Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

v3.23.1
Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2023
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. Management’s opinion is that all adjustments (consisting of normal accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2023 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and accompanying Notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022.
Short-Term Investments
Short-Term Investments
Held-to-Maturity Securities
The Company's investments in held-to-maturity securities consist of investment grade U.S. Treasury obligations with maturity dates of less than 365 days. The Company has the ability and intention to hold these securities until maturity. Accordingly, these securities are recorded in the Company's unaudited interim condensed consolidated balance sheet at amortized cost and interest is recorded within interest income on the Company's unaudited interim condensed consolidated statement of operations.Other Short-Term InvestmentsOther short-term investments consist of highly-liquid investments available for sale. As of March 31, 2023, other short-term investments consisted of an available-for-sale, traded, debt securities fund, which is recorded at fair value with unrealized gains and losses reported, net of tax, in “Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)”, unless unrealized losses are determined to be unrecoverable. Realized gains and losses on the sale of securities are determined by specific identification. The Company considers all available-for-sale securities as available to support current operational liquidity needs and, therefore, classifies all securities as current assets within short-term investments on the Company’s unaudited interim condensed consolidated balance sheets. These other short-term investments are excluded from disclosure under “fair value of financial instruments” due to the Net Asset Value practical expedient.
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Expected Credit Losses
Accounts Receivable and Allowances for Expected Credit Losses

Accounts receivable consists principally of amounts due from the Company’s MediMobility Organ Transport customers, which are large hospitals that receive terms for payment. The allowance for expected credit losses on receivables is used to present accounts receivable, net at an amount that represents the Company’s estimate of the related transaction price recognized as revenue. The allowance represents an estimate of expected credit losses over the lifetime of the receivables, even if the loss is considered remote, and reflects expected recoveries of amounts previously written-off. We have determined our allowance for expected credit losses based on a specific evaluation of individual receivables and an analysis
of past default experience for remaining receivables. We have historically not experienced significant losses on our receivables. We generally do not require customers to provide collateral for purchases.
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, current business factors, and various other assumptions that the Company believes are necessary to consider to form a basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities, the recorded amounts of revenue and expenses, and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. The Company is subject to uncertainties such as the impact of future events, economic and political factors, and changes in the Company’s business environment; therefore, actual results could differ from these estimates. Accordingly, the accounting estimates used in the preparation of the Company’s financial statements will change as new events occur, as more experience is acquired, as additional information is obtained and as the Company’s operating environment evolves.
Changes in estimates are made when circumstances warrant. Such changes in estimates and refinements in estimation methodologies are reflected in reported results of operations; if material, the effects of changes in estimates are disclosed in the notes to the financial statements. Significant estimates and assumptions by management include, but are not limited to, the carrying value of long-lived assets, the fair value of intangible assets and goodwill, contingencies, the determination of whether a contract contains a lease, the allocation of consideration between lease and nonlease components, the determination of incremental borrowing rates for leases and the provision for income taxes and related deferred tax accounts.
Recently Issued Accounting Standards - Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements - Not Adopted
Recently Issued Accounting Standards - Adopted

On January 1, 2023, we adopted ASU 2021-08, Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities From Contracts With Customers, or ASU 2021-08, that requires acquiring companies to apply ASC 606 to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities from contracts with customers acquired in a business combination consistent with those recorded by the acquiring company. The Company does not have significant contracts with customers requiring
performance beyond delivery. To the extent we acquire additional companies in our existing lines of business, the adoption of this standard will not have a material impact on our results of operations or financial position.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The ASU changes accounting for credit losses on loans receivable and debt securities from an incurred loss methodology to an expected credit loss methodology. Among other things, ASU 2016-13 requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Accordingly, ASU 2016-13 requires the use of forward-looking information to form credit loss estimates. In addition, ASU 2016-13 amends the accounting for credit losses on debt securities and purchased financial assets with credit deterioration. The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 as of January 1, 2023. The company’s financial assets that are subject to the new standard are predominantly accounts receivable and short-term investments classified as held-to-maturities (e.g., U.S. Treasury obligations). The Company’s receivables consist principally of MediMobility Organ Transport customers, which are large hospitals that receive terms of 45 days or less. U.S. Treasury obligations are rated as investment grade with maturities of less than 365 days. Given our historical experience, the short duration lifetime of these financial assets and the short time horizon over which to consider expectations of future economic conditions, the company assessed that non-collection of the cost basis of these financial assets is remote. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not materially impact the Company’s unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements - Not Adopted

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging— Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40). The objective of this update is to simplify the accounting for convertible preferred stock by removing the existing guidance in ASC 470-20, Debt: Debt with Conversion and Other Options, (“ASC 470-20”), that requires entities to account for beneficial conversion features and cash conversion features in equity, separately from the host convertible debt or preferred stock. The guidance in ASC 470-20 applies to convertible instruments for which the embedded conversion features are not required to be bifurcated from the host contract and accounted for as derivatives. In addition, the amendments revise the scope exception from derivative accounting in ASC 815-40 for freestanding financial instruments and embedded features that are both indexed to the issuer’s own stock and classified in stockholders’ equity, by removing certain criteria required for equity classification. These amendments are expected to result in more freestanding financial instruments qualifying for equity classification (and, therefore, not accounted for as derivatives), as well as fewer embedded features requiring separate accounting from the host contract. This amendment also further revises the guidance in ASU 260, Earnings per Share, to require entities to calculate diluted earnings per share (EPS) for convertible instruments by using the if-converted method. In addition, entities must presume share settlement for purposes of calculating diluted EPS when an instrument may be settled in cash or shares. The amendments in ASU 2020-06 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2020-06 to have a significant impact on its consolidated financial statements.
Revenue Recognition and Cost of Revenue
Revenue Recognition
Short Distance products are typically purchased using the Blade App and paid for principally via credit card transactions, wire, check, customer credit, and gift cards, with payments principally collected by the Company in advance of the performance of related services. The revenue is recognized as the service is completed.

Jet products are typically purchased through our Flier Relations associates and our app and are paid for principally via checks, wires and credit card. Jet payments are typically collected at the time of booking before the performance of the related service. The revenue is recognized as the service is completed.

MediMobility Organ Transport products are typically purchased through our medical logistics coordinators and are paid for principally via checks and wires. Payments are generally collected after the performance of the related service in accordance with the client's payment terms. The revenue is recognized as the service is completed.
The Company initially records flight sales in its unearned revenue, deferring revenue recognition until the travel occurs. Unearned revenue from customer credit and gift card purchases is recognized as revenue when a flight is flown or upon the expiration of the gift card. Unearned revenue from the Company’s passes is recognized ratably over the term of the pass. For travel that has more than one flight segment, the Company deems each segment as a separate performance obligation and recognizes revenue for each segment as travel occurs. Fees charged in association with add-on services or changes or extensions to non-refundable seats sold are considered part of the Company's passenger performance obligation. As such, those fees are deferred at the time of collection and recognized at the time the travel is provided.
Contract liability is defined as entity’s obligation to transfer goods or services to a customer for which the entity has received consideration (or the amount is due) from the customer. As of March 31, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the Company's contract liability balance was $7,788 and $6,709, respectively. This balance consists of unearned revenue, prepaid monthly and annual flight passes, customer credits and gift card obligations. Unearned revenue represents principally the flight revenues received in advance of the actual flight. Customer credits represents unearned revenue for flight reservations that typically were cancelled for good reason by the customer. The customer has one year to use the credit as payment for a future flight with the Company. Gift cards represent prepayment of flights. The Company recognizes revenue for expired customer credits and gift cards upon expiration.

The table below presents a roll forward of the contract liability balance:

Three Months Ended
March 31,
2023 2022
Balance, beginning of period $ 6,709  $ 5,976 
Additions 13,599  15,835 
Revenue recognized (12,520) (15,530)
Balance, end of period $ 7,788  $ 6,281 
For the three months ended March 31, 2023, the Company recognized $2,686 of revenue that was included in the contract liability balance as of January 1, 2023. For the three months ended March 31, 2022, the Company recognized $2,888 of revenue that was included in the contract liability balance as of January 1, 2022.

Certain governmental taxes are imposed on the Company's flight sales through a fee included in flight prices. The Company collects these fees and remits them to the appropriate government agency. These fees are excluded from revenue.

The Company’s quarterly financial data is subject to seasonal fluctuations. Historically, the second and third quarter (ended on June 30 and September 30, respectively) financial results have reflected higher Short Distance travel demand and were better than the first and fourth quarter (ended March 31 and December 31) financial results. Historically, MediMobility Organ Transport demand has not been seasonal. Jet and Other revenue have historically been stronger in the first and fourth quarter (ended on March 31 and December 31, respectively) given that the Company’s by-the-seat jet service has operated only between November and April.
Blade operates in three key product lines across two segments (see Note 5 - “Segment and Geographic Information” for further information on reportable segments):

Passenger segment
Short Distance – Consisting primarily of helicopter and amphibious seaplane flights in the United States, Canada and Europe between 10 and 100 miles in distance. Flights are available for purchase both by-the-seat and on a full aircraft charter basis.
Jet and Other –  Consists principally of revenues from non-medical jet charter, by-the-seat jet flights between New York and South Florida, revenue from brand partners for exposure to Blade fliers and certain ground transportation services.
Fair Value Measurements
The following fair value hierarchy is used to classify assets and liabilities based on the observable inputs and unobservable inputs used in order to value the assets and liabilities:
Level 1:    Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. An active market for an asset or liability is a market in which transactions for the asset or liability occur with sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.
Level 2:    Observable inputs other than Level 1 inputs. Examples of Level 2 inputs include quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets that are not active.
Level 3:    Unobservable inputs based on management’s assessment of the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.