights and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Company’s common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the Company’s common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of the Company’s preferred stock that the Company may designate in the future.
Non-Voting Common Stock
Dividend Rights. Holders of the Company’s non-voting common stock are entitled to receive dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the Company’s board of directors out of legally available funds ratably with shares of the Company’s common stock, subject to preferences that may be applicable to any then outstanding preferred stock and limitations under Delaware law.
Voting Rights. Shares of the Company’s non-voting common stock are not entitled to vote on any matters submitted to a vote of the stockholders, including the election of directors, except to the extent required under Delaware law.
Conversion Rights. Shares of the Company’s non-voting common stock will be convertible on a share-for-share basis into common stock at the election of the holder subject to the Company remaining in compliance with applicable foreign ownership limitations.
Liquidation. In the event of the Company’s liquidation, dissolution or winding up, holders of the Company’s non-voting common stock will be entitled to share ratably with shares of the Company’s common stock in the net assets legally available for distribution to stockholders after the payment of all of the Company’s debts and other liabilities and the satisfaction of any liquidation preference granted to the holders of any then outstanding shares of preferred stock.
Rights and Preferences. Other than under the Rights Agreement (as defined below), holders of the Company’s non-voting common stock have no preemptive, subscription or other rights, and there are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Company’s non-voting common stock. The rights, preferences and privileges of the holders of the Company’s non-voting common stock are subject to and may be adversely affected by, the rights of the holders of shares of any series of the Company’s preferred stock that the Company may designate in the future.
As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were 0 shares of non-voting common stock outstanding.
PreferredTreasury Stock
The Company’s Board of Directors has the authority, without further action by the Company’s stockholders, to issue up to 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock in one or more series and to fix the rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions thereof. These rights, preferences and privileges could include dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption, liquidation preferences, sinking fund terms and the number of shares constituting any series or the designation of such series, any or all of which may be greater than the rights of common stock. The Company’s issuance of preferred stock could adversely affect the voting power of holders of common stock and the likelihood that such holders will receive dividend payments and payments upon liquidation. In addition, the issuance of preferred stock could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change of control of the Company or other corporate action. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, there were 0 shares of preferred stock outstanding.
Series A Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
On March 29, 2020, the Board of Directors of the Company declared a dividend of 1 preferred stock purchase right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of common stock of the Company. The dividend was paid on April 9, 2020 (the “Record Date”) to holders of record as of the close of business on that date. Pursuant to a Rights Agreement (the "Rights Agreement") between the Company and Equiniti Trust Company, as Rights Agent. The Rights will initially trade with, and will be inseparable from, the Company's common stock, and the registered holders of the Company's common stock will be deemed to be the registered holders of the Rights. In addition, each share issued upon conversion of the convertible notes and any shares of common stock issued through March 29, 2021 will have such Right.
The BoardTreasury stock is comprised of Directors has adoptedrepurchases made from employees who received restricted stock awards or performance share awards. During the Rights Agreement to reduce the likelihood that a potential acquirer would gain (or seek to influence or change) control ofyear ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company by open market accumulation or other tactics without paying an
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
appropriate premiumrepurchased 142 thousand, 107 thousand and 54 thousand shares, respectively, for $2.6 million, $2.4 million and $1.5 million, respectively. During the Company’s shares. In general termsyear ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and subject to certain exceptions, it works by imposing a significant penalty upon any person or group (including a group of persons that are acting in concert with each other) that acquires 10% or more of the outstanding common stock of2021, the Company without the approval of the Board of Directors.
The Rights willdid not be exercisable until after the Distribution Date (as defined below). After the Distribution Date, each Right will be exercisable to purchase, for $60.00 (the “Purchase Price”), one one-thousandth of a share of Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Preferred Stock”). This portion of a share of Preferred Stock will give the stockholder approximately the same dividend, voting or liquidation rights as would one share of the Company’s common stock. Prior to exercise, Rights holders in their capacity as such have no rights as a stockholder of the Company, including the right to vote and to receive dividends. The Rights will expire on March 29, 2021, unless earlier exercised, exchanged, amended or redeemed.
The Board of Directors may redeem all of the Rights at a price of $0.001 per Right atretire any time before any person has become an Acquiring Person. If the Board of Directors redeems any Rights, it must redeem all of the Rights. Once the Rights are redeemed, the only right of the holders of Rights will be to receive the redemption price per Right. The redemption price will be subject to adjustment.
The “Distribution Date” generally means the earlier of:
•the close of business on the 10th business day after the date of the first public announcement that a person or any of its affiliates and associates has become an “Acquiring Person,” as defined below, and
•the close of business on the 10th business day (or such later day as may be designated by the Board of Directors before any person has become an Acquiring Person) after the date of the commencement of a tender or exchange offer by any person which would, if consummated, result in such person becoming an Acquiring Person.
An “Acquiring Person” generally means any person who or which, together with all affiliates and associates of such person obtains beneficial ownership of 10% or more of shares of the Company’s common stock, with certain exceptions, including that an Acquiring Person does not include the Company, any subsidiary of the Company, any employee benefit plan of the Company or any subsidiary of the Company, any entity or trustee holding the Company’s common stock for or pursuant to the terms of any such plan or for the purpose of funding any such plan or other benefits for employees of the Company or of any subsidiary of the Company or any passive investor. A passive investor generally means any person beneficially owning shares of the Company’s common stock without a plan or an intent to seek control of or influence the Company. The Rights Agreement also provides that any person that would otherwise be deemed an Acquiring Person as of the date of the adoption of the Rights Agreement will be exempted but only for so long as it does not acquire, without the prior approval of the Board, beneficial ownership of any additional common stock of the Company following the adoption of the Rights Agreement.
The value of one one-thousandth interest in a share of Preferred Stock should approximate the value of one share of Common Stock, subject to adjustment. Each one one-thousandth of a share of Preferred Stock, if issued:
•will not be redeemable,
•will entitle holders to quarterly dividend payments of $0.01 per share, or an amount equal to the dividend paid on one share of Common Stock, whichever is greater,
•will entitle holders upon liquidation either to receive $1.00 per share or an amount equal to the payment made on one share of Common Stock, whichever is greater,
•will have the same voting power as one share of Common Stock,
•if shares of the Common Stock are exchanged via merger, consolidation, or a similar transaction, will entitle holders to a per share payment equal to the payment made on one share of Common Stock.
Consequences of a Person or Group Becoming an Acquiring Person
Flip in. Subject to the Company’s exchange rights, described below, at any time after any person has become an Acquiring Person, each holder of a Right (other than an Acquiring Person, its affiliates and associates) will be entitled to purchase for each Right held, at the Purchase Price, a number of shares of the Company’s common stock having a market value of twice the Purchase Price.
Exchange. At any time on or after any person has become an Acquiring Person (but before any person becomes the beneficial owner of 50% or more of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock or the occurrence of any of the events described in the next paragraph), the Board of Directors may exchange all or part of the Rights (other than Rights beneficially
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
owned by an Acquiring Person, its affiliates and associates) for shares of the Company’s common stock at an exchange ratio of one share of the Company’s common stock per Right.
Flip over. If, after any person has become an Acquiring Person, (1) the Company is involved in a merger or other business combination in which the Company is not the surviving corporation or its common stock is exchanged for other securities or assets or (2) the Company and/or one or more of its subsidiaries sell or otherwise transfer assets or earning power aggregating more than 50% of the assets or earning power of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, then each Right (other than Rights beneficially owned by an Acquiring Person, its affiliates and associates) will entitle the holder to purchase for each Right held, for the Purchase Price, a number of shares of common stock of the other party to such business combination or sale (or in certain circumstances, an affiliate) having a market value of twice the Purchase Price.treasury shares.
Warrants
In connection with the Company's participation in the PSPPSP1 agreement with the Treasury, during 2020, the Company issued to the Treasury warrants pursuant to a warrant agreement to purchase up to 520,797 shares of the Company's common stock at a strike price of $14.08 per share (the closing price for the shares of the Company's common stock on April 9, 2020). TheIn connection with the Company's participation in the PSP2 and PSP3 agreements with the Treasury, during 2021, the Company issued to the Treasury warrants pursuant to a warrant agreement sets outto purchase up to 137,753 and 80,539 shares of the Company’s obligations to issue warrants in connection with disbursements under the PSP and to fileCompany's common stock at a resale shelf registration statementstrike price of $24.42 (the closing price for the warrants and the underlying shares of the Company's common stock; prospectus supplementsstock on December 24, 2020) and $36.45 (the closing price for which were filedthe shares of the Company's common stock on September 30, 2020 and October 8, 2020. The Company has also granted the Treasury certain demand and piggyback registration rights with respect to the warrants and the underlying common stock. The warrants include adjustments for below market issuances, payment of dividends and other customary anti-dilution provisions. March 10, 2021) per share.
The warrants are transferable and have no voting rights. The warrants expire in five years from the date of issuance and at the Company's option, may be settled on a "net cash" or "net shares" basis. Refer to Note 2, Impact of COVID-19, for further information on the PSP agreement with Treasury. The 520,797739,089 warrants issued in connection with the PSP agreementPSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 agreements represent less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock as of December 31, 2020.2023
The Company concluded that the PSP warrantsPSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrant agreement isare a derivative contract classified within equity, at fair value upon issuance, within the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. Equity-classified contracts are initially measured at fair value and subsequent changes in fair value are not recognized as long as the contract continues to be classified in equity. As of December 31, 20202023, the Company had recorded $3.9$4.3 million, net of issuance costs, in APIC related to the fair value of the warrants issued.
In connection with its participation in the PSP2 program, the Company expects to issueDue to the Treasury warrantspayment of the Approval Prepayment and each of the Additional Prepayment Amounts, in accordance with the terms of the respective debt indentures and warrant agreements, the Company announced related adjustments to purchase approximately 103,761the exercise prices and warrant shares of the Company's common stock. PSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants outstanding. As of December 31, 2023Refer to Note 2, Impact, the exercise prices of COVID for further information.
Common Stock Offering
On May 12, 2020, the Company completedPSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants were $11.663, $20.229 and $30.196, respectively and the public offeringnumber of 20,125,000warrant shares of its voting common stock, which includes fullissuable upon the exercise of the underwriters’ optionPSP1, PSP2 and PSP3 warrants were adjusted to purchase an additional 2,625,000 shares of common stock, at a public offering price of $10.00 per share (the “Common Stock Offering”). In connection with the common stock offering, the Company received proceeds of $192.4 million, net of $8.9 million in related issuance costs. The Company recorded $2.0 thousand of common stock at par628,725.19, 166,292.37 and the excess proceeds within APIC.
At-the-Market Offering Program
On July 22, 2020, the Company entered into an equity distribution agreement relating to the issuance and sale from time to time by the Company of up to 9,000,000 shares of the Company's common stock in sales deemed to be "at-the-market offerings" as defined in Rule 415 under the Securities Act. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had completed the sale of all 9,000,000 shares under its ATM program and had received proceeds of $156.7 million, net of $5.0 million in related issuance costs. The Company recorded $900 of common stock at par and the excess proceeds, net of related issuance costs, within APIC on the Company's consolidated balance sheets.97,219.73, respectively.
12.11.Stock-Based Compensation
The Company has stock plans under which directors, officers, key employees and consultants of the Company may be granted restricted stock, awards, stock options, performance share awards and other equity-based instruments as a means of promoting the Company’s long-term growth and profitability. The plans are intended to encourage participants to contribute to, and participate in the success of the Company.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
On December 16, 2014, the Company's Board of Directors approved the 2015 Incentive Award Plan, or 2015 Plan, which was subsequently approved by the Company's stockholders on June 16, 2015. On March 10, 2021, the Company's Board of Directors approved an amendment of the Company's 2015 Incentive Award Plan to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock available for issuance by 3.2 million shares. The amendment was subsequently approved by the Company's stockholders on May 20, 2021. As of December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 2019, 1,618,4172022, 3,123,563 and 1,897,8093,712,123 shares of the Company’s common stock, respectively, remained available for future issuance under the 2015 Plan.Plan, as amended.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
Stock-based compensation cost amounted to $11.6$12.0 million, $8.2$11.5 million and $11.0$12.5 million for 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively. During 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 20182021 there was a $3.6$2.4 million, $1.9$2.4 million and $2.6$1.2 million tax benefit recognized in income related to stock-based compensation.
Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units
Restricted stock and restricted stock unit awards are valued at the fair value of the shares on the date of grant. Generally, granted shares and units vest over a threetwo or to four year graded vesting period. Each restricted stock unit represents the right to receive one share of common stock upon vesting of such restricted stock unit. Vesting of restricted stock units is based on time-based service conditions. In order to vest, the participant must still be employed by the Company, with certain contractual exclusions, at each vesting event. Generally, within 30 days after vesting, the shares underlying the award will be issued to the participant. In the event a successor corporation in a change in control situation fails to assume or substitute for the restricted stock units, the restricted stock units will automatically vest in full as of immediately prior to the consummation of such change in control. In the event of death or permanent disability of a participant, the restricted stock units will automatically vest in full. Compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period.
A summary of the status of the Company’s restricted stock shares (restricted stock awards and restricted stock unit awards) as of December 31, 20202023 and changes during the year ended December 31, 20202023 is presented below:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Number of Shares | | Weighted-Average
Grant Date Fair Value ($) |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2019 | 332,966 | | | 49.84 | |
| Granted | 222,401 | | | 35.48 | |
| Vested | (146,096) | | | 50.31 | |
| Forfeited | (8,795) | | | 47.86 | |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2020 | 400,476 | | | 41.74 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Number of Shares | | Weighted-Average
Grant Date Fair Value ($) |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2022 | 624,452 | | | 24.76 | |
| Granted | 500,648 | | | 19.58 | |
| Vested | (372,788) | | | 25.53 | |
| Forfeited | (46,424) | | | 21.04 | |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2023 | 705,888 | | | 20.93 | |
There were 222,401500,648 and 148,120404,062 restricted stock shares granted during the years ended December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 2019,2022, respectively. As of December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 2019,2022, there was $10.4$8.4 million and $10.0$8.6 million, respectively, of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested restricted stock to be recognized over 2.01.8 years and 2.71.7 years, respectively.
The weighted-average fair value of restricted stock granted during the years ended December 31, 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 20182021 was $35.48, $53.41$19.58, $23.48 and $46.90,$25.17, respectively. The total fair value of restricted stock shares vested during the years ended December 31, 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 20182021 was $5.5$7.2 million, $5.4$7.5 million and $6.5$4.6 million, respectively.
Performance and Market Share Awards
The Company grants certain senior-level executives performance and market stock units that vest based on either market, performance or market and time-based service conditions or performance and time-based service conditions as part of a long-term incentive plan, which are referred to herein as performance share awards.plan. The number of shares of common stock underlying each award is determined at the end of a three-yearthe performance period. In order to vest, the senior level executive must still be employed by the Company, with certain contractual exclusions, at the end of the performance period. Depending on the type of performance stock unit, at the end of the performance period, the percentage of the stock units that will vest will be determined by ranking the Company’s total shareholder return compared
Stock-based compensation cost related to the total shareholder return of the peer companies identified in the plan or by ranking the Company's adjusted operating margin percentage compared to the adjusted operating margin percentage of the peer company's identified in the plan. Based on the level of performance, between 0% and 200% of the award may vest. Within 60 days after vesting, the shares underlying the award will be issued to the participant. In the event of a change in control of the Company or the death or permanent disability of a participant, the payout of any award is limited to a pro-rated portion of such award based upon a performance assessment prior to the change-in-control date or date of death or permanent disability.
The grant date fair value of the performance share awards based on total shareholder return (market condition) is determined through the use of a Monte Carlo simulation model. The market condition requirements are reflected in the grant date fair value of the award, and the compensation expense, net of forfeitures, for the award is recognized assuming that the requisite service is rendered regardless of whether the market conditions are achieved. Compensation expense is recognized on
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
a straight-line basis over the requisite service period. The Monte Carlo simulation model used for valuation of these awards utilizes multiple input variables that determine the probability of satisfying the market condition requirements applicableamounted to each award. The inputs utilized$3.0 million, $1.5 million and $3.5 million for the performance share awards based on total shareholder return are as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Weighted-Average at Grant Date for Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2020 | | Weighted-Average at Grant Date for Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2019 | |
| Expected volatility factor | 0.40 | | | 0.38 | | |
| Risk free interest rate | 1.58 | | % | 2.50 | | % |
| Expected term (in years) | 2.96 | | 2.97 | |
| Expected dividend yield | 0 | | % | 0 | | % |
For grants awarded in 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018, the volatility was based upon a weighted average historical volatility for the Company. The Company chose to use historical volatility to value these awards because historical prices were used to develop the correlation coefficients between the Company and each of the peer companies within the peer group in order to model stock price movements. The volatilities used were calculated as the remaining term of the performance period at the date of grant. The risk-free interest rate was based on the implied yield available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with remaining terms equivalent to the remaining performance period. The Company does not intend to pay dividends on its common stock in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, the Company used a dividend yield of 0 in its model.
The following table summarizes the Company’s market condition performance share awards for the year ended December 31, 2020:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | |
| Number of Awards | | Weighted-Average Fair Value at Grant Date ($) |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2019 | 96,159 | | | 61.58 | |
| Granted | 36,328 | | | 47.43 | |
| Vested | (47,240) | | | 52.07 | |
| Forfeited | (336) | | | 47.43 | |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2020 | 84,911 | | | 60.88 | |
| | | |
The grant date fair value of the performance share awards based on operating margin (performance condition) is based on grant date stock price, in accordance with the valuation of performance conditions applicable to this award type. The probability of payout for these awards is evaluated at each report date and adjustments are made to stock-based compensation expense based on the number of shares deemed probable of issuance upon vesting.
The following table summarizes the Company’s performance condition performance share awards for the year ended December 31, 2020:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| Number of Awards | | Weighted-Average Fair Value at Grant Date ($) |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2019 | 47,794 | | | 53.24 | |
| Granted | 72,593 | | | 40.11 | |
| Vested | (23,620) | | | 46.21 | |
| Forfeited | (669) | | | 40.11 | |
| Outstanding at December 31, 2020 | 96,098 | | | 45.14 | |
2021, respectively. As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, there was $4.8$3.9 million and $4.4$3.0 million, respectively, of total unrecognized compensation cost related to nonvested performance and market share awards expected to be recognized over 1.661.8 years and 1.731.6 years, respectively.
Stock Appreciation Rights
During 2018, the Company issued stock appreciation awards to certain senior-level executives. These awards had a four-year service requisite period from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2021 and a two-year performance period from
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2019. These market-condition performance awards were based on the appreciation of the Company's stock price over the two-year performance period. Issuance of the award on January 1, 2018 represented a right to receive shares of the Company's common stock upon achievement of certain performance goals by the grant date of December 31, 2019. As performance goals stipulated by the award were not achieved, these shares were not granted on December 31, 2019. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company recognized $0.7 million and $1.2 million of stock-based compensation cost related to the stock appreciation awards issued during 2018, respectively. On December 31, 2019, the Company reversed the total expense of $1.9 million related to these awards as these awards were not granted. No further expense was recognized related to these awards.
Treasury Stock
During the year ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company repurchased 44 thousand, 91 thousand and 28 thousand shares, respectively, for $1.7 million, $5.4 million and $1.2 million, respectively. Repurchases made during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018 include repurchases made from employees who received restricted stock. During the year ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, the Company did 0t retire any treasury shares.
13.12.Earnings (Loss) per Share
The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| (in thousands, except per-share amounts) |
| Numerator: | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (428,700) | | | $ | 335,255 | | | $ | 155,749 | |
| Denominator: | | | | | |
| Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic | 84,692 | | | 68,429 | | | 68,249 | |
| Effect of dilutive stock awards | 0 | | | 130 | | | 182 | |
| Adjusted weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted | 84,692 | | | 68,559 | | | 68,431 | |
| Earnings (Loss) per Share: | | | | | |
| Basic earnings (loss) per common share | $ | (5.06) | | | $ | 4.90 | | | $ | 2.28 | |
| Diluted earnings (loss) per common share | $ | (5.06) | | | $ | 4.89 | | | $ | 2.28 | |
| | | | | |
| Anti-dilutive weighted-average shares | 441 | | | 143 | | | 145 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| (in thousands, except per-share amounts) |
| Numerator: | | | | | |
| Net income (loss) | $ | (447,464) | | | $ | (554,150) | | | $ | (472,569) | |
| Denominator: | | | | | |
| Weighted-average shares outstanding, basic | 109,152 | | | 108,751 | | | 105,000 | |
| Effect of dilutive stock awards | — | | | — | | | — | |
| Adjusted weighted-average shares outstanding, diluted | 109,152 | | | 108,751 | | | 105,000 | |
| Earnings (loss) per share: | | | | | |
| Basic earnings (loss) per common share | $ | (4.10) | | | $ | (5.10) | | | $ | (4.50) | |
| Diluted earnings (loss) per common share | $ | (4.10) | | | $ | (5.10) | | | $ | (4.50) | |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
Anti-dilutive common stock equivalents excluded from the diluted earnings (loss) per share calculations are not material.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
14.13. Debt and Other Obligations
Long-term debt
As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had outstanding public and non-public debt instruments. During 2020, the Company acquired additional debt through fixed-rate secured and unsecured term loans, secured a new revolving credit facility and issued convertible notes and secured notes described below.
Fixed-rate term loans
During 2020, the Company acquired additional debt under facility agreements, which as of December 31, 2020 provided $333.0 million of debt financing for 8 Airbus A320 aircraft delivered during 2020. Each loan extended under the facility agreements was funded on or near the delivery date of each aircraft and is secured by a first-priority security interest on the individual aircraft. Each loan has a term life of 10 to 12 years and amortizes on a mortgage-style basis, which requires quarterly principal and interest payments. Loans bear interest on a fixed-rate basis with interest rates ranging between 1.90% and 3.32%. As of December 31, 2020, the Company has taken delivery of all 8 Airbus A320 aircraft financed through these facility agreements.
Fixed-rate unsecured term loans
Pursuant to the Company's PSP agreement with the Treasury, the Company received a total of $334.7 million through July 31, 2020, used exclusively to pay for salaries, wages and benefits for the Company’s Team Members through September 30, 2020. Of that amount, $70.4 million is in the form of a low-interest 10-year unsecured term loan. In September 2020, the Company was notified by the Treasury of additional funds available under the PSP agreement. The Company received the additional installment of $9.7 million of which $2.9 million is in the form of a low-interest 10-year unsecured term loan. Interest on these loans is payable semi-annually at a rate of 1.0% in years 1 through 5 and a rate of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate plus 2.0% in years 6 through 10. The notes are prepayable at any time, without penalty, at the Company’s option and have principal due at maturity in 2030.
The Company has concluded that no terms exist within the contract that would require a short-term classification of the debt instrument within the Company’s consolidated balance sheet at the inception of the loan. Therefore, the debt has been recorded at face value and classified within long-term debt and finance leases in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had recorded $73.3 million in long-term debt on its consolidated balance sheets, related to the PSP.
In connection with its participation in the PSP2 program, the Company expects to incur an additional approximately $25 million in fixed-rate unsecured term loans.
Revolving credit facility due in 20222025
On March 30, 2020, the Company entered into the 2022 revolving credit facility for $110.0 million, with an option to increase the overall commitment amount up to $350 million with the consentAs of any participating lenders and subject to borrowing base availability. In the second quarter of 2020, the commitment was increased to $180.0 million. As ofboth December 31, 20202023 and ,December 31, 2022, the Company had fully drawn the $180.0$300.0 million available.undrawn and available under its revolving credit facility. Any amounts drawn on this facility are included in long-term debt and finance leases, less current maturities, on the Company's consolidated balance sheets. TheDuring the fourth quarter 2023, the Company amended the agreement to extend the final maturity of the facility is Marchto September 30, 2022.2025 and adjust other terms.
The Company may pledge the following types of assets as collateral to secure its obligations under the revolving credit facility: (i) certain take-off and landing rights of the Company at LaGuardia Airport, (ii) certain eligible aircraft spare parts and ground support equipment, (iii) aircraft, spare engines and flight simulators, (v)(iv) real property assets and (vi)(v) cash and cash equivalents. The revolving credit facility bears variable interest based on LIBOR,SOFR, plus a 2.00% margin per annum, or another rate, at the Company's election, based on certain market interest rates, plus a 1.00% margin per annum, in each case with a floor of 0%.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
The 20222025 revolving credit facility requires the Company to maintain (i) so long as any loans or letters of credit are outstanding under the 20222025 revolving credit facility, unrestricted cash, cash equivalents, short-term investment securities and unused commitments available under all revolving credit facilities (including the 20222025 revolving credit facility) aggregating not less than $400$450.0 million, of which no more than $200$300.0 million may be derived from unused commitments under the 20222025 revolving credit facility, (ii) a minimum ratio of the borrowing base of the collateral described above (determined as the sum of a specified percentage of the appraised value of each type of such collateral) to outstanding obligations under the 20222025 revolving credit facility of not less than 1.0 to 1.0 (if the Company does not meet the minimum collateral coverage ratio, it must either provide additional collateral to secure its obligations under the 20222025 revolving credit facility or repay the loans under the 20222025 revolving credit facility by an amount necessary to maintain compliance with the collateral coverage ratio), and (iii) at any time following the date that is one month after the effective date of the 2022 revolving credit facility, the pledged take-off and landing rights of the Company at LaGuardia Airport and a specified number of spare engines in the collateral described above so long as any loans or letters of credit are outstanding under the 20222025 revolving credit facility.
Revolving credit facilityConvertible senior notes due in 2021
During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company entered into a revolving credit facility for up to $160.0 million secured by the collateral assignment of certain of the Company's rights under the purchase agreement with Airbus, related to 43 Airbus A320neo aircraft scheduled to be delivered between August 2019 and December 2021.
In June 2020, the Company entered into an agreement to amend the revolving credit facility originally maturing in December 2020. The agreement extended the final maturity date of the revolving credit facility from December 30, 2020 to March 31, 2021. Upon execution of the amended agreement, the maximum borrowing capacity decreased from $160.0 million to $111.2 million. This facility is secured by the collateral assignment of certain of the Company’s rights under the purchase agreement with Airbus. As of December 31, 2020, collateralized amounts were related to 11 Airbus A320neo aircraft scheduled to be delivered between June 2021 and April 2022. The maximum borrowing capacity of $95.1 million, as of December 31, 2020, decreased from $111.2 million due to the delivery of aircraft during the third and fourth quarters of 2020 and will continue to decrease as the Company takes delivery of the related aircraft.
As of December 31, 2020, the Company had drawn $95.1 million on the facility, which is included in current maturities of long-term debt and finance leases on the Company's consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2019, the Company had drawn $160.0 million on the facility. The revolving credit facility bears variable interest based on LIBOR.
Convertible debt2025
On May 12, 2020, the Company completed the public offering of $175.0 million aggregate principal amount of 4.75% convertible senior notes due 2025. The 2025 ("convertible notes bear interest at the rate of 4.75% per year and will mature on May 15, 2025. Interest on the notes is payable semi-annually in arrears on May 15 and November 15 of each year, beginning on November 15, 2020.due 2025").
To allocate the proceeds of the convertible notes, the Company first determined the fair value of the debt component of the convertible notes based on a similar liability with no conversion feature and utilized a discounted cash flow method whereby the contractual cash flows have been discounted at a risk-adjusted yield reflective of both the time value of money and the credit risk inherent in the convertible notes, as well as certain observable inputs. The Company allocated the remaining proceeds of the convertible notes to the equity component within APIC. The Company will accrete the resulting discount on the debt component through interest expense, using the effective interest method, over the 5-year life of the instrument. The Company received proceeds of $168.3 million as a result of the offering, net of total issuance costs of $6.7 million. The Company recorded $95.6 million in long-term debt and finance leases, net of debt issuance costs of $3.8 million, on its consolidated balance sheets, related to the debt component of the convertible notes, and $72.7 million in APIC, net of issuance costs of $2.9 million, on its consolidated balance sheets, related to the equity component of the convertible notes. As of December 31, 2020, the if-converted value exceeds the principal amount of the convertible notes by $75.2 million, using the average stock price for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
Noteholders may convert their notes at their option only in the following circumstances: (1) during any calendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on June 30, 2020 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion price for each of at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter; (2) during the five consecutive business days immediately after any five consecutive trading day period (such five consecutive trading day period, the “measurement period”) in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock on such trading day and the conversion rate on such trading day; (3) upon the occurrence of certain corporate events or distributions on the Company’s common stock; and (4) at any time from, and including, February 18, 2025 until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had $109.0 million recorded within current maturities of long-term debt and finance leases on its consolidated balance sheets related to its convertible debt. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the notes may be converted by noteholders through March 31, 2021. No notes were converted during the year ended December 31, 2020.2024.
UponBased on the terms of the indenture, upon conversion, the Company will pay or deliver, as the case may be, cash, shares of the Company’s common stock or a combination of cash and shares of common stock, at the Company’s election. However, based on the terms of Merger Agreement with JetBlue, upon conversion of any convertible notes due 2025 through the closing or termination of the Merger Agreement with JetBlue, the conversion value, including the principal amount, will be paid all in shares of the Company's common stock. The initial conversion rate iswas 78.4314 shares of voting common stock per $1,000 principal amount of convertible notes (equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $12.75 per share of common stock). The conversion rate will be subject to adjustment in some events but will not be adjusted for any accrued and unpaid interest. In addition, following certain corporate events that occur priorDue to the maturity date,payment of the Approval Prepayment and Additional Prepayment Amounts paid by JetBlue to the Company's stockholders, in accordance with the terms of the indenture, the Company will increasehas announced related adjustments to the conversion rate of its convertible senior notes due 2025. As of December 31, 2023, the conversion rate was 94.9262 shares of voting common stock per $1,000 principal amount of convertible notes (equivalent to a conversion price of approximately $10.53 per share of common stock). Refer to Note 3, Current Developmentsfor a holder who electsadditional information on the Approval Prepayment and Additional Prepayment Amounts.
During the first quarter of 2023, $0.3 million of the Company's convertible notes due 2025 were converted to convert27,204 shares of the Company's voting common stock. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had recorded $0.3 million, net of issuance costs and common stock, in additional paid-in-capital on its consolidated balance sheets related to the conversion of these notes. Since the notes are currently convertible in accordance with the terms of the indenture governing such notes, the Company had $25.1 million recorded within current maturities of long-term debt and finance leases on its consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2023 related to its convertible notes in connection with such a corporate event in certain circumstances. Indue 2025. As of December 31, 2023, the event of a “Fundamental Change,” as defined in the indenture governing the convertible notes, the holders may require the Company to purchase for cash all or a portion of their notes at a purchase price equal to the principal amount of the notes, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. The Company may not redeem the notes at its option prior to the maturity date.
The Company intends to settle conversions in cash up toif-converted value exceeds the principal amount of the convertible notes withdue 2025 by $14.2 million using the average stock price for the twelve months ended December 31, 2023.
Convertible senior notes due 2026
On April 30, 2021, the Company completed the public offering of $500.0 million aggregate principal amount of 1.00% convertible senior notes due 2026 ("convertible notes due 2026").
Noteholders may convert their notes at their option only in the following circumstances: (1) during any excesscalendar quarter commencing after the calendar quarter ending on June 30, 2021 (and only during such calendar quarter), if the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock exceeds 130% of the conversion value settledprice for each of at least 20 trading days (whether or not consecutive) during the 30 consecutive trading days ending on, and including, the last trading day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter; (2) during the five consecutive business days immediately after any five consecutive trading day period (such five consecutive trading day period, the “measurement period”) in which the trading price per $1,000 principal amount of notes for each trading day of the measurement period was less than 98% of the product of the last reported sale price per share of the Company’s common stock on such trading day and the conversion rate on such trading day; (3) upon the occurrence of certain corporate events or distributions on the Company’s common stock; (4) if the Company calls such notes for redemption; and (5) at any time from, and including, February 17, 2026 until the close of business on the second scheduled trading day immediately before the maturity date. As of December 31, 2023, the notes did not qualify for conversion by noteholders through March 31, 2024.
Based on the terms of the indenture, the Company will have the right to elect to settle conversions in cash, shares of the Company's common stock or a combination of cash and shares of common stock. The convertibleUpon conversion of any notes, are being accounted for using the treasury stock method for the purposes of net income (loss) per share. Using this method, the denominator will be affected when the average share price of the Company's common stock for a given period is greater than the initial conversion price of approximately $12.75 per share.
8.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2025
On September 17, 2020, the Company completedwill pay the private offering by Spirit IP Cayman Ltd., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary ofconversion value in cash up to at least the Company (the “Brand Issuer”), and Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Loyalty Issuer” and, together with the Brand Issuer, the “Issuers”) of an aggregate of $850 million principal amount of 8.00% senior securedthe notes being converted. However, based on the terms of the Merger Agreement with JetBlue, upon conversion of any convertible notes due 2025. The 8.00% senior secured notes are guaranteed by2026 through the Company, HoldCo 1, a direct wholly owned subsidiaryclosing or termination of the Company and HoldCo 2, a direct subsidiary of HoldCo 1 and indirect wholly owned subsidiary ofMerger Agreement with JetBlue, the Company. HoldCo 1 and HoldCo 2 are referred to together asconversion value, including the "Cayman Guarantors." The 8.00% senior secured notesprincipal amount, will be secured by, among other things, a first priority lien on the core assets of the Company’s loyalty programs (comprised of cash proceeds from its Free Spirit co-branded credit card programs, cash proceeds from its $9 Fare ClubTM program membership fees, and certain intellectual property required or necessary to operate the loyalty programs) as well as the Company’s brand intellectual property. Refer to Note 4, Revenue Disaggregation, for further information on the Company's loyalty programs.
paid all in cash. The 8.00% senior secured notes will mature on September 20, 2025. The 8.00% senior secured notes bear interest at a rate of 8.00% per annum, payable in quarterly installments on January 20, April 20, July 20 and October 20 of each year, beginning January 20, 2021. In the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, the Company received proceeds of $823.9 million, net of issuance costs of $17.4 million and original issue discount of $8.7 million, related to this private offering.
The 8.00% senior secured notesconversion value will be secured on a senior basis by first-priority security interests in substantially alldetermined over an observation period consisting of the assets of the Issuers, other than excluded property and subject to certain permitted liens.40 trading days. The note guarantee of the Company will be secured by (i) a first-priority security interest in 100% of the equity interests in HoldCo 1, with certain exceptions, and (ii) certain other collateral owned by the Company, including, to the extent permitted by such agreements or otherwise by operation of law, any of the Company’s rights under the Free Spirit Agreements and the IP Agreements (each of which are defined in the indenture governing the 8.00% senior secured notes). The note guarantees of the Cayman Guarantors will be secured by first-initial conversion rate
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
priority security interestswas 20.3791 shares of voting common stock per$1,000principal amount of convertible notes (equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately$49.07per share of common stock). The conversion rate will be subject to adjustment in substantially allsome events but will not be adjusted for any accrued and unpaid interest. Due to the payment of the assetsApproval Prepayment and Additional Prepayment Amounts paid by JetBlue to the Company's stockholders, in accordance with the terms of the Cayman Guarantors, other than excluded propertyindenture, the Company has announced related adjustments to the conversion rate of its convertible senior notes due 2026. As of December 31, 2023, the conversion rate was 24.6649 shares of voting common stock per $1,000 principal amount of convertible notes (equivalent to a conversion price of approximately $40.54 per share of common stock). Refer to Note 3, Current Developments for additional information on the Approval Prepayment and subject to certain permitted liens, including pledges of the equity of their respective subsidiaries.Additional Prepayment Amounts.
The Issuers, at their option, may redeem some or allMerger Agreement with JetBlue includes settlement terms for any conversion of the 8.00%convertible notes due 2026, as described above, that cause the conversion option, which is an embedded derivative, not to qualify for the derivative accounting scope exception provided under ASC 815. As such, the Company bifurcated the fair value of the conversion option of the convertible senior notes due 2026 as a derivative liability with subsequent changes in fair value recorded in earnings. The Company recorded the fair value of the embedded derivative of $49.5 million senior secured notesas a derivative liability within deferred gains and other long-term liabilities and a debt discount within long-term debt and finance leases, less current maturities on or after September 20, 2023 at pre-determined redemption prices set forthits consolidated balance sheets. The debt discount will continue to be amortized through interest expense, using the effective interest rate method, over the remaining life of the instrument.
Since the notes are currently not convertible in accordance with the terms of the indenture governing such notes, the 8.00% senior secured notes. Prior to September 20, 2023, the Issuers may redeem some or allCompany had $472.6 million, net of the 8.00% senior securedrelated unamortized debt discount of $27.4 million, recorded within long-term debt and finance leases, less current maturities on the Company's consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2023 related to its convertible notes at a redemption price equaldue 2026. For additional information, refer to 100%Note 18, Fair Value Measurements.
Adoption of ASU No. 2020-06
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, "Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity's Own Equity." This standard simplifies and adds disclosure requirements for the accounting and measurement of convertible instruments. It eliminates the treasury stock method for convertible instruments and requires application of the principal amount of the 8.00% senior secured notes, plus a “make-whole” premium set forth in the indenture governing the 8.00% senior secured notes. Upon the occurrence of“if-converted” method for certain mandatory prepayment events and mandatory repurchase offer events, the Issuers will be required to make a prepayment on the 8.00% senior secured notes, or offer to repurchase them, pro rata to the extent of any net cash proceeds received in connection with such events, at a price equal to 100% of the principal amount to be prepaid, plus, in some cases, an applicable premium.agreements when computing earnings per share. In addition, uponthe standard eliminates the beneficial conversion and cash conversion accounting models that require separate accounting for embedded conversion features and the recognition of a changedebt discount and related amortization to interest expense of control of the Company, the Issuers may be required to make an offer to prepay the 8.00% senior secured notes at a price equal to 101% of the respective principal amounts thereof, plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any, to, but not including, the purchase date.those embedded features.
The indenture governingCompany elected to early adopt this standard effective January 1, 2021 using the 8.00% senior secured notes contains certain covenants that limitmodified retrospective approach transition method. Therefore, the ability ofconsolidated financial statements for the Issuers,years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021 are presented under the Cayman Guarantors and, in certain circumstances, the Company to, among other things: (i) make restricted payments; (ii) incur certain additional indebtedness, including with respect to sales of pre-paid miles in excess of $25 million during any fiscal year; (iii) create or incur certain liens on the collateral securing the 8.00% senior secured notes and the guarantees; (iv) merge, consolidate or sell assets; (v) engage in certain business activities; (vi) sell, transfer or otherwise convey the collateral securing the 8.00% senior secured notes and the guarantees; (vii) exit from, terminate or substantially reduce the Free Spirit Program business or modify the terms of the Free Spirit Program, except in certain circumstances; and (viii) terminate, amend, waive, supplement or modify any IP Agreement, except under certain circumstances.new standard.
The Indenture also requiresIn connection with the Issuers and, in certain circumstances,adoption of this standard, the Company recognized a cumulative effect adjustment, net of tax, of $6.1 million to complyretained earnings on the Company's consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2021. This adjustment was primarily driven by the derecognition of interest expense related to the accretion of the debt discount associated with certain affirmative covenants, including depositing the Transaction Revenues (as definedembedded conversion option recorded in the indenture governingprior period as required under the 8.00% senior secured notes) in collection accounts, with amounts to be distributed for the payment of fees, principal and interest on the 8.00% senior secured notes pursuant to a payment waterfall described in the indenture, and certain financial reporting requirements.legacy guidance. In addition, the Company is requiredreclassified $75.6 million, less related tax of $17.1 million and issuance costs of $2.9 million, from additional paid-in-capital ("APIC") to maintain minimum liquidity atlong-term debt and finance leases on the endCompany's consolidated balance sheet as of any business dayJanuary 1, 2021. The reclassification was recorded in order to combine the two legacy units of at least $400 million.
Long-term debt is comprisedaccount into a single instrument classified as a liability since bifurcation of the following:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | As of |
| December 31, 2020 | | December 31, 2019 | | December 31, 2020 | | December 31, 2019 |
| | (in millions) | | (weighted-average interest rates) |
| 8.00% senior secured notes due in 2025 | | $ | 850.0 | | | $ | — | | | 8.00 | % | | N/A |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Fixed-rate term loans due through 2032 | | 1,301.9 | | | 1,074.3 | | | 3.36 | % | | 3.79 | % |
| Unsecured term loans due in 2030 | | 73.3 | | | — | | | 1.00 | % | | N/A |
Fixed-rate class A 2015-1 EETC due through 2028
| | 322.6 | | | 348.6 | | | 4.10 | % | | 4.10 | % |
Fixed-rate class B 2015-1 EETC due through 2024
| | 64.0 | | | 72.0 | | | 4.45 | % | | 4.45 | % |
Fixed-rate class C 2015-1 EETC due through 2023
| | 86.6 | | | 98.1 | | | 4.93 | % | | 4.93 | % |
Fixed-rate class AA 2017-1 EETC due through 2030
| | 214.4 | | | 228.4 | | | 3.38 | % | | 3.38 | % |
Fixed-rate class A 2017-1 EETC due through 2030
| | 71.5 | | | 76.1 | | | 3.65 | % | | 3.65 | % |
Fixed-rate class B 2017-1 EETC due through 2026
| | 60.6 | | | 70.6 | | | 3.80 | % | | 3.80 | % |
Fixed-rate class C 2017-1 EETC due through 2023
| | 85.5 | | | 85.5 | | | 5.11 | % | | 5.11 | % |
| Convertible debt due in 2025 | | 175.0 | | | — | | | 4.75 | % | | N/A |
| Revolving credit facility due in 2021 | | 95.1 | | | 160.0 | | | 1.55 | % | | 3.12 | % |
| Revolving credit facility due in 2022 | | 180.0 | | | — | | | 2.15 | % | | N/A |
| Long-term debt | | $ | 3,580.5 | | | $ | 2,213.6 | | | | | |
| Less current maturities | | 383.5 | | | 214.0 | | | | | |
Less unamortized discount, net
| | 131.4 | | | 40.4 | | | | | |
| Total | | $ | 3,065.6 | | | $ | 1,959.2 | | | | | |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
Long-term debt is comprised of the following: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | As of |
| December 31, 2023 | | December 31, 2022 | | December 31, 2023 | | December 31, 2022 |
| | (in millions) | | (weighted-average interest rates) |
| 8.00% senior secured notes due in 2025 | | $ | 1,110.0 | | | $ | 1,110.0 | | | 8.00 | % | | 8.00 | % |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
Fixed-rate term loans due through 2039 (1) | | 1,093.3 | | | 1,094.7 | | | 5.83 | % | | 3.52 | % |
| Unsecured term loans due through 2031 | | 136.3 | | | 136.3 | | | 1.00 | % | | 1.00 | % |
Fixed-rate class A 2015-1 EETC due through 2028
| | 256.6 | | | 278.6 | | | 4.10 | % | | 4.10 | % |
Fixed-rate class B 2015-1 EETC due through 2024
| | 40.0 | | | 48.0 | | | 4.45 | % | | 4.45 | % |
Fixed-rate class C 2015-1 EETC due through 2023
| | — | | | 63.8 | | | 4.93 | % | | 4.93 | % |
Fixed-rate class AA 2017-1 EETC due through 2030
| | 172.2 | | | 186.3 | | | 3.38 | % | | 3.38 | % |
Fixed-rate class A 2017-1 EETC due through 2030
| | 57.4 | | | 62.1 | | | 3.65 | % | | 3.65 | % |
Fixed-rate class B 2017-1 EETC due through 2026
| | 48.2 | | | 51.7 | | | 3.80 | % | | 3.80 | % |
Fixed-rate class C 2017-1 EETC due through 2023
| | — | | | 85.5 | | | 5.11 | % | | 5.11 | % |
| Convertible notes due in 2025 | | 25.1 | | | 25.4 | | | 4.75 | % | | 4.75 | % |
| Convertible notes due in 2026 | | 500.0 | | | 500.0 | | | 1.00 | % | | 1.00 | % |
| | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| Long-term debt | | $ | 3,439.1 | | | $ | 3,642.4 | | | | | |
| Less current maturities | | 315.3 | | | 346.4 | | | | | |
Less unamortized discount, net
| | 69.0 | | | 95.8 | | | | | |
| Total | | $ | 3,054.8 | | | $ | 3,200.2 | | | | | |
(1) Includes obligations related to 15 aircraft recorded as failed sale-leaseback transactions. Refer to Note 14, Leases for additional information.
The Company's debt financings entered into solely to finance aircraft acquisition costs are collateralized by first priority security interest in the individual aircraft being financed. During the year ended December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company made principal payments of $254.3$337.5 million and $246.8$193.0 millionon its outstanding debt obligations, respectively.
Extinguishment of Debt
At December 31, 2020,2023, long-term debt principal payments for the next five years and thereafter are as follows:
| | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2020 |
| | (in millions) |
| 2021 | | $ | 290.0 | |
| 2022 | | 372.0 | |
| 2023 | | 335.5 | |
| 2024 | | 221.0 | |
| 2025 | | 1,212.2 | |
| 2026 and beyond | | 1,149.8 | |
| Total debt principal payments | | $ | 3,580.5 | |
| | | | | | | | |
| | December 31, 2023 |
| | (in millions) |
| 2024 | | $ | 305.2 | |
| 2025 | | 1,263.7 | |
| 2026 | | 670.0 | |
| 2027 | | 150.3 | |
| 2028 | | 252.5 | |
| 2029 and beyond | | 797.4 | |
| Total debt principal payments | | $ | 3,439.1 | |
Interest Expense
Interest expense related to long-term debt and finance leases consists of the following:
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 |
| (in thousands) |
| 8.00% senior secured notes (1) | $ | 19,953 | | | $ | 0 | |
| Fixed-rate senior term loans | 43,591 | | | 41,053 | |
| Fixed-rate junior term loans | 0 | | | 1,811 | |
| | | |
| Unsecured term loans | 409 | | | 0 | |
| Class A 2015-1 EETC | 13,730 | | | 14,894 | |
| Class B 2015-1 EETC | 3,027 | | | 3,377 | |
| Class C 2015-1 EETC | 4,565 | | | 5,117 | |
| Class AA 2017-1 EETC | 7,412 | | | 7,887 | |
| Class A 2017-1 EETC | 2,672 | | | 2,843 | |
| Class B 2017-1 EETC | 2,445 | | | 2,870 | |
| Class C 2017-1 EETC | 4,379 | | | 4,367 | |
| | | |
| Convertible debt (2) | 14,905 | | | 0 | |
| Revolving credit facilities | 5,380 | | | 5,792 | |
| Finance leases | 195 | | | 408 | |
| Commitment and other fees | 1,106 | | | 2,217 | |
| Amortization of deferred financing costs | 10,751 | | | 8,714 | |
| Total | $ | 134,520 | | | $ | 101,350 | |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Twelve Months Ended December 31, |
| 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| (in thousands) |
8.00% senior secured notes (1) | $ | 93,010 | | | $ | 47,954 | | | $ | 51,897 | |
| Fixed-rate term loans | 37,213 | | | 41,446 | | | 42,765 | |
| Unsecured term loans | 1,363 | | | 1,363 | | | 1,168 | |
| Class A 2015-1 EETC | 10,962 | | | 11,874 | | | 12,781 | |
| Class B 2015-1 EETC | 1,954 | | | 2,312 | | | 2,669 | |
| Class C 2015-1 EETC | 777 | | | 3,424 | | | 3,988 | |
| Class AA 2017-1 EETC | 5,990 | | | 6,464 | | | 6,938 | |
| Class A 2017-1 EETC | 2,159 | | | 2,330 | | | 2,501 | |
| Class B 2017-1 EETC | 1,881 | | | 2,016 | | | 2,189 | |
| Class C 2017-1 EETC | 522 | | | 4,367 | | | 4,367 | |
Convertible notes (2) | (3,778) | | | (68) | | | 6,997 | |
| Revolving credit facilities | — | | | — | | | 1,733 | |
| Finance leases | 30 | | | 57 | | | 93 | |
| Commitment and other fees | 1,655 | | | 2,162 | | | 2,243 | |
| Amortization of deferred financing costs | 15,453 | | | 14,204 | | | 13,282 | |
| Total | $ | 169,191 | | | $ | 139,905 | | | $ | 155,611 | |
(1) Includes $0.5$4.2 million, $1.4 million and $1.3 million of accretion and $19.5$88.8 million, $46.5 million and $50.6 million of interest expense for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020.2023, 2022, and 2021 respectively.
(2) Includes $9.6$14.3 million and $20.3 million of accretionamortization of the discount for the convertible notes due 2026 as well as interest expense for the convertible notes due 2025 and $5.32026, offset by $18.1 million and $20.3 million of interest expensefavorable mark to market adjustments for the convertible notes due 2026 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2020.2023 and December 31, 2022. Includes $7.0 million of interest expense for the convertible notes due 2025 and convertible notes due 2026 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021.
As of both December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company had a line of credit for $3.1 million and $33.6$20.1 million, related to corporate credit cards. Respectively, the Company had drawn $0.6$1.5 million and $4.6$1.8 million as of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, which is included in accounts payable.
As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company had lines of credit with counterparties for derivatives, if any, and physical fuel delivery in the amount of $25.0 million and $41.5 million.million, respectively. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019,2023, the Company had not drawn on these lines of credit for physical fuel delivery. As of December 31, 2022 the Company had drawn $3.7$2.0 million and $25.3 million, respectively, on these lines of credit for physical fuel delivery, which is included within other current liabilities in the Company's consolidated balance sheets. The Company is required to post collateral for any excess above the lines of credit if the fuel derivatives, if any, are in a net liability position and make periodic payments in order to maintain an adequate undrawn
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
portion for physical fuel delivery. As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company did not have any outstanding fuel derivatives.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
15.14.Leases and Aircraft Maintenance Deposits
The Company leases aircraft, engines, airport terminals, maintenance and training facilities, aircraft hangars, commercial real estate and office and computer equipment, among other items. Certain of these leases include provisions for variable lease payments which are based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relative leases square footage, enplaned passengers, and airports' annual operating budgets. Due to the variable nature of the rates, these leases are not recorded on the Company's consolidated balance sheets as a right-of-use asset and lease liability. Lease terms are generally 84 to 18 years for aircraft and up to 99 years for other leased equipment and property.
As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had a fleet consisting of 157205 A320 family aircraft. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had 56117 aircraft financed under operating leases with lease term expirations between 20222025 and 2038.2041. In addition, the Company owned 10173 aircraft of which, 29as of December 31, 2023, 17 were purchased off leaseunencumbered. The Company also had 15 aircraft that would have been deemed finance leases resulting in failed sale-leaseback transactions. The related finance obligation is recorded within long-term debt in the Company's consolidated balance sheets. Refer to Note 13, Debt and are currently unencumbered. Other Obligations for additional information. The related asset is recorded within flight equipment in the Company's consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company also had 86 spare engines financed under operating leases with lease term expiration dates ranging from 20232024 to 20272033 and owned 16 spare engines, all28, of which, as of December 31, 2020,2023, 4 were unencumbered and 24 were pledged as collateral under the Company's 2022 revolving credit facility.facility maturing in 2025.
Total rent expense for all leases charged to operations for the years ended 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 20182021 was $371.6$673.2 million, $345.0$537.9 million and $312.0$449.4 million, respectively. Total rental expense charged to operations for aircraft and engine operating leases for the years ended December 31, 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 20182021 was $196.4$381.2 million, $182.6$282.4 million and $177.6$246.6 million, respectively.
Some of the Company’s aircraft and engine master lease agreements provide that the Company pays maintenance reserves to aircraft lessors to be held as collateral in advance of the Company’s required performance of major maintenance activities. Maintenance reserve payments that are substantively and contractually related to the maintenance of the leased asset are accounted for as aircraft maintenance deposits to the extent they are expected to be recoverable. A majority of these maintenance reserve payments are calculated based on a utilization measure, such as flight hours or cycles, while some maintenance reserve payments are fixed, time-based contractual amounts. Fixed maintenance reserve payments that are not probable of being recovered are considered lease payments and are included in the right-of-use asset and lease liability. Maintenance reserve payments that are based on a utilization measure and are not probable of being recovered are considered variable lease payments that are recognized when they are probable of being incurred and are not included in the right-of-use asset and lease liability.
These lease agreements generally provide that maintenance reserves are reimbursable to the Company upon completion of the maintenance event. Some of the master lease agreements do not require that the Company pay maintenance reserves so long as the Company's cash balance does not fall below a certain level. As of December 31, 2020, the Company is in full compliance with those requirements and does not anticipate having to pay reserves related to these master leases in the future.
Under the terms of the lease agreements, the Company will continue to operate and maintain the aircraft. Payments under the majority of the lease agreements are fixed for the term of the lease. The lease agreements contain standard termination events, including termination upon a breach of the Company's obligations to make rental payments and upon any other material breach of the Company's obligations under the leases, and standard maintenance and return condition provisions. These return provisions are evaluated at inception of the lease and throughout the lease terms and are accounted for as either fixed or variable lease payments (depending on the nature of the lease return condition) when it is probable that such amounts will be incurred. When determining probability and estimated cost of lease return obligations, there are various other factors that need to be considered such as the contractual terms of the lease, the ability to swap engines or other aircraft components, current condition of the aircraft, the age of the aircraft at lease expiration, utilization of engines and other components, the extent of repairs needed at return, return locations, current configuration of the aircraft and cost of repairs and materials at the time of return. Management assesses the factors listed above and the need to accrue lease return costs throughout the lease as facts and circumstances warrant an assessment. As a result of COVID-19, the Company is currently operating its aircraft at lower utilization levels. If the Company continues flying its aircraft at lower utilization levels beyond its current projections, the timing of future maintenance events may change such that the Company will be required to accrue lease return costs and/or record reserves against its maintenance deposits earlier than it would have expected and such amounts could be significant. The Company expects lease return costs and unrecoverable maintenance deposits will increase as individual aircraft lease agreements approach their respective termination dates and the Company begins to accrue the estimated cost of return conditions for the corresponding aircraft. Upon a termination of the lease due to a breach by the Company, the Company would be liable for standard contractual damages, possibly including damages suffered by the lessor in connection with remarketing the aircraft or while the aircraft is not leased to another party.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
Aircraft rent expense consists of monthly lease rents for aircraft and spare engines under the terms of the Company's aircraft and spare engine lease agreements recognized on a straight-line basis. Supplemental rent, recorded within aircraft rent expense, is primarily made up of maintenance reserves paid to aircraft lessors that are not probable of being reimbursed and probable and estimable return condition obligations.obligations, lease return costs adjustments for aircraft and engines purchased off lease or lease extensions or amendments. The Company expensed $3.3$14.0 million, $4.8$16.5 million and $3.4$31.7 million of supplemental rent recorded within aircraft rent during 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively. The Company did not expense any paid maintenance reserves as supplemental rent in 2020. During 2019 and 2018, the Company expensed $0.5 million and $1.3 million, respectively, of paid maintenance reserves as supplemental rent. As of December 31, 2020, the Company had $126.3 million of aircraft maintenance deposits ($73.1 million in aircraft maintenance deposits and $53.2 million in long-term aircraft maintenance deposits) on the Company's consolidated balance sheets.
During the twelve months ended December 31, 2020,2023, the Company took delivery of 8 aircraft under secured debt arrangements, 1 aircraft under a sale-leaseback transaction and 313 new aircraft under direct operating leases. In addition, the Company purchased 2 previously leased aircraft. The Company also purchased 2leases, 10 new engines and returned 1 previously leased engine.
Prior to the adoption of Topic 842 on January 1, 2019, gains and losses onaircraft under sale-leaseback transactions were generally deferred and recognized in income over the lease term. 4 engines purchased with cash.
Under Topic 842, gains and losses on sale-leaseback transactions, subject to adjustment for off-market terms, are recognized immediately and recorded within gain/loss on disposal of assets on the Company's consolidated statements of operations.
On Refer to Note 5, Loss on Disposal of Assets for additional information on the losses recorded related to the sale-leaseback transactions entered into during the twelve months ended December 31, 2019, the Company entered into an aircraft purchase agreement to acquire 2 A319 aircraft previously operated by the Company under operating leases. The contract was deemed a lease modification, which resulted in a change of classification from operating leases to finance leases for the 2 aircraft. The Company recorded a finance lease obligation of $44.1 million calculated as the present value of the remaining lease payments, including the final payment to purchase the aircraft2023, 2022 and included within current maturities of long-term debt and finance leases on the Company's consolidated balance sheets as2021.
As of December 31, 2019. In addition, the Company recorded finance lease assets of $48.4 million which include related amounts previously recorded as maintenance reserves and security deposits and included within flight equipment on the Company's consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2019. In January 2020, the purchase of the 2 aircraft was completed and the aircraft were recorded within flight equipment on the Company's consolidated balance sheets.
The remainder of2023, the Company's finance lease obligations relate to the lease of computer equipment used by the Company's flight crew and office equipment. Payments under these finance lease agreements are fixed for terms ranging from 4 to 5 years. Finance lease assets are recorded within property and equipment and the related liabilities are recorded within current maturities of long-term debt and finance leases and long-term debt and finance leases, less current maturities onin the Company's consolidated balance sheets.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
During the fourth quarter of 2019, the Company purchased an 8.5-acre parcel of land for $41.0 million and entered into a 99-year lease agreement for the lease of a 2.6-acre parcel of land, in Dania Beach, Florida, where the Company intends to build ais building its new headquarters campus. In connection with the lease agreement, the Company is expected to buildcampus and a 200-unit residential building. TheDuring the first quarter of 2022, the Company began building its new headquarters campus and its 200-unit residential building with an expected completion during the first quarter of 2024. As of December 31, 2023, the 8.5-acre parcel of land isand $184.6 million in related construction costs were capitalized within ground property and equipment on the Company's consolidated balance sheets. The 99-year lease was determined to be an operating lease and is recorded within operating lease right-of-use asset and operating lease liability on the Company's consolidated balance sheets. Operating lease commitments related to this lease are included in the table below within property facility leases.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
The following table provides details of the Company's future minimum lease payments under finance lease liabilities and operating lease liabilities recorded on the Company's consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2020.2023. The table does not include commitments that are contingent on events or other factors that are currently uncertain and unknown.
| | Finance Leases | | Operating Leases | | Total Operating and Finance Lease Obligations |
| Aircraft and Spare Engine Leases | | Property Facility Leases | | |
| (in thousands) |
| 2021 (1) | | $ | 753 | | | $ | 236,101 | | | $ | 4,683 | | | | $ | 241,537 | |
| 2022 | | 725 | | | 209,911 | | | 4,397 | | | | 215,033 | |
| 2023 | | 349 | | | 197,267 | | | 3,383 | | | | 200,999 | |
| | Finance Leases | | | | Finance Leases | | Operating Leases | | Total Operating and Finance Lease Obligations |
| | | Aircraft and Spare Engine Leases | |
| | (in thousands) | |
| | (in thousands) | |
| | (in thousands) | |
| 2024 | 2024 | | 98 | | | 175,204 | | | 2,772 | | | | 178,074 | |
| 2025 | 2025 | | 0 | | | 153,146 | | | 1,060 | | | | 154,206 | |
| 2026 and thereafter | | 0 | | | 975,682 | | | 143,093 | | | | 1,118,775 | |
| 2026 | |
| 2027 | |
| 2028 | |
| 2029 and thereafter | |
| Total minimum lease payments | Total minimum lease payments | | $ | 1,925 | | | $ | 1,947,311 | | | $ | 159,388 | | | | $ | 2,108,624 | |
| Less amount representing interest | Less amount representing interest | | 137 | | | 562,493 | | | 134,628 | | | | 697,258 | |
| Present value of minimum lease payments | Present value of minimum lease payments | | $ | 1,788 | | | $ | 1,384,818 | | | $ | 24,760 | | | | $ | 1,411,366 | |
| Less current portion | Less current portion | | 671 | | | 130,484 | | | 3,307 | | | | 134,462 | |
| Long-term portion | Long-term portion | | $ | 1,117 | | | $ | 1,254,334 | | | $ | 21,453 | | | | $ | 1,276,904 | |
(1) Includes $27.3 million of aircraft and spare engine rent payment deferrals due to COVID-19 which are recorded in other current liabilities within the Company's consolidated balance sheets.
Commitments related to the Company's noncancellable short-term operating leases not recorded on the Company's consolidated balance sheets are expected to be $1.4$3.6 million for 20212024 and none for 20222025 and beyond. During 2020, the Company entered into agreements to defer payments in 2020 related to facility rents and other airport service contracts at certain locations. Also during 2020, the Company entered into agreements to defer payments related to certain aircraft and engine leases from 2020 into 2021. The Company elected to apply the practical expedient issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board in April 2020 which allows companies to treat a lease concession related to COVID-19 as though enforceable rights and obligations for the concessions existed regardless of whether those enforceable rights and obligations explicitly exist in the lease agreement. Amounts deferred as of December 31, 2020 are recorded in accrued rent within other current liabilities on the Company's consolidated balance sheet.
The table below presents information for lease costs related to the Company's finance and operating leases:
| | Year Ended December 31, | |
| 2020 | | 2019 | |
| (in thousands) | |
| Year Ended December 31, | |
| Year Ended December 31, | |
| Year Ended December 31, | |
| 2023 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2023 | |
| (in thousands) | |
| (in thousands) | |
| (in thousands) | |
| Finance lease cost | |
| Finance lease cost | |
| Finance lease cost | Finance lease cost | | |
| Amortization of leased assets | Amortization of leased assets | $ | 824 | | | $ | 998 | | |
| Amortization of leased assets | |
| Amortization of leased assets | |
| Interest of lease liabilities | Interest of lease liabilities | 194 | | | 674 | | |
| Interest of lease liabilities | |
| Interest of lease liabilities | |
| Operating lease cost | |
| Operating lease cost | |
| Operating lease cost | |
Operating lease cost | |
Operating lease cost | Operating lease cost | | |
Operating lease cost (1) | Operating lease cost (1) | 201,474 | | | 179,959 | | |
Short-term lease cost (1) | Short-term lease cost (1) | 25,195 | | | 5,144 | | |
Short-term lease cost (1) | |
Short-term lease cost (1) | |
Variable lease cost (1) | |
Variable lease cost (1) | |
Variable lease cost (1) | Variable lease cost (1) | 125,534 | | | 140,417 | | |
| Total lease cost | Total lease cost | $ | 353,221 | | | $ | 327,192 | | |
| Total lease cost | |
| Total lease cost | |
(1) Expenses are classified within aircraft rent and landing fees and other rents on the Company's consolidated statements of operations.
The table below presents lease-related terms and discount rates as of December 31, 2020:2023:
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | December 31, 2020 | | December 31, 2019 |
| December 31, 2023 | | | December 31, 2023 | | December 31, 2022 |
| Weighted-average remaining lease term | Weighted-average remaining lease term | | | |
| Operating leases | |
| Operating leases | |
| Operating leases | Operating leases | 12.9 years | | 13.0 years | 14.8 years | | 14.6 years |
| Finance leases | Finance leases | 2.6 years | | 0.1 years | Finance leases | 2.3 years | | 2.1 years |
| Weighted-average discount rate | Weighted-average discount rate | |
| Operating leases | Operating leases | 6.08 | % | | 5.86 | % |
| Operating leases | |
| Operating leases | | 6.84 | % | | 6.29 | % |
| Finance leases | Finance leases | 5.54 | % | | 2.46 | % | Finance leases | 4.25 | % | | 4.21 | % |
16.15. Defined Contribution 401(k) Plan
The Company sponsors 3three defined contribution 401(k) plans, Spirit Airlines, Inc. Employee Retirement Savings Plan (first plan), Spirit Airlines, Inc. Pilots’ Retirement Savings Plan (second plan) and Spirit Airlines, Inc. Puerto Rico Retirement Savings Plan (third plan). The first plan is for all employees that are not covered by the pilots’ collective bargaining agreement, who have at least 60 days of service and have attained the age of 21.
The second plan is for the Company’s pilots, and contains the same service requirements as the first plan. Prior to March 1, 2018, the Company matched 100% of the pilot's contribution, up to 9% of the individual pilot's annual compensation. Beginning on March 1, 2018, the Company contributed 11% of the individual pilot's annual compensation, regardless of the pilot's contributions to the plan. The Company's contribution will increaseincreased by 1% on an annual basis each March until 2022, at which time the contribution will bewas 15%.
The third plan is for all Company employees residing in Puerto Rico and was adopted Beginning on April 16, 2012. It containsJanuary 1, 2024, the same service requirements as the first and second plans.Company's contribution increased to 16%.
Employer contributions made to all plans were $58.6$112.4 million, $51.1$88.9 million and $36.7$72.3 million in 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, respectively, and were included within salaries, wages and benefits in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
17.16. Income Taxes
Significant components of the provision for income taxes from continuing operations are as follows:
| | | | Year Ended December 31, | | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| (in thousands) |
| 2023 | | | 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| (in thousands) | | | (in thousands) |
| Current: | Current: | |
| Federal | |
| Federal | |
| Federal | Federal | $ | (141,997) | | | $ | (22,429) | | | $ | (2,178) | |
| State and local | State and local | (1,847) | | | 1,218 | | | 410 | |
| Foreign | Foreign | (1,554) | | | 6,693 | | | 4,692 | |
| Total current expense (benefit) | Total current expense (benefit) | (145,398) | | | (14,518) | | | 2,924 | |
| Deferred: | Deferred: | |
| Federal | Federal | (33,494) | | | 106,703 | | | 42,246 | |
| Federal | |
| Federal | |
| State and local | State and local | (12,592) | | | 8,986 | | | 4,057 | |
| Total deferred expense (benefit) | Total deferred expense (benefit) | (46,086) | | | 115,689 | | | 46,303 | |
| Total income tax expense (benefit) | Total income tax expense (benefit) | $ | (191,484) | | | $ | 101,171 | | | $ | 49,227 | |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
The income tax provision differs from that computed at the federal statutory corporate tax rate as follows:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| Expected provision at federal statutory tax rate | 21.0 | % | | 21.0 | % | | 21.0 | % |
| State tax expense, net of federal benefit | 1.9 | % | | 1.8 | % | | 1.7 | % |
| | | | | |
| | | | | |
| Revaluation of deferred taxes | 9.2 | % | | (2.1) | % | | 0 | % |
| Other | (1.2) | % | | 2.5 | % | | 1.3 | % |
| Total income tax expense (benefit) | 30.9 | % | | 23.2 | % | | 24.0 | % |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Year Ended December 31, |
| 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| Expected provision at federal statutory tax rate | 21.0 | % | | 21.0 | % | | 21.0 | % |
| State tax expense, net of federal benefit | 1.5 | % | | 1.6 | % | | 0.8 | % |
| Permanent tax differences | (1.3) | % | | (0.6) | % | | (0.4) | % |
| Premium on convertible debt repurchase | — | % | | — | % | | (11.4) | % |
| Valuation allowance | (1.2) | % | | (0.8) | % | | (0.5) | % |
| Other | (0.1) | % | | (0.3) | % | | (0.3) | % |
| Total income tax expense (benefit) | 19.9 | % | | 20.9 | % | | 9.2 | % |
The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred taxes are recorded based on differences between the consolidated financial statement basis and tax basis of assets and liabilities and available tax loss and credit carryforwards. At December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the significant components of the Company's deferred taxes consisted of the following:
| | | | December 31, | | December 31, |
| 2023 | | | 2023 | | 2022 |
| (in thousands) | | | (in thousands) |
| Deferred tax assets: | |
| Income tax credits | |
| Income tax credits | |
| Income tax credits | |
| | 2020 | | 2019 |
| | (in thousands) |
| Deferred tax assets: | |
| Income tax credits | 4,298 | | | 9,632 | |
| Net operating losses | |
| | Net operating losses | |
| | Net operating losses | Net operating losses | 220,071 | | | 13,604 | |
| Deferred revenue | Deferred revenue | 11,740 | | | 8,824 | |
| | Nondeductible accruals | Nondeductible accruals | 21,918 | | | 14,133 | |
| Nondeductible accruals | |
| Nondeductible accruals | |
| Deferred manufacturing credits | Deferred manufacturing credits | 6,442 | | | 2,813 | |
| | Accrued maintenance | 568 | | | 1,668 | |
| Equity compensation | 3,433 | | | 2,851 | |
| | Loan liability | |
| | Loan liability | |
| | Loan liability | |
| Operating lease liability | Operating lease liability | 313,142 | | | 305,161 | |
| | Interest expense | |
| Interest expense | |
| Interest expense | |
| Other | Other | 465 | | | 482 | |
| Valuation allowance | Valuation allowance | (2,949) | | | (1,746) | |
| Deferred tax assets | Deferred tax assets | $ | 579,128 | | | $ | 357,422 | |
| Deferred tax liabilities: | Deferred tax liabilities: | | | |
| | Convertible debt | 14,942 | | | 0 | |
| Prepaid expenses | 898 | | | 1,120 | |
| | Property, plant and equipment | Property, plant and equipment | 603,173 | | | 430,523 | |
| Deferred financing costs | 124 | | | 154 | |
| | Property, plant and equipment | |
| | Property, plant and equipment | |
| | Accrued aircraft and engine maintenance | |
| | Accrued aircraft and engine maintenance | |
| | Accrued aircraft and engine maintenance | Accrued aircraft and engine maintenance | 80,916 | | | 84,479 | |
| Right-of-use asset | Right-of-use asset | 318,969 | | | 310,438 | |
| Other | |
| Deferred tax liabilities | Deferred tax liabilities | 1,019,022 | | | 826,714 | |
| Net deferred tax assets (liabilities) | Net deferred tax assets (liabilities) | $ | (439,894) | | | $ | (469,292) | |
|
On March 27, 2020, the CARES Act was enacted. The CARES Act allows for a five-year carryback of federal net operating losses generated in tax years 2018 through 2020. The Company filed for a carryback of its adjusted 2018 federal net operating tax loss to tax years 2013 and 2014. The federal net operating loss carryback resulted in a tax benefit of $56.1 million since the federal net operating losses can be benefited at the higher 35% federal tax rate in effect for tax years 2013 and 2014. The federal net operating loss carry back also generated an additional income tax receivable of $142.0 million as of December 31, 2020.
In assessing the realizability of the deferred tax assets, management considered whether it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets would be realized. In evaluating the Company’s ability to utilize its deferred tax assets, it considered all available evidence, both positive and negative, in determining future taxable income on a jurisdiction by jurisdiction basis. As of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the Company had a valuation allowance of $2.9$17.7 million and $1.7$10.9 million, respectively, against certain deferred tax assets related to equity compensation for executives due to changes in tax law resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("TCJA"), state net operating loss carryforwards and foreign tax credits.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had $2.8 million of foreign tax credits, $1.5$1.4 million of general business tax credits, $956.9 million$1.4 billion of federal net operating loss and $360.0$643.5 million of state net operating loss available, that may be applied against future tax liabilities. The foreign tax credits will begin to expire in 2025, the state net operating losses will begin to expire in 2027, the general business credits will begin to expire in 2038 and there is no expiration of federal net operating losses.
For the twelve months endedDecember 31, 2020 and 2019, a $0.8 million income tax benefit and a $1.4 million of income tax expense related
Notes to share-based compensation were included within income tax expense, respectively.Financial Statements—(Continued)
For tax years ended December 31, 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, the Company did 0tnot recognize any liabilities for uncertain tax positions nor any interest and penalties on unrecognized tax benefits.
For tax years 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, all income for the Company is subject to domestic income taxes.
The Company files its tax returns as prescribed by the tax laws of the jurisdictions in which it operates. The Company's federal income tax returns for 20172020 through 20192022 tax years are still subject to examination in the U.S.United States Various state and foreign jurisdiction tax years also remain open to examination. The Company believes that any potential assessment would be immaterial to its consolidated financial statements.
18.17. Commitments and Contingencies
Aircraft-Related Commitments and Financing Arrangements
The Company’s contractual purchase commitments consist primarily of aircraft and engine acquisitions through manufacturers and aircraft leasing companies. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company's firm aircraft orders consisted of 12699 A320 family aircraft with Airbus, including A319neos, A320neos and A321neos, with deliveries expected through 2027.2029. On July 31, 2023, the Company entered into Amendment No. 6 (the “Amendment”) to the A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 20, 2019 (the “Airbus Purchase Agreement”) with Airbus S.A.S. (“Airbus”). The Amendment converts the remaining A319neo aircraft to be delivered under the Airbus Purchase Agreement to A321neo aircraft. The Amendment also (i) defers certain A320neo aircraft deliveries from 2024 to 2025 and later years, (ii) extends delivery dates for certain A320neo and A321neo aircraft deliveries from 2025-2027 to 2025-2029 and (iii) adjusts the timing of option aircraft delivery dates from 2026-2028 to 2027-2029. In addition, the Amendment creates a more equal distribution of aircraft deliveries and option rights across the delivery periods. As of December 31, 2023, the Company had 10 direct operating leasessecured financing for A320neos18 aircraft, scheduled for delivery from Airbus through 2025, which will be financed through sale-leaseback transactions. The Company did not have financing commitments in place for the remaining 81 Airbus aircraft currently on firm order, which are scheduled for delivery through 2029. However, the Company has signed a financing letter of agreement with third-party lessors, with deliveries expected through 2021.Airbus which provides backstop financing for a majority of the aircraft included in the A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement. The agreement provides a standby credit facility in the form of senior secured mortgage debt financing. The contractual purchase amounts for these aircraft are included within the purchase commitments below.
On December 20, 2019,During the third quarter of 2021, the Company entered into an A320 NEO FamilyEngine Purchase Support Agreement with Airbus forwhich requires the purchase of 100 new Airbus A320neo family aircraft, with optionsCompany to purchase upa certain number of spare engines in order to 50 additional aircraft. This agreement includesmaintain a mixcontractual ratio of Airbus A319neo, A320neo and A321neospare engines to aircraft with such aircraft scheduled for delivery through 2027. The Company also has 1 spare engine order for a V2500 SelectTwo engine with IAE and 2 spare engine orders for PurePower PW 1100G-JM engines with Pratt & Whitney. Spare engines are scheduled for delivery from 2021 through 2023.in the fleet. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company is committed to purchase 19 PW1100G-JM spare engines, with deliveries through 2029.
As of December 31, 2023, committed expenditures for these aircraft and spare engines, including estimated amounts for contractual price escalations and pre-delivery payments, are expected to be $415.7 million in 2021, $849.1 million in 2022, $676.0 million in 2023, $1,001.6$507.6 million in 2024, $1,209.1$1,018.6 million in 2025, and $2,367.8$1,034.3 million in 2026, $1,100.0 million in 2027, $1,035.2 million in 2028, and $923.8 million in 2029 and beyond.
During the third quarter of 2019, the United States announced its decision to levy tariffs on certain imports from the European Union, including commercial aircraft and related parts. These tariffs include aircraft and other parts that the Company is already contractually obligated to purchase including those reflected above. The imposition of theseIn June 2021, the United States Trade Representative announced that the United States and European Union had agreed to suspend reciprocal tariffs may substantially increase the cost of new Airbuson large civilian aircraft and parts requiredfor five years, pending discussions to service the Company's Airbus fleet.resolve their trade dispute. For further discussion on this topic, please refer to "Risk Factors - Risks Related to Our Business - Any tariffs imposed on commercial aircraft and related parts imported from outside the United States may have a material adverse effect on our fleet, business, financial condition and our results of operations."
AsIn addition to the aircraft purchase agreement, as of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had secured financing for 1022 aircraft to be leased directly from third-party lessors, scheduled for delivery in 2021. The Company did not have financing commitments in place for the 126 Airbus aircraft currently on firm order, which are scheduled for delivery through 2027. However, the Company has signed a financing letter of agreement with Airbus which provides backstop financing for a majority of the aircraft included in the A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement. The agreement provides a standby credit facility in the form of senior secured mortgage debt financing.
2025. As of December 31, 2020,2023, aircraft rent commitments for future aircraft deliveries to be financed under direct leases from third-party lessors and sale-leaseback transactions are expected to be approximately $18.1 million in 2021, $34.2 million in 2022, $34.2 million in 2023, $34.2$72.4 million in 2024, $34.2$167.8 million in 2025, and $255.5$183.3 million in 2026, $183.3 million in 2027, $183.3 million in 2028, and $1,409.3 million in 2029 and beyond.
Interest commitments related to the Company's outstandingsecured debt obligationsfinancing of 71 aircraft as of December 31, 20202023 are $162.5 million in 2021, $148.7 million in 2022, $138.1 million in 2023, $126.8$80.2 million in 2024, $110.0$73.6 million in 2025, and $103.0$67.3 million in 2026, $60.2 million in 2027, $51.7 million in 2028, and $204.5 million in 2029 and beyond. As of December 31, 2023, interest commitments related to the Company's 8.00% senior secured notes, convertible debt financing, unsecured term loans and revolving credit facility are $96.7 million in 2024, $89.4 million in 2025, $5.9 million in 2026, $3.4 million in 2027, $3.4 million in 2028, and $7.1 million in 2029 and beyond. For principal commitments related to the Company's outstanding debt obligations, refer to Note 14,13, Debt and Other Obligations.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
The Company is contractually obligated to pay the following minimum guaranteed payments for its reservation system, construction commitments related to its new headquarters campus and residential building and other miscellaneous subscriptions and services as of December 31, 2020: $17.8 million in 2021, $15.9 million in 2022,
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
$14.1 million in 2023, $14.52023: $65.0 million in 2024, $15.0$27.5 million in 2025, and $35.3$18.1 million in 2026, $18.0 million in 2027, $1.9 million in 2028, and none in 2029 and beyond. During the first quarter of 2018, the Company entered into a contract renewal with its reservation system provider which expires in 2028.
Litigation
The Company is subject to commercial litigation claims and to administrative and regulatory proceedings and reviews that may be asserted or maintained from time to time. The Company believes the ultimate outcome of such lawsuits, proceedings and reviews will not, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on its financial position, liquidity or results of operations. In making a determination regarding accruals, using available information, the Company evaluates the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome in legal or regulatory proceedings and assessments to which the Company is a party and records a loss contingency when it is probable a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. These subjective determinations are based on the status of such legal or regulatory proceedings, the merits of the Company's defenses, and consultation with legal counsel. Actual outcomes of these legal and regulatory proceedings may materially differ from the Company's current estimates. It is possible that resolution of one or more of the legal matters currently pending or threatened could result in losses material to the Company's consolidated results of operations, liquidity, or financial condition.
In 2017, the Company was sued in the Eastern District of New York ("EDNY") in a purported class action, Cox, et al. v. Spirit Airlines, Inc., alleging state-law claims of breach of contract, unjust enrichment and fraud relating to the Company's practice of charging fees for ancillary products and services. The original action was dismissed by the EDNY; however, following the plaintiff's appeal to the Second Circuit, the case was remanded to the EDNY for further review on the breach of contract claim. A hearing on the Company's Motion for Summary Judgment and plaintiff's Motion for Class Certification was held on December 10, 2021. The EDNY granted the plaintiff's class certification motion and denied Spirit’s summary judgment motion on March 29, 2022. The Company subsequently filed a motion for reconsideration on April 26, 2022, and an oral argument was held on May 19, 2022. The EDNY denied Spirit’s motion for reconsideration on February 14, 2023. On April 3, 2023, Spirit moved to compel arbitration of and/or dismiss certain class members’ claims for lack of personal jurisdiction. Trial was set to begin on January 16, 2024. In June 2023, the Company reached a tentative settlement in mediation for a maximum amount of $8.3 million. The EDNY issued a preliminary approval order on September 21, 2023, and the final approval hearing was held on December 11, 2023. The total amount paid depends on a number of factors, including participation of class members and any conditions on the settlement approved by the EDNY. Currently, the Company's best estimate of the probable loss associated with the settlement is $6.0 million, and the Company has recorded this amount in other operating expenses within its consolidated statements of operations.
On February 27, 2023, ALPA filed a grievance against the Company claiming that it violated the collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) by excluding its pilots from the Company's retention award programs granted as part of the Former Frontier Merger Agreement and the Merger Agreement with JetBlue. On September 8, 2023, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the grievance, as it does not believe that ALPA filed the grievance within the timeline set forth in the CBA. As of December 31, 2023, the potential outcomes of this claim cannot be determined and an estimate of the reasonably possible loss or range of loss cannot be made.
Following an audit by the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") related to the collection of federal excise taxes on optional passenger seat selection charges covering the period of the second quarter 2018 through the fourth quarter 2020, on March 31, 2022, the Company was assessed $34.9 million. On July 19, 2022, the assessment was reduced to $27.5 million. The Company believes a loss in this matter is not probable and has not recognized a loss contingency.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
Employees
The Company has 5six union-represented employee groups that together represent approximately 82%85% of all employees at December 31, 2020.2023. The table below sets forth the Company's employee groups and status of the collective bargaining agreements as of December 31, 2020.2023.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| Employee Groups | | Representative | | Amendable Date(1) | | Percentage of Workforce |
| Pilots | | Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA) | | February 2023January 2025 | | 29%27% |
| Flight Attendants | | Association of Flight Attendants (AFA-CWA) | | May 2021January 2026 | | 46%47% |
| Dispatchers | | Professional Airline Flight Control Association (PAFCA) | | October 2023 | | 1% |
| Ramp Service Agents | | International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW) | | June 2020November 2026 | | 3% |
| Passenger Service Agents | | Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) | | NAFebruary 2027 | | 2% |
| Aircraft Maintenance Technicians | | 3%Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association (AMFA) (2)
| | N/A (2) | | 5% |
(1) Subject to standard early opener provisions.
(2) Collective bargaining agreement is currently under negotiation.
During the fourth quarter of 2022, the Company reached an agreement with ALPA for a new two-year agreement, which was ratified by ALPA members on January 10, 2023. The ratified agreement includes increased pay rates and other enhanced benefits.
In February 2018,2023, the pilot group voted to approve the current five-yearCompany and AFA-CWA reached an agreement with the Company.Company's flight attendants which was ratified by the flight attendants on April 13, 2023 and becomes amendable in January 2026. The currentratified agreement includes a one-time ratification incentiveincreased pay rates and other enhanced benefits.
In August 2022, the Company's aircraft maintenance technicians ("AMTs") voted to be represented by the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association ("AMFA") as their collective bargaining agent. As of $80.2 million, including payroll taxes, and an $8.5 million adjustment related to other contractual provisions which was recorded in special charges (credits) within operating expenses in the consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2018. For additional information, refer2023, the Company employed approximately 700 AMTs. In November 2022, AMFA notified the Company of its intent to Note 5, Special Chargesnegotiate a CBA and Credits.began negotiations. In October 2023, AMFA filed for mediation with the National Mediation Board (“NMB”). The Company is currently waiting for mediation dates from the NMB to continue negotiating with AMFA.
In February 2020,May 2023, PAFCA provided notice to the IAMAW notified us, as required by the Railway Labor Act,Company that it intends to submit proposedamend its Collective Bargaining Agreement with its dispatchers. The parties began negotiating changes to the collective bargaining agreement covering our ramp service agents which became amendable in June 2020. The parties expect to schedule meeting dates for negotiations soon.
The Company's passenger service agents are represented by the TWU, but the representation only applies to the Company's Fort Lauderdale station where the Company has direct employees in the passenger service classification. The Company and the TWU began meeting in late October 2018 to negotiate an initial collective bargaining agreement.CBA on July 12, 2023. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company continued to negotiate with the TWU.PAFCA.
The Company is self-insured for health care claims, subject to a stop-loss policy, for eligible participating employees and qualified dependent medical claims, subject to deductibles and limitations. The Company’s liabilities for claims incurred but not reported are determined based on an estimate of the ultimate aggregate liability for claims incurred. The estimate is calculated from actual claim rates and adjusted periodically as necessary. The Company has accrued $7.3$9.1 million and $5.2$11.0 million, for health care claims as of December 31, 2020,2023, and 2019,2022, respectively, recorded within other current liabilities on the Company's consolidated balance sheet.
19. 18.Fair Value Measurements
Under ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, disclosures relating to how fair value is determined for assets and liabilities are required, and a hierarchy for which these assets and liabilities must be grouped is established, based on significant levels of inputs, as follows:
Level 1—Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2—Observable inputs other than Level 1 prices such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices in markets that are not active; or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.
Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. The Company utilizes several valuation techniques in order to assess the fair value of the Company’s financial assets and liabilities.
Long-term Debt
The estimated fair value of the Company's secured notes, term loan debt agreements and revolving credit facilities has been determined to be Level 3 as certain inputs used to determine the fair value of these agreements are unobservable. The Company utilizes a discounted cash flow method to estimate the fair value of the Level 3 long-term debt. The estimated fair value of the Company's publicly and non-publicly held EETC debt agreements and the Company's convertible notes has been determined to be Level 2 as the Company utilizes quoted market prices in markets with low trading volumes to estimate the fair value of its Level 2 long-term debt.
The carrying amounts and estimated fair values of the Company's long-term debt at December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 2019,2022, were as follows:
| | As of December 31, | |
| 2023 | |
| 2023 | |
| 2023 | |
| | | As of December 31, | |
| | 2020 | | 2019 | | Carrying Value | | Estimated Fair Value | | Carrying Value | | Estimated Fair Value | | Fair value level hierarchy |
| | Carrying Value | | Estimated Fair Value | | Carrying Value | | Estimated Fair Value | | Fair value level hierarchy |
| (in millions) | | |
| (in millions) | |
| 8.00% senior secured notes | |
| 8.00% senior secured notes | |
| 8.00% senior secured notes | 8.00% senior secured notes | $ | 850.0 | | | $ | 886.0 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | | | Level 3 | $ | 1,110.0 | | | $ | | $ | 1,121.9 | | | $ | | $ | 1,110.0 | | | $ | | $ | 1,085.0 | | | Level 3 | | Level 3 |
| | Fixed-rate term loans | |
| Fixed-rate term loans | |
| Fixed-rate term loans | Fixed-rate term loans | 1,301.9 | | | 1,362.9 | | | 1,074.3 | | | 1,120.0 | | | Level 3 | 1,093.3 | | | 1,099.9 | | 1,099.9 | | | 1,094.7 | | 1,094.7 | | | 1,003.9 | | 1,003.9 | | | Level 3 | | Level 3 |
| Unsecured term loans | Unsecured term loans | 73.3 | | | 83.1 | | | — | | | — | | | Level 3 | Unsecured term loans | 136.3 | | | 128.3 | | 128.3 | | | 136.3 | | 136.3 | | | 116.0 | | 116.0 | | | Level 3 | | Level 3 |
| 2015-1 EETC Class A | 2015-1 EETC Class A | 322.6 | | | 323.4 | | | 348.6 | | | 372.2 | | | Level 2 | 2015-1 EETC Class A | 256.6 | | | 230.8 | | 230.8 | | | 278.6 | | 278.6 | | | 247.5 | | 247.5 | | | Level 2 | | Level 2 |
| 2015-1 EETC Class B | 2015-1 EETC Class B | 64.0 | | | 62.5 | | | 72.0 | | | 74.5 | | | Level 2 | 2015-1 EETC Class B | 40.0 | | | 39.4 | | 39.4 | | | 48.0 | | 48.0 | | | 45.6 | | 45.6 | | | Level 2 | | Level 2 |
| 2015-1 EETC Class C | 2015-1 EETC Class C | 86.6 | | | 77.8 | | | 98.1 | | | 100.5 | | | Level 2 | 2015-1 EETC Class C | — | | | — | | — | | | 63.8 | | 63.8 | | | 63.1 | | 63.1 | | | Level 2 | | Level 2 |
| 2017-1 EETC Class AA | 2017-1 EETC Class AA | 214.4 | | | 207.4 | | | 228.4 | | | 237.0 | | | Level 2 | 2017-1 EETC Class AA | 172.2 | | | 149.6 | | 149.6 | | | 186.3 | | 186.3 | | | 161.6 | | 161.6 | | | Level 2 | | Level 2 |
| 2017-1 EETC Class A | 2017-1 EETC Class A | 71.5 | | | 68.8 | | | 76.1 | | | 78.8 | | | Level 2 | 2017-1 EETC Class A | 57.4 | | | 48.5 | | 48.5 | | | 62.1 | | 62.1 | | | 52.3 | | 52.3 | | | Level 2 | | Level 2 |
| 2017-1 EETC Class B | 2017-1 EETC Class B | 60.6 | | | 56.2 | | | 70.6 | | | 72.0 | | | Level 2 | 2017-1 EETC Class B | 48.2 | | | 42.9 | | 42.9 | | | 51.7 | | 51.7 | | | 44.9 | | 44.9 | | | Level 2 | | Level 2 |
| 2017-1 EETC Class C | 2017-1 EETC Class C | 85.5 | | | 76.3 | | | 85.5 | | | 88.0 | | | Level 2 | 2017-1 EETC Class C | — | | | — | | — | | | 85.5 | | 85.5 | | | 85.1 | | 85.1 | | | Level 2 | | Level 2 |
| Convertible debt | 175.0 | | | 380.3 | | | — | | | — | | | Level 2 |
| Revolving credit facilities | 275.1 | | | 275.1 | | | 160.0 | | | 160.0 | | | Level 3 |
| 4.75% convertible notes due 2025 | | 4.75% convertible notes due 2025 | 25.1 | | | 42.3 | | | 25.4 | | | 44.9 | | | Level 2 |
| 1.00% convertible notes due 2026 | | 1.00% convertible notes due 2026 | 500.0 | | | 349.9 | | | 500.0 | | | 405.1 | | | Level 2 |
| | Total long-term debt | Total long-term debt | $ | 3,580.5 | | | $ | 3,859.8 | | | $ | 2,213.6 | | | $ | 2,303.0 | | |
| Total long-term debt | |
| Total long-term debt | |
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 20192022 are comprised of liquid money market funds and cash and are categorized as Level 1 instruments. The Company maintains cash with various high-quality financial institutions.
Restricted Cash
Restricted cash is comprised of cash held in account subject to account control agreements or otherwise pledged as collateral against the Company's letters of credit and is categorized as a Level 1 instrument. As of December 31, 2020,2023, the Company had a $30.0$85.0 million standby letter of credit secured by $75.0 million of restricted cash, of which $23.6$55.9 million had been drawn upon forwere issued letters of credit. In addition, the Company had $41.4$44.4 million of restricted cash held in accounts subject to control agreements to be used for the payment of interest and fees on the Company's 8.00% senior secured notes. For additional information on the Company's 8.00% senior secured notes, refer to Note 14,13, Debt and Other Obligations.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
Short-term Investment Securities
Short-term investment securities at December 31, 20202023 and December 31, 20192022 are classified as available-for-sale and generally consist of U.S. Treasury and U.S. government agency securities with contractual maturities of twelve months or less.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
The Company's short-term investment securities are categorized as Level 1 instruments, as the Company uses quoted market prices in active markets when determining the fair value of these securities. For additional information, refer to Note 9,8, Short-term Investment Securities.
Assets Held for SaleDerivative Liability
The Company's assets heldMerger Agreement with JetBlue modified the settlement terms for sale consistany conversions of rotable aircraft parts. When long-lived assets are identifiedthe convertible notes due 2026 (as defined below) that caused the conversion option, which is an embedded derivative, not to qualify for the derivative accounting scope exception provided under ASC 815. As such, the Company bifurcated the fair value of the conversion option of the convertible notes due 2026 as held for salea derivative liability with subsequent changes in fair value recorded in earnings.
The Company records the fair value of the embedded derivative as a derivative liability within deferred gains and other long-term liabilities on its consolidated balance sheets. The fair value of the derivative liability was estimated as the difference in value of the traded price of the convertible notes, including the conversion option and the required criteria are met,value of the Company reclassifiesconvertible notes in the assets from property and equipmentabsence of the conversion option (the debt component). The value of the debt component was estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis with a yield calibrated to prepaid expenses and other current assetsthe traded price of the convertible notes. The change in fair value of the derivative liability is recorded within interest expense on the Company's consolidated balance sheetsstatements of operations and discontinues depreciation. The assets are measured atis included in other liabilities within operating activities in the lowerCompany's consolidated statements of cash flows. During the twelve months ended December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Company recorded $18.1 million and $20.3 million, respectively, in a favorable mark to market adjustment, related to the change in fair value of the carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell and a loss is recognized for any initial adjustment of the asset’s carrying amount to fair value less cost to sell. Such valuations include estimations of fair values and incremental direct costs to transact a sale.derivative liability. The fair value measurements for our held-for-sale assetsof the derivative liability has been determined to be Level 2 as observable inputs were based on Level 3 inputs, which includeused to determine the fair value of derivative liability. For additional information, obtained from third-party valuation sources. As of December 31, 2020refer to Note 13, Debt and 2019, the Company had $2.3 million in assets held for sale recorded within prepaid expenses and other current assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets.
Assets and liabilities measured at gross fair value on a recurring basis are summarized below:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2020 |
| | Total | | Level
1 | | Level
2 | | Level
3 |
| (in millions) |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 1,789.7 | | | $ | 1,789.7 | | | $ | 0 | | | $ | 0 | |
| Restricted cash | 71.4 | | | 71.4 | | | 0 | | | 0 | |
| Short-term investment securities | 106.3 | | | 106.3 | | | 0 | | | 0 | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Assets held for sale | 2.3 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 2.3 | |
| Total assets | $ | 1,969.7 | | | $ | 1,967.4 | | | $ | 0 | | | $ | 2.3 | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Total liabilities | $ | 0 | | | $ | 0 | | | $ | 0 | | | $ | 0 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2023 |
| | Total | | Level
1 | | Level
2 | | Level
3 |
| (in millions) |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 865.2 | | | $ | 865.2 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
| Restricted cash | 119.4 | | | 119.4 | | | — | | | — | |
| Short-term investment securities | 112.5 | | | 112.5 | | | — | | | — | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Total assets | $ | 1,097.1 | | | $ | 1,097.1 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Derivative liability | $ | 11.1 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 11.1 | | | $ | — | |
| Total liabilities | $ | 11.1 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 11.1 | | | $ | — | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2019 |
| | Total | | Level
1 | | Level
2 | | Level
3 |
| (in millions) |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 979.0 | | | $ | 979.0 | | | $ | 0 | | | $ | 0 | |
| Restricted cash | 0 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 0 | |
| Short-term investment securities | 105.3 | | | 105.3 | | | 0 | | | 0 | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Assets held for sale | 2.3 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 2.3 | |
| Total assets | $ | 1,086.6 | | | $ | 1,084.3 | | | $ | 0 | | | $ | 2.3 | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Total liabilities | $ | 0 | | | $ | 0 | | | $ | 0 | | | $ | 0 | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Fair Value Measurements as of December 31, 2022 |
| | Total | | Level
1 | | Level
2 | | Level
3 |
| (in millions) |
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 1,346.4 | | | $ | 1,346.4 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
| Restricted cash | 119.4 | | | 119.4 | | | — | | | — | |
| Short-term investment securities | 107.1 | | | 107.1 | | | — | | | — | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Total assets | $ | 1,572.9 | | | $ | 1,572.9 | | | $ | — | | | $ | — | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | |
| Total liabilities | $ | 29.2 | | | $ | — | | | $ | 29.2 | | | $ | — | |
The Company had no transfers of assets or liabilities between any of the above levels during the years ended December 31, 20202023 or 2019.
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | |
| Assets Held for Sale Activity for the Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2019 |
| (in millions) |
Balance at December 31, 2018 | $ | 0 | |
Purchases | 5.4 | |
Sales | 0 | |
Total realized or unrealized gains (losses) included in earnings, net | (3.1) | |
| |
Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | 2.3 | |
The balance of the Company's held-for-sale assets remained the same during the twelve months ended December 31, 2020, as the Company had no purchases, sales nor realized and unrealized losses or gains related to these assets during this period.2022.
20. 19.Operating Segments and Related Disclosures
The Company is managed as a single business unit that provides air transportation for passengers. Operating revenues by geographic region as defined by the Department of Transportation ("DOT") area are summarized below:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2020 | | 2019 | | 2018 |
| (in millions) |
| DOT—Domestic | $ | 1,660.7 | | | $ | 3,462.8 | | | $ | 2,990.7 | |
| DOT—Latin America and Caribbean | 149.3 | | | 367.7 | | | 332.3 | |
| Total | $ | 1,810.0 | | | $ | 3,830.5 | | | $ | 3,323.0 | |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2023 | | 2022 | | 2021 |
| (in millions) |
| DOT—Domestic | $ | 4,676.1 | | | $ | 4,371.8 | | | $ | 2,824.8 | |
| DOT—Latin America and Caribbean | 686.4 | | | 696.6 | | | 406.0 | |
| Total | $ | 5,362.5 | | | $ | 5,068.4 | | | $ | 3,230.8 | |
During 2020, 20192023, 2022 and 2018,2021, no revenue from any one foreign country represented greater than 4% of the Company’s total passenger revenue. The Company attributes operating revenues by geographic region based upon the origin and destination of each passenger flight segment. The Company’s tangible assets consist primarily of flight equipment, which are mobile across geographic markets and, therefore, have not been allocated.
21. Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited)
Quarterly results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 are summarized below:
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Three Months Ended |
| | March 31 | | June 30 | | September 30 | | December 31 |
| | (in thousands, except per-share amounts) |
| 2020 | | | | | | | | |
| Operating revenue | | $ | 771,081 | | | $ | 138,529 | | | $ | 401,922 | | | $ | 498,490 | |
| Operating income (loss) | | (57,992) | | | (190,384) | | | (99,471) | | | (159,915) | |
| Net income (loss) | | (27,828) | | | (144,428) | | | (99,140) | | | (157,304) | |
| Basic earnings (loss) per share | | (0.41) | | | (1.81) | | | (1.07) | | | (1.61) | |
| Diluted earnings (loss) per share | | (0.41) | | | (1.81) | | | (1.07) | | | (1.61) | |
| | | | | | | | |
| 2019 | | | | | | | | |
| Operating revenue | | $ | 855,796 | | | $ | 1,012,956 | | | $ | 991,968 | | | $ | 969,816 | |
| Operating income | | 87,804 | | | 163,938 | | | 124,681 | | | 124,624 | |
| Net income | | 56,076 | | | 114,501 | | | 83,464 | | | 81,214 | |
| Basic earnings per share | | 0.82 | | | 1.67 | | | 1.22 | | | 1.19 | |
| Diluted earnings per share | | 0.82 | | | 1.67 | | | 1.22 | | | 1.18 | |
Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for other interim periods or for the full year. The air transportation business is subject to significant seasonal fluctuations as demand is generally greater in the second
and third quarters of each year. The air transportation business is also volatile and highly affected by economic cycles and trends.
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Spirit Airlines, Inc.
Opinion on the Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Spirit Airlines, Inc. (the Company) as of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020,2023, and the related notes (collectively referred to as the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company at December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020,2023, in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the Company’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020,2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control – Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework), and our report dated February 10, 20219, 2024 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Adoption of ASU No. 2016-02
As discussed in Notes 1 and 15 to the financial statements, the Company changed its method of accountingBasis for leases in 2019 due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Lease(Topic 842), and the related amendments.Opinion
Basis for Opinion
These financial statements are the responsibility of the Company's management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Critical Audit Matter
The critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the financial statements that was communicated or required to be communicated to the audit committee and that: (1) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material to the financial statements and (2) involved our especially challenging, subjective or complex judgments. The communication of the critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a whole, and we are not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or disclosures to which it relates.
| | | | | | | | |
| | | Recoverability of aircraft maintenance deposits and accrual of lease return costs
| Description of the Matter | | At December 31, 2020, the Company recorded $126.3 million of aircraft maintenance deposits. As explained in Notes 1 and 1514 to the consolidated financial statements, some of the Company’s aircraft and engine master lease agreements require the payment of maintenance reserves to aircraft lessors to be held as collateral in advance of performance of major maintenance activities. These lease agreements generally provide that maintenance reserves are reimbursable to the Company upon completion of the maintenance event. Maintenance reserve payments that are substantively and contractually related to the maintenance of the leased asset are accounted for as aircraft maintenance deposits to the extent they are expected to be recoverable. These lease agreements also often contain provisions that require the Company to return aircraft airframes, engines and other aircraft components to the lessor in a certain condition or pay an amount to the lessor based on the actual return condition. Management assesses the need to accrue lease return costs throughout the year or whenever facts and circumstances warrant an assessment. For the year ended December 31, 2020,2023, the Company recorded $3.3$14 million of supplemental rent, which is made up of maintenance reserves paid to aircraft lessors that are not probable of being reimbursed, and probable and estimable lease return costs.
Auditing the recoverability of maintenance deposits and the estimate of lease return costs for engines was complex because of the significant judgment involved in determining the timing of future maintenance events.
|
| How We Addressed the Matter in Our Audit | | We obtained an understanding, evaluated the design and tested the operating effectiveness of the Company’s controls that address the risks of material misstatement relating to the measurement of maintenance deposits and lease return costs. For example, we tested controls over management’s review of the estimated timing of future maintenance events.
To test the recoverability of maintenance deposits and the estimate of lease return costs, our audit procedures included, among others, testing the assumptions used and the accuracy and completeness of the underlying data used in the calculations. For example, to test the assumptions related to the timing of future maintenance events, we compared projected event timing to the time interval between recently completed maintenance events, regulatory requirements for aircraft and engine maintenance, current and projected utilization metrics for the aircraft, and changes to the fleet plan.plan, including the anticipated effect of the accelerated inspections required due to manufacturing defects in engines. We also tested the historical accuracy of management’s forecasts of maintenance events by comparing when recent maintenance events occurred to management’s initial projections. |
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/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 1995.
Miami, Florida
February 10, 20219, 2024
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
To the Shareholders and the Board of Directors of Spirit Airlines, Inc.
Opinion on Internal Control overOver Financial Reporting
We have audited Spirit Airlines, Inc.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020,2023, based on criteria established in Internal Control—Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (2013 framework), (the COSO criteria). In our opinion, Spirit Airlines, Inc. (the Company) maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020,2023, based on the COSO criteria.
We also have audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB), the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 20202023 and 2019,2022, the related consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income (loss), shareholders' equity and cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2020,2023, and the related notes and our report dated February 10, 20219, 2024 expressed an unqualified opinion thereon.
Basis for Opinion
The Company’s management is responsible for maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting and for its assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting included in the accompanying Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting based on our audit. We are a public accounting firm registered with the PCAOB and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.
We conducted our audit in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material respects.
Our audit included obtaining an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, testing and evaluating the design and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk, and performing such other procedures as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audit provides a reasonable basis for our opinion.
Definition and Limitations of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.
/s/ Ernst & Young LLP
Miami, Florida
February 10, 20219, 2024
ITEM 9. CHANGES AND DISAGREEMENTS WITH ACCOUNTANTS ON ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE
None.
ITEM 9A. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Management, with the participation of our Chief Executive Officer and our Chief Financial Officer, evaluated the effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2020.2023. The term “disclosure controls and procedures,” as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) under the Exchange Act, means controls and other procedures of a company that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed by a company in the reports that it files or submits under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to our management, including its principal executive and principal financial officers, as appropriate to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management recognizes that any controls and procedures, no matter how well designed and operated, can provide only reasonable assurance of achieving their objectives and management necessarily applies its judgment in evaluating the cost-benefit relationship of possible controls and procedures. Based on the evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures as of December 31, 2020,2023, our Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer concluded that, as of such date, our disclosure controls and procedures were effective at the reasonable assurance level.
Management's Annual Report on Internal Control Over Financial Reporting
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as such term is defined in Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Our internal control over financial reporting is designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of consolidated financial statements for external purposes in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies may deteriorate.
Management conducted an evaluation of the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting based on the 2013 framework established in Internal Control-Integrated Framework issued by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (the COSO Framework). Based on that evaluation, management believes that our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2020.2023.
The effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 20202023 has been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, which also audited our Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2020.2023. Ernst & Young LLP's report on our internal control over financial reporting is included herein.
Previously Disclosed Material Weakness
We disclosedChanges in Item 9A. Controls and Procedures in our Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2019 that we had identified a material weakness in internal controls related to the operation of certain review controls over the preparation of the 2019 statement of cash flows. In light of the material weakness identified, management performed additional review and other procedures prior to the filing of (i) the Annual Report on Form 10-K/A, which resulted in a restatement of the of the statements of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019, and (ii) the Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2020, June 30, 2020 and September 30, 2020, which did not result in any adjustments to the condensed consolidated financial statements. Other than the restatement described in the Annual Report onInte
Form 10-K/A for the year ended December 31, 2019, the material weakness did not result in any material misstatements to our consolidated financial statements in any interim periods during 2020 or for the year ended December 31, 2020.
Remediation of Material Weakness in Internalrnal Control over Financial Reporting
In order to remediate the material weakness, with the oversight of our Audit Committee, Management completed remediation activities including, but not limited to, the following:
• Enhanced cash flow templates to facilitate the preparation and review of the related cash flows;
• Enhanced roll forward reconciliation and management review controls of the capital expenditures amounts included in the statements of cash flows; and
• More detailed reconciliation process and management review of each line in the statements of cash flows.
Management is committed to maintaining a strong internal control environment and believes this remediation effort represents an improvement in the related controls around the statement of cash flows. Based on the testing performed during the first, second and third quarters of 2020 on these newly implemented controls around the review of the statement of cash flows, which was completed in the third quarter of 2020, we have concluded that these controls have been designed appropriately and are operating effectively. As a result, Management considers this material weakness to be remediated as of September 30, 2020.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
There were no changes in our internal control over financial reporting during the fourth quarter of 20202023 that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 9B. OTHER INFORMATION
None.In our earnings press release furnished on February 8, 2024, Spirit indicated that Spirit and JetBlue expect to conclude the regulatory process and close the transaction no later than the first half of 2024. As disclosed, on January 16, 2024, the Court granted a permanent injunction against the Merger (the "Injunction"). On January 19, 2024, Spirit and JetBlue filed a notice of appeal to reverse the Injunction and allow Spirit and JetBlue to complete the Merger. On February 2, 2024, the Court of Appeals granted our motion, stating it would hear arguments in June 2024. As a result, it is possible that the conditions to closing will not
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
be satisfied before the date that one or both of the parties may have the right to terminate the merger agreement pursuant to the terms thereof.
ITEM 9C. DISCLOSURES REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
Not applicable.
PART III
ITEM 10. DIRECTORS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
The information under the captions, “Election of Directors,” “Corporate Governance,” “Committee and Meetings of the Board of Directors,” “Executive Officers,” “Code of Ethics” and “Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting Compliance” in our 20212024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 11. EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION
The information under the captions, “Director Compensation” and “Executive Compensation” in our 20212024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS
The information under the captions, “Security Ownership” and “Equity Compensation Plan Information” in our 20212024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
The information under the captions, “Certain Relationships and Related Transactions” and “Corporate Governance” in our 20212024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
ITEM 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING FEES AND SERVICES
The information under the captions, “Ratification of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” in our 20212024 Proxy Statement is incorporated herein by reference.
With the exception of the information specifically incorporated by reference in Part II Item 5 and Part III to this Annual Report on Form 10-K from our 20212024 Proxy Statement, our 20212024 Proxy Statement shall not be deemed to be filed as part of this Report.
PART IV
ITEM 15. EXHIBITS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES
(a) 1. Financial Statements:
The financial statements included in Item 8. Financial Statements and Supplementary Data above are filed as part of this annual report.
2. Financial Statement Schedules:
There are no financial statement schedules filed as part of this annual report, since the required information is included in the Financial Statements, including the notes thereto, or the circumstances requiring inclusion of such schedules are not present.
3. Exhibits:
The exhibits filed as part of this Annual Report on Form 10-K are listed on the Exhibit Index included afterimmediately preceding the signature page.
EXHIBIT INDEX
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Exhibit No. | | Description of Exhibit |
| 2.1 | | |
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| 2.2 | | |
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| 2.3 | | |
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| 2.4 | | |
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| 3.1 | | |
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| 3.2 | | |
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| 3.3 | | |
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| 4.1 | | |
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| 4.2 | | |
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| 4.3 | | Trust Supplement No. 2015-1A, dated as of August 11, 2015, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2015, filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.4 | | Trust Supplement No. 2015-1B, dated as of August 11, 2015, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2015, filed as Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.5 | | Revolving Credit Agreement (2015-1A), dated as of August 11, 2015, between Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent (as agent and trustee for the trustee of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-1A), as Borrower, and Natixis, acting via its New York Branch, as Liquidity Provider, filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.6 | | Revolving Credit Agreement (2015-1B), dated as of August 11, 2015, between Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent (as agent and trustee for the trustee of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-1B), as Borrower, and Natixis, acting via its New York Branch, as Liquidity Provider, filed as Exhibit 4.5 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.7 | | Intercreditor Agreement (2015-1), dated as of August 11, 2015, among Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-1A and as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-1B, Natixis, acting via its New York Branch, as Class A Liquidity Provider and Class B Liquidity Provider, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.6 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.8 | | Deposit Agreement (Class A), dated as of August 11, 2015, between Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Natixis, acting via its New York Branch, as Depositary, filed as Exhibit 4.7 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
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| 4.9 | | Deposit Agreement (Class B), dated as of August 11, 2015, between Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Natixis, acting via its New York Branch, as Depositary, filed as Exhibit 4.8 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.10 | | Escrow and Paying Agent Agreement (Class A), dated as of August 11, 2015, among Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, as Underwriters, Wilmington Trust, National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Pass Through Trustee for and on behalf of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-1A, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.9 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.11 | | Escrow and Paying Agent Agreement (Class B), dated as of August 11, 2015, among Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC and Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, as Underwriters, Wilmington Trust, National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Pass Through Trustee for and on behalf of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-1B, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.10 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.12 | | Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2015, among Spirit Airlines, Inc., Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Pass Through Trustee under each of the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Wilmington Trust National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.11 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.13 | | Form of Participation Agreement (Participation Agreement among Spirit Airlines, Inc., Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Pass Through Trustee under each of the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Loan Trustee, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, in its individual capacity as set forth therein) (Exhibit B to Note Purchase Agreement), filed as Exhibit 4.12 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated August 11, 2015, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
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| 4.14 | | |
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| 4.15 | | |
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| 4.16 | | |
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| 4.17 | | |
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| 4.18 | | Trust Supplement No. 2017-1AA, dated as of November 28, 2017, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2015, filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.19 | | Trust Supplement No. 2017-1A, dated as of November 28, 2017, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2015, filed as Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.20 | | Trust Supplement No. 2017-1B, dated as of November 28, 2017, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2015, filed as Exhibit 4.4 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.21 | | Revolving Credit Agreement (2017-1AA), dated as of November 28, 2017, between Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent (as agent and trustee for the trustee of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1AA), as Borrower, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New York Branch, as Liquidity Provider, filed as Exhibit 4.5 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
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| 4.22 | | Revolving Credit Agreement (2017-1A), dated as of November 28, 2017, between Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent (as agent and trustee for the trustee of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1A), as Borrower, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New York Branch, as Liquidity Provider, filed as Exhibit 4.6 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.23 | | Revolving Credit Agreement (2017-1B), dated as of November 28, 2017, between Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent (as agent and trustee for the trustee of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1B), as Borrower, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New York Branch, as Liquidity Provider, filed as Exhibit 4.7 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.24 | | Intercreditor Agreement (2017-1), dated as of November 28, 2017, among Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1AA, as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1A and as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1B, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New York Branch, as Class AA Liquidity Provider, Class A Liquidity Provider and Class B Liquidity Provider, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.8 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.25 | | Deposit Agreement (Class AA), dated as of November 28, 2017, between Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Citibank, N.A., as Depositary, filed as Exhibit 4.9 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.26 | | Deposit Agreement (Class A), dated as of November 28, 2017, between Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Citibank, N.A., as Depositary, filed as Exhibit 4.10 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.27 | | Deposit Agreement (Class B), dated as of November 28, 2017, between Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Citibank, N.A., as Depositary, filed as Exhibit 4.11 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.28 | | Escrow and Paying Agent Agreement (Class AA), dated as of November 28, 2017, among Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., as Underwriters, Wilmington Trust, National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Pass Through Trustee for and on behalf of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1AA, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.12 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.29 | | Escrow and Paying Agent Agreement (Class A), dated as of November 28, 2017, among Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., as Underwriters, Wilmington Trust, National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Pass Through Trustee for and on behalf of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1A, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.13 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.30 | | Escrow and Paying Agent Agreement (Class B), dated as of November 28, 2017, among Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., as Underwriters, Wilmington Trust, National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Pass Through Trustee for and on behalf of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1B, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.14 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.31 | | Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of November 28, 2017, among Spirit Airlines, Inc., Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Pass Through Trustee under each of the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Wilmington Trust National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.15 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
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| 4.32 | | Form of Participation Agreement (Participation Agreement among Spirit Airlines, Inc., Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Pass Through Trustee under each of the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Loan Trustee, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, in its individual capacity as set forth therein) (Exhibit B to Note Purchase Agreement), filed as Exhibit 4.16 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 28, 2017, is hereby incorporated by reference.
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| 4.33 | |
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| 4.34 | |
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| 4.35 | |
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| 4.36 | |
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| 4.37 | |
|
| | |
| 4.38 | | Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement (2015-1), dated May 10, 2018, among Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-1A, as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-1B and as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2015-C, Natixis, acting via its New York Branch, as Class A Liquidity Provider and Class B Liquidity Provider, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
| 4.39 | | Trust Supplement No. 2015-1C, dated as of May 10, 2018, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2015, filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
4.40 | | Form of 2015-1 First Amendment to Participation Agreement (Participation Agreement among Spirit Airlines, Inc., Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Pass Through Trustee under each of the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Loan Trustee, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, in its individual capacity as set forth therein), filed as Exhibit 4.3 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
4.414.40 | |
|
| | |
4.424.41 | | Amended and Restated Intercreditor Agreement (2017-1), dated May 10, 2018, among Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1AA, as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1A, as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1B and as Trustee of the Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1C, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, New York Branch, as Class AA Liquidity Provider, Class A Liquidity Provider and Class B Liquidity Provider, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.5 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference.
|
| | |
4.434.42 | | Trust Supplement No. 2017-1C, dated as of May 10, 2018, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Trustee, to the Pass Through Trust Agreement, dated as of August 11, 2015, filed as Exhibit 4.6 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference.
|
| | |
4.44 | | Amended and Restated Note Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 10, 2018, among Spirit Airlines, Inc., Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Pass Through Trustee under each of the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Wilmington Trust National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.7 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
| | | | | | | | |
4.454.43 | | Form of Participation Agreement (Participation Agreement among Spirit Airlines, Inc., Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Pass Through Trustee under each of the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Loan Trustee, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, in its individual capacity as set forth therein) (Exhibit B to Note Purchase Agreement), filed as Exhibit 4.8 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
4.464.44 | | |
| | |
4.474.45 | | Escrow and Paying Agent Agreement (Class C), dated as of May 10, 2018, among Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC and Barclays Capital Inc., as Underwriters, Wilmington Trust, National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Pass Through Trustee for and on behalf of Spirit Airlines Pass Through Trust 2017-1C, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Paying Agent, filed as Exhibit 4.10 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
4.48 | | Deposit Agreement (Class C), dated as of May 10, 2018, between Wilmington Trust Company, as Escrow Agent, and Citibank, N.A., as Depositary, filed as Exhibit 4.11 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
4.49 | | Form of 2017-1 First Amendment to Participation Agreement (Participation Agreement among Spirit Airlines, Inc., Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Pass Through Trustee under each of the Pass Through Trust Agreements, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Subordination Agent, Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Loan Trustee, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, in its individual capacity as set forth therein), filed as Exhibit 4.12 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference |
| | |
4.504.46 | | |
| | |
4.514.47 | | Rights Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2020, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Equiniti Trust Company, as Rights Agent, which includes the Form of Certificate of Designation of Series A Participating Cumulative Preferred Stock of Spirit Airlines, Inc. as Exhibit A, the Summary of Terms of the Rights Agreement as Exhibit B and the Form of Right Certificate as Exhibit C, filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 30, 2020, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
4.52 | | |
| | |
4.534.48 | | |
| | |
4.544.49 | | |
| | |
4.554.50 | | |
| | |
4.564.51 | | |
| | |
| | | | | | | | |
4.574.52 | | |
| | |
4.584.53 | | |
| | |
4.59†4.54 | | Indenture, dated as of September 17, 2020, by and among Spirit IP Cayman Ltd., Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd., the guarantors named therein and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and collateral custodian, governing the 8.00% Senior Secured Notes due 2025, filed as Exhibit 4.1 to the Company's Form 8-K dated September 11, 2020, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | | | | |
4.604.55 | |
|
| | |
4.614.56 | | |
| | |
4.624.57 | | |
| | |
4.634.58 | | |
| | |
4.64 | | |
| | |
10.1 | | |
| | |
| 4.59 | | |
| | |
10.2+4.60 | | |
| | |
| 4.61 | | |
| | |
| 4.62 | | |
| | |
| 4.63 | | |
| | |
| 4.64 | | |
| | |
| 4.65 | | Supplemental Indenture, dated as of November 17, 2022, among Spirit IP Cayman Ltd., Spirit Loyalty Cayman Ltd., the guarantors named therein and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as trustee and collateral custodian, filed as Exhibit 4.2 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated November 17, 2022, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
| 4.66 | | |
| | |
| 4.67 | | |
| | |
| 10.1+ | | |
| |
10.3+10.2+ | | |
| | |
10.4†10.3 | | |
| | |
| 10.4 | | |
| |
| 10.5+ | | |
| | |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | | | | |
| 10.6+ | | |
| | |
| 10.7+ | | |
| | |
| 10.8+ | | |
| | |
| 10.9 | | |
| | |
| 10.10+ | | |
| | |
| 10.11+ | | |
| | |
| 10.12+ | | |
| | |
| 10.13 | | Framework Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2014 by and between Spirit Airlines, Inc., BNP Paribas, New York Branch, Landesbank Hessen-Thuringen Girozentrale, Natixis, New York Branch, KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH, Investec Bank PLC and Wilmington Trust Company, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated October 28, 2014, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
| 10.14 | | |
| | |
| 10.15 | | |
| | |
| 10.16 | | |
| | |
| 10.17 | | |
| | |
| 10.18 | | |
| | |
| 10.19+ | |
|
| | |
| 10.20+ | |
|
| | |
| 10.21 | | |
| | |
| 10.22 | | |
| | |
| 10.23 | | |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | | | | |
| | |
| 10.24† | | Aircraft Sale Agreement, dated as of March 28, 2018, among Spirit Airlines, Inc. as Buyer and Wilmington Trust Company (acting not in its individual capacity, but solely as owner trustee under each Trust Agreement) as Sellers and AerCap Global Aviation Trust as Owner Participant; Aircraft Make and Model: 14 used Airbus model A319-100; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Numbers: 2433, 2470, 2473, 2485, 2490, 2673, 2679, 2704, 2711, 2978, 3007, 3017, 3026 and 3165; Make and Model of Engines: International Aero Engines AG (IAE) model V2524-A5, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated April 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference.
|
| | |
| 10.25+ | |
|
| | |
| 10.26† | | |
| | |
| 10.27+ | |
|
| | |
| 10.28+ | |
|
| | |
| 10.29+ | | |
| | |
| 10.30+ | | |
| | |
| 10.31 | | Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2020, between Citibank, N.A, as Administrative Agent and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Collateral Agent, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated May 6, 2020, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
| 10.32 | | |
| | |
| 10.33 | | |
| | |
| 10.34+ | | |
| | |
| 10.35 | | |
| | |
| 10.36 | | |
| | |
| 10.37† | | First Amendment to Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2021, among Spirit Airlines, Inc., the lenders party thereto, Citibank, N.A., as administrative agent and issuing lender, and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as collateral agent, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 8-K dated March 18, 2021, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
| 10.38 | | |
| | |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | | | | |
| 10.39 | | |
| | |
| 10.40+ | | |
| | |
| 10.41 | | |
| | |
| 10.42† | | |
| | |
| 10.43† | | |
| | |
| 10.44† | | Airbus A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of December 20, 2019, between Airbus S.A.S. and Spirit Airlines ,Inc. as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated as of June 24, 2020, together with the amended and restated Letter Agreement No. 8, dated as of December 20, 2019, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 22, 2020 and Amendment No. 6 dated as of July 31, 2023, together with the Second Amended and Restated Letter Agreement No. 4, dated as of July 31, 2023, filed as exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated October 26, 2023, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
| 10.45† | | |
| | |
10.5†10.46† | | |
| | |
10.6†10.47† | | V2500 General Terms of Sale, dated as of October 1, 2013, by and between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and IAE International Aero Engines AG, as supplemented by Side Letter No. 1 dated as of October 1, 2013 and Side Letter No. 2 dated as of October 1, 2013, filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Form 10-Q/A dated February 20, 2014, is hereby incorporated by reference.2013. |
| | |
10.7†10.48† | | |
| | |
10.8†10.49† | | |
| | |
| | | | | | | | |
10.9†10.50† | | Hosted Services Agreement, dated as of February 28, 2007, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and Navitaire Inc., as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated as of October 23, 2007, Amendment No. 2 dated as of May 15, 2008, Amendment No. 3 dated as of November 21, 2008, Amendment No. 4 dated as of August 17, 2009 and Amendment No. 5 dated November 4, 2009, filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Amendment No. 4 to Form S-1 Registration Statement (No. 333-169474), is hereby incorporated by reference.2009. |
| | |
10.10†10.51† | | |
| | |
10.11†10.52† | | Terms and Conditions for Worldwide Acceptance of the American Express Card by Airlines, dated September 4, 1998, between Spirit Airlines, Inc. and American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc., as amended January 1, 2003 and August 28, 2003, filed as Exhibit 10.6 to the Company's Amendment No. 4 to Form S-1 Registration Statement (No. 333-169474), is hereby incorporated by reference.2003. |
| | |
10.1210.53† | | |
| | |
10.13† | | |
| | |
10.14†10.54† | | |
| | |
10.15†10.55† | | |
| | |
10.16 | | |
| |
| | | | | | | | |
10.17†10.56† | | Airbus A320 Family Purchase Agreement, dated as of May 5, 2004, between AVSA, S.A.R.L. and Spirit Airlines, Inc.; as amended by Amendment No. 1 dated as of December 21, 2004, Amendment No. 2 dated as of April 15, 2005, Amendment No. 3 dated as of June 30, 2005, Amendment No. 4 dated as of October 27, 2006 (as amended by Letter Agreement No. 1, dated as of October 27, 2006, to Amendment No. 4 and Letter Agreement No. 2, dated as of October 27, 2006, to Amendment No. 4), Amendment No. 5 dated as of March 5, 2007, Amendment No. 6 dated as of March 27, 2007, Amendment No. 7 dated as of June 26, 2007 (as amended by Letter Agreement No. 1, dated as of June 26, 2007, to Amendment No. 7), Amendment No. 8 dated as of February 4, 2008, Amendment No. 9 dated as of June 24, 2008 (as amended by Letter Agreement No. 1, dated as of June 24, 2008, to Amendment No. 9) and Amendment No. 10 dated July 17, 2009 (as amended by Letter Agreement No. 1, dated as of July 17, 2009, to Amendment No. 10), and as supplemented by Letter Agreement No. 1 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 2 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 3 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 4 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 5 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 6 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 7 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 8 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 9 dated as of May 5, 2004, Letter Agreement No. 10 dated as of May 5, 2004 and Letter Agreement No. 11 dated as of May 5, 2004 all filed as Exhibit 10.15 to the Company's Amendment No. 4 to Form S-1 Registration Statement (No. 333-169474);, as further amended by Amendment No. 11 dated as of December 29, 2011 (as amended by Letter Agreement No. 1 dated as of December 29, 2011, Letter Agreement No. 2 dated as of December 29, 2011, Letter Agreement No. 3 dated as of December 29, 2011, Letter Agreement No. 4 dated as of December 29, 2011, Letter Agreement No. 5 dated as of December 29, 2011, Letter Agreement No. 6 dated as of December 29, 2011, Letter Agreement No. 7 dated as of December 29, 2011 and Letter Agreement No. 8 dated as of December 29, 2011) all filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 8-K dated January 5, 2012;; Amendment No. 12, dated as of June 29, 2012, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 26, 20132012;; Amendment No. 13, dated as of January 10, 2013; andAmendment No. 14, dated as of June 20, 2013; andAmendment No. 15 dated as of November 21, 2013; Amendment No. 16 dated as of December 17, 2013; Amendment No. 17 dated as of March 11, 2014; Amendment No. 18 dated as of July 31, 2014; Amendment No. 19 dated as of August 21, 2015;Amendment No. 20 dated as of April 27, 2016, and Amendment No. 26 dated as of June 24, 2020, filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 26, 201322, 2020; and Amendment No. 14, dated as of June 20, 2013, filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 26, 2013; and Amendment No. 15 dated as of November 21, 2013, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 29, 2016; Amendment No. 16 dated as of December 17, 2013, filed as Exhibit 10.2 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 29, 2016; Amendment No. 17 dated as of March 11, 2014, filed as Exhibit 10.3 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 29, 2016; Amendment No. 18 dated as of July 31, 2014, filed as Exhibit 10.4 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 29, 2016; Amendment No. 19 dated as of August 21, 2015, filed as Exhibit 10.5 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 29, 2016; and Amendment No. 20 dated as of April 27, 2016, filed as Exhibit 10.6 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 29, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
10.18+10.57† | | |
| | |
10.19+ | | |
| | |
10.20+ | | |
| | |
10.21+ | | |
| | |
10.22 | | |
| | |
10.23+ | | |
| | |
10.24† | | |
| | |
10.25†10.58† | | |
| | |
10.26+21.0 | | |
| | |
| | | | | | | | |
10.27+ | | |
| | |
10.28 | | Framework Agreement, dated as of October 1, 2014 by and between Spirit Airlines, Inc., BNP Paribas, New York Branch, Landesbank Hessen-Thuringen Girozentrale, Natixis, New York Branch, KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH, Investec Bank PLC and Wilmington Trust Company, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated October 28, 2014, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
10.29 | | |
| | |
10.30 | | |
| | |
10.31 | | |
| | |
10.32 | | |
| | |
10.33 | | |
| | |
10.34+ | |
|
| | |
10.35+ | |
|
| | |
| | |
10.36 | | |
| | |
10.37 | | |
| | |
10.38 | | |
| | |
10.39 | | Aircraft Sale Agreement, dated as of March 28, 2018, among Spirit Airlines, Inc. as Buyer and Wilmington Trust Company (acting not in its individual capacity, but solely as owner trustee under each Trust Agreement) as Sellers and AerCap Global Aviation Trust as Owner Participant; Aircraft Make and Model: 14 used Airbus model A319-100; Aircraft Manufacturer's Serial Numbers: 2433, 2470, 2473, 2485, 2490, 2673, 2679, 2704, 2711, 2978, 3007, 3017, 3026 and 3165; Make and Model of Engines: International Aero Engines AG (IAE) model V2524-A5, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company’s Form 10-Q dated April 26, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference.
|
| | |
10.40+ | |
|
| | |
10.41 | |
|
| | |
| | | | | | | | |
10.42 | |
|
| | |
10.43+ | |
|
| | |
10.44+ | |
|
| | |
10.45+ | | |
| | |
10.46+ | | |
| | |
10.47 | | Credit and Guaranty Agreement, dated as of March 30, 2020, between Citibank, N.A, as Administrative Agent and Wilmington Trust, National Association, as Collateral Agent, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated May 6, 2020, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
10.48 | | |
| | |
10.49 | | |
| | |
10.50+ | | |
| | |
10.51† | | Amendment No. 1, dated as of June 24, 2020, to the A320 NEO Family Purchase Agreement, by and between Airbus S.A.S. and Spirit Airlines, Inc., dated as of December 20, 2019, together with the amended and restated Letter Agreement No. 8, dated as of December 20, 2019, filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Company's Form 10-Q dated July 22, 2020, is hereby incorporated by reference. |
| | |
10.52† | | |
| | |
10.53 | | |
| | |
10.54 | | |
| | |
21 | | |
| | |
| 23.1 | | |
| | |
| 31.1 | | |
| | |
| 31.2 | | |
| | |
| 32.1* | | |
| | |
| 97.1 | | |
| | | | | | | | |
| 101.INS | | XBRL Instance Document - The instance document does not appear in the interactive data file because its XBRL tags are embedded within the inline XBRL document. |
| | |
| 101.SCH | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema |
| | |
| 101.CAL | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase |
| | |
| 101.DEF | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document. |
| | |
| 101.LAB | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase |
| | |
| 101.PRE | | XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase |
Notes to Financial Statements—(Continued)
| | | | | |
| † | Confidential treatment granted for certain portions of this Exhibit pursuant to Rule 406 under the Securities Act or Rule 24b-2 under the Exchange Act, which portions are omitted and filed separately with the Securities and Exchange Commission. |
| + | Indicates a management contract or compensatory plan or arrangement. |
* | Exhibits 32.1 is being furnished and shall not be deemed to be “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, or otherwise subject to the liability of that section, nor shall such exhibits be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any registration statement or other document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, except as otherwise specifically stated in such filing. |
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
| | | | | | | | | | | |
| SPIRIT AIRLINES, INC. |
Date: February 10, 20219, 2024 | By: | /s/ Scott M. Haralson |
| | Scott M. Haralson |
| | SeniorExecutive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer |
POWER OF ATTORNEY
KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Edward Christie, Scott Haralson and Thomas Canfield, and each of them, their true and lawful attorneys-in-fact, each with full power of substitution, for them in any and all capacities, to sign any amendments to this report on Form 10-K and to file the same, with exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, hereby ratifying and confirming all that each of said attorneys-in-fact or their substitute or substitutes may do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, this report has been signed by the following persons on behalf of the registrant in the capacities and on the dates indicated
| | | | | | | | |
| Signature | Title | Date |
| | |
| /s/ Edward M. Christie | President, Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Edward M. Christie | | |
| /s/ Scott M. Haralson | SeniorExecutive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Scott M. Haralson | | |
| /s/ Brian J. McMenamy | Vice President, Controller (Principal Accounting Officer) | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Brian J. McMenamy | | |
| /s/ H. McIntyre Gardner | Director (Chairman of the Board) | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| H. McIntyre Gardner | | |
/s/ Carlton D. Donaway | Director | February 10, 2021 |
Carlton D. Donaway | | |
| /s/ Mark B. Dunkerley | Director | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Mark B. Dunkerley | | |
| /s/ Robert D. Johnson | Director | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Robert D. Johnson | | |
| /s/ Barclay G. Jones | Director | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Barclay G. Jones | | |
| /s/ Christine P. Richards | Director | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Christine P. Richards | | |
| /s/ Myrna M. Soto | Director | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Myrna M. Soto | | |
| /s/ Dawn M. Zier | Director | February 10, 20219, 2024 |
| Dawn M. Zier | | |
