airline industry

ASC 330-908 governs inventory accounting for airlines, where "inventory" consists of expendable spare parts, materials, and supplies held for internal consumption rather than sale. Expendable parts are recorded at cost in a current asset account akin to a prepaid expense, carry an allowance for obsolescence tied to the lives of the related fleets, and are charged to expense as used.

ASC 720-908 governs how airlines account for route developmental costs, preoperating costs, and certain maintenance/overhaul costs. The core rule is expense-as-incurred: because route expansion is a normal, recurring activity in a deregulated environment with uncertain recoverability, these costs may not be capitalized. It also addresses the direct expensing method for overhauls and the cost of repairing rotables.

This Subtopic addresses how airlines account for exchanges of take-off and landing slots. Slots received in an exchange with another airline are nonmonetary assets and must be recorded under the general nonmonetary transaction guidance in Topic 845 (845-908-25-1), with related intangible asset guidance in Subtopic 908-350. Its scope is the same as the airline industry Overall Subtopic scope in Section 908-10-15.