UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Our operating authority in international markets is subject to aviation agreements between the U.S. and the respective countries or governmental authorities, such as the EU, and in some cases, fares and schedules require the approval of the DOT and/or the relevant foreign governments. Moreover, alliances with international carriers may be subject to the jurisdiction and regulations of various foreign agencies.

Bilateral and multilateral agreements among the U.S. and various foreign governments of countries we serve are subject to periodic renegotiation. We currently operate a number of international routes under government arrangements that limit the number of airlines permitted to operate on the route, the capacity of the airlines providing services on the route, or the number of airlines allowed access to particular airports. If an open skies policy were to be adopted for any of these routes, such an event could have a material adverse impact on us and could result in the impairment of material amounts of our related tangible and intangible assets. In addition, competition from revenue-sharing joint ventures, JBAs, and other alliance arrangements by and among other airlines could impair the value of our business and assets on the open skies routes. For example, the open skies air services agreement between the U.S. and the EU, which took effect in March 2008, provides airlines from the U.S. and EU member states open access to each other’s markets, with freedom of pricing and unlimited rights to fly from the U.S. to any airport in the EU, including London Heathrow Airport (LHR). As a result of the agreement, we face increased competition in these markets, including LHR. The pending withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the EU, commonly referred to as Brexit, will mandate further modification in the current regulatory regime. Among other things, Brexit will likely require a transition arrangement or new air services agreement involving the U.S. and United Kingdom, and the United Kingdom and EU, to permit our current air services (including those involving our joint business and code share partners) to continue as we currently conduct them. More generally, changes in U.S. or foreign government aviation policies could result in the alteration or termination of such agreements, diminish the value of route authorities, slots or other assets located abroad, or otherwise adversely affect our international operations. The U.S. government has negotiated “open skies” agreements with many countries, which allow unrestricted route authority access between the U.S. and the foreign markets. While the U.S. has worked to increase the number of countries with which open skies agreements are in effect, a number of markets important to us, including China, do not have open skies agreements.