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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

(Mark one)

[X] Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2004

or

[ ] Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

For the transition period from                      to                     

 

 

 

 

 

US Airways, Inc.
(Debtor-in-Possession)
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
State of Incorporation: Delaware

2345 Crystal Drive, Arlington, Virginia 22227
(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)
(703) 872-7000
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

(Commission file number: 1-8442)
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No: 53-0218143)

     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    X                    No            

     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act
                                                                 Yes                          No        X  
                         
     Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court.
                                                                 Yes    X                    No             

     As of October 31, 2004 there were outstanding 1,000 shares of common stock of US Airways, Inc.

US Airways, Inc.
(Debtor-in-Possession)
Form 10-Q
Quarterly Period Ended September 30, 2004


Table of Contents

Part I.

Financial Information

Page

 

 

 

Item 1.

Financial Statements

 

 

Condensed Statements of Operations

 1

 

Condensed Balance Sheets

 2

 

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows

 3

 

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements

 4

Item 2.

Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and

 

 

Results of Operations

12

Item 3.

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures about Market Risk

25

Item 4.

Controls and Procedures

25

Part II.

Other Information

 

Item 1.

Legal Proceedings

26

Item 3.

Defaults Upon Senior Securities

27

Item 6.

Exhibits

27

Signature

 

28

Part I. Financial Information

Item 1. Financial Statements


US Airways, Inc.
(Debtor-in-Possession)
Condensed Statements of Operations
(in millions)
(unaudited)

 

                          Successor Company                                

 

|

Predecessor Company

 

Three Months
Ended
September 30, 2004

Three Months
Ended
September 30, 2003

Nine Months
Ended
September 30,
2004

Six Months
Ended
September 30, 2003

|
|
|

Three Months
Ended
March 31,
2003

Operating Revenues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

   Passenger transportation

$

1,601

 

$

1,593

 

$

4,875

 

$

3,190

 

|

$

1,358

 

   Cargo and freight

 

31

 

 

31

 

 

99

 

 

65

 

|

 

35

 

   Other

 

   156

 

 

  125

 

 

  445

 

 

  253

 

|

 

  119

 

      Total Operating Revenues

 

1,788

 

 

1,749

 

 

5,419

 

 

3,508

 

|

 

1,512

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

Operating Expenses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

   Personnel costs

 

591

 

 

587

 

 

1,732

 

 

1,250

 

|

 

562

 

   Aviation fuel

 

260

 

 

195

 

 

718

 

 

383

 

|

 

197

 

   US Airways Express capacity purchases

 

327

 

 

311

 

 

981

 

 

589

 

|

 

251

 

   Aircraft rent

 

106

 

 

96

 

 

307

 

 

198

 

|

 

101

 

   Other rent and landing fees

 

101

 

 

103

 

 

299

 

 

199

 

|

 

99

 

   Selling expenses

 

95

 

 

90

 

 

287

 

 

186

 

|

 

83

 

   Aircraft maintenance

 

75

 

 

74

 

 

222

 

 

171

 

|

 

70

 

   Depreciation and amortization

 

55

 

 

50

 

 

153

 

 

102

 

|

 

63

 

   Special items

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

34

 

|

 

-

 

   Government compensation

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

(212

)

|

 

-

 

   Other

 

   336

 

 

   280

 

 

   940

 

 

   576

 

|

 

  288

 

      Total Operating Expenses

 

1,946

 

 

1,786

 

 

5,639

 

 

3,476

 

|

 

1,714

 

      Operating Income (Loss)

 

(158

)

 

(37

)

 

(220

)

 

32

 

|

 

(202

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

Other Income (Expense)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

   Interest income

 

5

 

 

5

 

 

11

 

 

10

 

|

 

2

 

   Interest expense, net

 

(52

)

 

(54

)

 

(164

)

 

(108

)

|

 

(73

)

   Reorganization items, net

 

(12

)

 

-

 

 

(12

)

 

-

 

|

 

1,888

 

   Other, net

 

      (2

)

 

      (3

)

 

      20

 

 

      7

 

|

 

      (2

)

      Other Income (Expense), Net

 

    (61

)

 

    (52

)

 

   (145

)

 

    (91

)

|

 

1,815

 

|

Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes

 

(219

)

 

(89

)

 

(365

)

 

(59

)

|

 

1,613

 

Provision (Credit) for Income Taxes

 

     (5

)

 

     (1

)

 

     (6

)

 

    12

 

|

 

       -

 

Net Income (Loss)

$

  (214

)

$

   (88

)

$

  (359

)

$

   (71

)

|

$

1,613

 

  ===

  ===

  ===

  ===

|

  ===

 



See accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.

 

                                                                     US Airways, Inc.
                                                                  (Debtor-in-Possession)
                                                                Condensed Balance Sheets
                                                                       (in millions)

 

       Successor Company       


September 30,
   2004   

December 31,
   2003   

ASSETS

(unaudited)

Current Assets

    Cash and cash equivalents

$

672

$

923

    Short-term investments

80

358

    Restricted cash

124

151

    Receivables, net

330

240

    Materials and supplies, net

144

167

    Prepaid expenses and other

   166

   138

        Total Current Assets

1,516

1,977

Property and Equipment

    Flight equipment

3,088

2,497

    Ground property and equipment

353

349

    Less accumulated depreciation and amortization

(244

)

  (118

)

3,197

2,728

Purchase deposits for flight equipment

    138

    213

        Total Property and Equipment

3,335

2,941

Other Assets

    Goodwill

2,490

2,475

    Other intangibles, net

501

532

    Restricted cash

609

402

    Other assets, net

     47

     22

        Total Other Assets

3,647

3,431

             Total Assets

$

8,498

$

8,349

   ====

   ====

     LIABILITIES & STOCKHOLDER'S EQUITY (DEFICIT)

Current Liabilities

    Current maturities of long-term debt and capital lease obligations

$

701

$

360

    Accounts payable

 

132

 

 

355

 

    Payables to related parties, net

 

61

 

 

35

 

    Traffic balances payable and unused tickets

 

966

 

 

835

 

    Accrued aircraft rent

 

28

 

 

76

 

    Accrued salaries, wages and vacation

 

198

 

 

190

 

    Other accrued expenses

 

   229

 

 

   657

 

        Total Current Liabilities

2,315

2,508

Noncurrent Liabilities and Deferred Credits

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Long-term debt and capital lease obligations, net of current maturities

 

-

 

 

2,581

 

    Deferred gains and credits, net

 

46

 

 

434

 

    Postretirement benefits other than pensions

 

-

 

 

1,650

 

    Employee benefit liabilities and other

 

    223

 

 

1,087

 

        Total Noncurrent Liabilities and Deferred Credits

269

5,752

Liabilities Subject to Compromise

 

6,126

 

 

-

 

Commitments and Contingencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stockholder's Equity (Deficit)

 

 

 

 

 

 

    Common stock

 

-

 

 

-

 

    Paid-in capital

 

349

 

 

349

 

    Accumulated deficit

 

(520

)

 

(160

)

    Deferred compensation

 

(22

)

 

(45

)

    Accumulated other comprehensive loss

    (19

)

    (55

)

        Total Stockholder's Equity (Deficit)

(212

)

     89

             Total Liabilities and Stockholder's Equity (Deficit)

$

8,498

$

8,349

  ====

  ====


See accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.

 

US Airways, Inc.
(Debtor-in-Possession)
Condensed Statements of Cash Flows
(in millions)
(unaudited)

 

     Successor Company      

 

|

 

Predecessor Company

 

Nine Months
Ended
September 30,         2004        

 

Six Months
Ended
September 30,         2003        

|
|
|

 

Three Months
Ended
March 31,
        2003        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities
   before reorganization items


$


41

 


$


198

 

|


$


(189


)

Reorganization items, net

 

  (10

)

 

   -

 

|

 

   (90

)

             Net cash provided by (used for) operating activities

 

31

 

 

198

 

|

 

(279

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

Cash flows from investing activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

   Capital expenditures and purchase deposits for flight equipment, net

 

(67

)

 

(163

)

|

 

(7

)

   Proceeds from dispositions of property

 

16

 

 

11

 

|

 

2

 

   Decrease (increase) in short-term investments

 

278

 

 

(239

)

|

 

(19

)

   Decrease (increase) in restricted cash

 

(180

)

 

13

 

|

 

(57

)

   Proceeds from repayment of parent company loans

 

-

 

 

-

 

|

 

237

 

   Other

 

    3

 

 

    7

 

|

 

   (8

)

             Net cash provided by (used for) investing activities

 

50

 

 

(371

)

|

 

    148

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

Cash flows from financing activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

   Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt

 

64

 

 

37

 

|

 

 1,081

 

   Proceeds from Debtor-in-Possession financings

 

-

 

 

-

 

|

 

131

 

   Proceeds from parent company

 

-

 

 

34

 

|

 

-

 

   Principal payments on long-term debt and capital lease obligations

 

(396

)

 

(23

)

|

 

(35

)

   Principal payments on Debtor-in-Possession financings

 

    -

 

 

    -

 

|

 

 (431

)

             Net cash provided by (used for) financing activities

 

 (332

)

 

   48

 

|

 

  746

 

Net increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalents

 

 (251

)

 

  (125

)

|

 

  615

 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period

 

  923

 

 

1,195

 

|

 

  580

 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of period

$

  672

 

$

1,070

 

|

$

1,195

 

 

 

    ===

 

 

     ====

 

|

 

    ====

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

Noncash investing and financing activities

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

   Flight equipment acquired through issuance of debt

$

477

 

$

 

|

$

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 

Supplemental Information

|

   Interest paid during the period

$

152

 

$

97

 

|

$

72

 

   Income taxes paid (refunded) during the period

$

(9

)

$

(10

)

|

$

2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

|

 

 

 



See accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.

 

US Airways, Inc.
(Debtor-in-Possession)
Notes to Condensed Financial Statements
(Unaudited)

1.  Chapter 11 Proceedings

     On September 12, 2004, US Airways, Inc. (US Airways or the Company), filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (Bankruptcy Code) in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division (Bankruptcy Court) (Case Nos. 04-13819-SSM through 04-13823-SSM). On the same day, US Airways Group, Inc. (US Airways Group), US Airways' parent company and four of its other subsidiaries (collectively with US Airways, the Debtors) also filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. Each of the Debtors in these cases had previously filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 on August 11, 2002 (the Prior Bankruptcy). The Debtors emerged from the Prior Bankruptcy under the First Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization of US Airways Group, Inc. and Affiliated Debtors and Debtors-in-Possession, As Modified (the 2003 Plan), which was co nfirmed pursuant to an order of the Bankruptcy Court on March 18, 2003 and became effective on March 31, 2003.

     Before emerging from the Prior Bankruptcy in 2003, the Company had examined every phase of its contracts and operations and had significantly reduced costs. The Company had reduced its mainline capacity, realigned its network to maximize yield, initiated a business plan to use more regional jets and procured financing for these aircraft, and expanded its alliance with other carriers. However, in the 18 months since emerging from the Prior Bankruptcy, the Company has continued to incur substantial losses from operations. For the nine months ended September 30, 2004, the Company's operating revenues were $5.4 billion, operating loss was $220 million and net loss was $359 million. The primary factors contributing to these losses include the reduction in domestic industry revenue and significant increases in fuel prices. The downward pressure on domestic industry revenue is a result of the rapid growth of low-fare, low-cost airlines, the increasing transparency of fares through Inte rnet sources and other changes in fare structures that have resulted in substantially lower fares for many business and leisure travelers. The competitive environment has continued to intensify throughout 2004, particularly in key markets such as Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Boston and New York.

     Throughout the spring and summer of 2004, the Company communicated with key stakeholders and the public its plan to transform US Airways into a fully competitive and profitable airline (the Transformation Plan). A key element of the Transformation Plan is significant reductions in labor costs through changes to the Company's collective bargaining agreements. The Company aggressively sought the necessary agreements to allow full implementation of the Transformation Plan without the need for filing new Chapter 11 cases but was unable to do so in a timely manner. As a result of the recurring losses, available cash declining, and risk of defaults or cross defaults under certain key financing and operating agreements, it was necessary for the Company to file voluntary petitions for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code on September 12, 2004.

     At hearings held on September 13, 2004, the Bankruptcy Court granted the Company's first day motions for relief designed to stabilize its operations and business relationships with customers, vendors, employees and others and entered orders granting permission to the Debtors to, among other things: (a) pay employee wages and continue benefits, such as medical and dental insurance; (b) honor pre-petition obligations to customers and continue customer programs, including US Airways' Dividend Miles program; (c) pay for fuel under existing supply contracts, and honor existing fuel supply, distribution and storage agreements; (d) assume contracts related to interline agreements with other airlines; (e) pay pre-petition obligations to foreign vendors, foreign service providers and foreign governments; and (f) continue maintenance of existing bank accounts and existing cash management systems. The Bankruptcy Court also approved the interim agreement reached between the Company, th e Air Transportation Stabilization Board (ATSB) and the lenders under the loan, substantially guaranteed by the ATSB, to allow the Company continued use of the cash collateral securing the $1 billion loan obtained upon emergence from the Prior Bankruptcy (see further discussion below).

     On September 24, 2004, the Debtors filed a motion under Section 1113(e) of the Bankruptcy Code requesting interim relief from their collective bargaining agreements with the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), Association of Flight Attendants-Communications Workers of America (AFA), Transport Workers Union (TWU), Communications Workers of America (CWA) and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM). Upon the approval of the Bankruptcy Court on October 15, 2004, base rates of pay were reduced by 21% through February 15, 2005. Reductions to pension contributions were also approved. The order does not apply to ALPA or TWU, whose members have ratified permanent agreements. The order will also be superseded for other labor groups for changes agreed to by the parties and approved by the Bankruptcy Court. On October 25, 2004, the IAM and the AFA filed motions for reconsideration of the interim relief order with the Bankruptcy Court. The Bankruptcy Court also ha s approved the Company's motion to modify its projected minimum fleet size, if necessary, and to use third-party vendors through February 15, 2005 for heavy airframe maintenance work on its Airbus fleet.

     The Company has also implemented pay and benefit reductions for its management/non-union employees, including reductions to base pay, workforce reductions and modifications to the vacation and sick time accruals. The Company will also implement modifications to pension plans and retiree benefits. The pay rate reductions went into effect on October 11, 2004.

     On October 20, 2004, the Debtors filed a motion under Section 1110 of the Bankruptcy Code (Section 1110) to preserve the Debtors' right to retain and operate certain aircraft, aircraft engines and other equipment that are leased or subject to a security interest or conditional sale contract that is specifically governed by Section 1110. In this motion, the Debtors seek an order authorizing the Debtors to enter into Section 1110 agreements either to perform all of the obligations under the leases, security agreements, or conditional sale contracts and cure all defaults thereunder (other than defaults constituting a breach of provisions relating to the filing of the Chapter 11 cases, the Debtors' insolvency or other financial condition of the Debtors) or to extend the Section 1110 (a) (1) deadline. All of the above agreements will be subject to final approval of the Bankruptcy Court. If this motion is not granted or the above agreements are not approved, the rights of the lessor o r secured party to take possession of such equipment in compliance with the provisions of the lease, security agreement, or conditional sale contract and to enforce any of its other rights or remedies under such lease, security agreement, or conditional sale contract are not limited or otherwise affected by the automatic stay, or any other provision of the Bankruptcy Code. The Debtors are currently seeking to defer certain payments that would otherwise be due upon expiration of the automatic stay. Therefore, in the event the Company is not able to reach consensual agreements with the necessary parties with respect to such deferrals, the Debtors' business may be materially and adversely affected.

     The Company has begun the process of notifying all known or potential creditors of the Chapter 11 filing for the purposes of identifying and quantifying all pre-petition claims. The Chapter 11 filing triggered defaults on substantially all debt and lease obligations. Subject to certain exceptions under the Bankruptcy Code, the Debtors' Chapter 11 filing automatically stayed the continuation of any judicial or administrative proceedings or other actions against the Debtors or their property to recover on, collect or secure a claim arising prior to September 12, 2004 (Petition Date). The Debtors have the exclusive right for 120 days from the Petition Date to file a plan of reorganization and, if they do so, 60 additional days to obtain necessary acceptance of the plan. These deadlines may be extended by the Bankruptcy Court.

     The potential adverse publicity associated with the Chapter 11 filings and the resulting uncertainty regarding the Company's future prospects may hinder the Company's ongoing business activities and its ability to operate, fund and execute its business plan by impairing relations with existing and potential customers; negatively impacting the ability of the Company to attract and retain key employees; limiting the Company's ability to obtain trade credit; and impairing present and future relationships with vendors and service providers.

     As a result of the Chapter 11 filing, realization of assets and liquidation of liabilities are subject to significant uncertainty. While operating as a Debtor-in-possession under the protection of Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code, and subject to Bankruptcy Court approval or otherwise as permitted in the normal course of business, US Airways may sell or otherwise dispose of assets and liquidate or settle liabilities for amounts other than those reflected in the condensed financial statements. Further, a plan of reorganization could materially change the amounts and classifications reported in the historical financial statements, which do not give effect to any adjustments to the carrying value of assets or amounts of liabilities that might be necessary as a consequence of confirmation of a plan of reorganization.

     Under the Bankruptcy Code, unless creditors agree otherwise, pre-petition liabilities and post-petition liabilities must be satisfied in full before shareholders of US Airways Group are entitled to receive any distribution or retain any property under a plan. The ultimate recovery to creditors will not be determined until confirmation of a plan or plans of reorganization. No assurance can be given as to what values, if any, will be ascribed in the Chapter 11 case to each of these constituencies or what type or amount of distributions, if any, they would receive.

ATSB Loan and Cash Collateral Agreement

     As part of its reorganization under the Prior Bankruptcy, US Airways received a $900 million loan guarantee (ATSB Guarantee) under the Air Transportation Safety and System Stabilization Act from the ATSB in connection with a $1 billion term loan financing (ATSB Loan) that was funded on March 31, 2003. The Company required this loan and related guarantee in order to provide the additional liquidity necessary to carry out its 2003 Plan. US Airways is the primary obligor under the ATSB Loan, which is guaranteed by US Airways Group and by each of its other domestic subsidiaries. The ATSB Loan is secured by substantially all of the present and future assets of the Debtors not otherwise encumbered (including certain cash and investments accounts, previously unencumbered aircraft, aircraft engines, spare parts, flight simulators, real property, takeoff and landing slots, ground equipment and accounts receivable), other than certain specified assets, including assets whic h are subject to other financing agreements. As of September 30, 2004, $718 million is outstanding under the ATSB Loan. The ATSB Loan is reflected as a current liability on the accompanying balance sheet at a book value of $701 million, which is net of $17 million of unamortized discount, and is not subject to compromise. Therefore, on September 30, 2004, the Company's $752 million in unrestricted cash and short-term investments is available to support daily operations, subject to certain conditions and limitations, under the Cash Collateral Agreement described below.

     
The ATSB Loan bears interest as follows: (i) 90% of the ATSB Loan (Tranche A) was funded through a participating lender's commercial paper conduit program and bears interest at a rate equal to the conduit provider's weighted average cost related to the issuance of certain commercial paper notes and other short-term borrowings plus 0.30%, and (ii) 10% of the ATSB Loan (Tranche B) bears interest at LIBOR plus 4.0%. In addition, US Airways is charged an annual guarantee fee in respect of the ATSB Guarantee currently equal to 4.1% of the ATSB's guaranteed amount (initially $900 million) under the ATSB Guarantee, with such guarantee fee increasing by ten basis points annually. Due to the Company's September 2004 bankruptcy filing and the subsequent loss of regional jet financing, the guarantee fee increased by 2% per annum and the interest rate on Tranche A and Tranche B increased by an additional 2% and 4% per annum, respectively, for an effective increase in the interest r ate on the loan balance of 4%.

     As discussed above, the Company has entered into an agreement, with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court, for the continued use of the cash collateral securing the ATSB Loan (Cash Collateral Agreement). The Cash Collateral Agreement is subject to certain conditions and limitations and will expire on January 14, 2005. Under the Cash Collateral Agreement, the Company is required to maintain a certain amount of unrestricted cash each week. The amount required to be maintained will decline from $750 million at the end of October to $550 million on January 14, 2005. The Company must also maintain and achieve certain cumulative earnings levels during the period, as defined in the Cash Collateral Agreement. Further, the Company must comply with restrictions on its ability to make capital expenditures. In light of rising fuel prices, there can be no assurance that the Company can comply with the Cash Collateral Agreement.

2.  Basis of Presentation

     The accompanying Condensed Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in US Airways' Annual Report to the SEC on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2003. US Airways is a wholly owned subsidiary of US Airways Group. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with the 2004 presentation.

     Management believes that all adjustments, consisting of normally recurring items, necessary for a fair presentation of results have been included in the Condensed Financial Statements for the interim periods presented, which are unaudited. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The principal areas of judgment relate to impairment of goodwill, passenger revenue recognition, fresh-start reporting, impairment of long-lived assets and intangible assets, and pensions and other postretirement benefits.

     These interim Condensed Financial Statements have been prepared on a going concern basis, which assumes continuity of operations and realization of assets and satisfaction of liabilities in the ordinary course of business, and in accordance with Statement of Position 90-7 (SOP 90-7), "Financial Reporting by Entities in Reorganization under the Bankruptcy Code." SOP 90-7 requires that the financial statements distinguish transactions and events that are directly associated with the reorganization from the ongoing operations of the business statements for periods while the Company is under bankruptcy protection. Accordingly, revenues, expenses, realized gains and losses and provisions for losses directly associated with the reorganization and restructuring of the business are reported separately as Reorganization items, net in the Condensed Statements of Operations. In addition, cash used for reorganization items is disclosed separately in the Condensed Statements of Cash Flows.
     In accordance with SOP 90-7 and in connection with the Prior Bankruptcy, the Company adopted fresh-start reporting on March 31, 2003. References in the Condensed Financial Statements and the Notes to the Condensed Financial Statements to "Predecessor Company" refer to the Company prior to March 31, 2003. References to "Successor Company" refer to the Company on and after March 31, 2003, after giving effect to the cancellation of existing common stock and the issuance of new securities in accordance with the 2003 Plan of Reorganization, and the application of fresh-start reporting. As a result of the adoption of fresh-start reporting, the Company's post-emergence financial statements are not comparable with its pre-emergence financial statements, because they are, in effect, those of a new entity.

3.  Income Taxes

     
The Company continues to record a full valuation allowance against its net deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty regarding their ultimate realization. The Company recorded a $6 million income tax benefit for the nine months ended September 30, 2004, as compared to $12 million of expense for the six months ended September 30, 2003. No income tax provision or benefit was recorded for the three months ended March 31, 2003.

     In the event that US Airways Group were to experience a change in ownership, as defined by Internal Revenue Code Section 382, related to the current Chapter 11 filing, it may substantially limit the annual usage of any remaining tax attributes that were generated prior to the change in ownership. The amount of limitation will be determinable at the time of emergence from the current Chapter 11 reorganization.

4. Employee Benefit Plans
   Components of the net and total periodic benefit for pension benefits include the following (in millions):

 


                    Successor Company                      

 

Predecessor Company

 

 

Three Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2004

Three Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2003

Nine Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2004

Six Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2003

 

Three Months
Ended
March 31, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost

 

$

10

 

$

9

 

$

30

 

$

18

 

$

27

 

Interest cost

 

 

39

 

 

37

 

 

115

 

 

75

 

 

89

 

Expected return on plan assets

 

 

(32

)

 

(29

)

 

(96

)

 

(59

)

 

(69

)

Amortization of:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Prior service cost

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

1

 

     Actuarial (gain) loss

 

 

   -

 

 

   -

 

 

   -

 

 

   -

 

 

  1

 

Net periodic cost

 

 

17

 

 

17

 

 

49

 

 

34

 

 

49

 

Fresh start charge

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

-

 

 

1,004

 

Curtailment/settlement

 

 

   -

 

 

   -

 

 

   -

 

 

   -

 

 

(1,391

)

Total periodic cost (benefit)

 

$

17

 

$

17

 

$

49

 

$

34

 

$

(338

)

 

 

 

==

 

 

==

 

 

==

 

 

==

 

 

===

 

     Components of the net and total periodic benefit cost for other postretirement benefits include the following (in millions):

 


                              Successor Company                              

 

Predecessor Company

 

 

Three Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2004

Three Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2003

Nine Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2004

Six Months
Ended
Sept. 30, 2003

 

Three Months Ended
March 31, 2003

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Service cost

 

$

9

 

$

10

 

$

30

 

$

20

 

$

11

 

Interest cost

 

 

21

 

 

25

 

 

67

 

 

50

 

 

29

 

Amortization of:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Prior service cost

 

 

(3

)

 

(3

)

 

(9

)

 

(6

)

 

(10

)

     Actuarial (gain) loss

 

 

(3

)

 

-

 

 

 (6

)

 

   -

 

 

   6<