Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

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

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Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
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 recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation of financial position, results of operations and cash flows at the dates and for the periods presented have been included. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2024. 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, 2023.
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.
Concentrations
Concentrations

Financial instruments which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consists principally of cash amounts on deposit with financial institutions. At times, the Company’s cash in banks is in excess of the Federal Deposit
Insurance corporation (“FDIC”) insurance limit. The Company has not experienced any loss as a result of these deposits.
Major Customers

No single customer accounted for 10% or more of the Company’s revenue for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023.

No single customer accounted for 10% or more of the Company’s outstanding accounts receivable as of September 30, 2024 or as of December 31, 2023.
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and Equipment, Net
Property and equipment are carried at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed utilizing the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the asset. Residual values estimated for aircraft are approximately 10% of the original purchase price. Expenditures that increase the value or productive capacity of assets are capitalized, and maintenance and repair are expensed as incurred (see below for further information). Leasehold improvements depreciation is computed over the shorter of the lease term or estimated useful life of the asset.
Aircraft Maintenance and Repairs
Aircraft Maintenance and Repairs
Unscheduled aircraft maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred, scheduled maintenance and repairs occurring at intervals of two or more years are capitalized and amortized over the period between these intervals.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company assesses long-lived assets for impairment in accordance with the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) ASC 360, Property, Plant and Equipment (“ASC 360”). Long-lived assets, except for goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, consist of property and equipment and finite-lived acquired intangible assets, such as exclusive rights to air transportation services, customer lists and trademarks. Long-lived assets, except for goodwill and indefinite intangible assets, are tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be fully recoverable. If such events or changes in circumstances arise, the Company compares the carrying amount of the long-lived assets to the estimated future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by the long-lived assets. If the estimated aggregate undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the long-lived assets, an impairment charge, calculated as the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets, is recorded. The fair value of the long-lived assets is determined through various valuation techniques, including estimated discounted cash flows expected to be generated from the long-lived asset and pricing information on comparable market transactions, unless another method provides a more reliable estimate. If an impairment loss is recognized, the adjusted carrying amount of a long-lived asset is recognized as a new cost basis of the impaired asset. Impairment loss is not reversed even if fair value exceeds carrying amount in subsequent periods.

During the quarter ended June 30, 2024, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $5,759 related to the exclusive rights to air transportation services associated with Blade Canada. The charge brought the net book value of the exclusive rights to zero. This amount is included within general and administrative expenses in the unaudited interim condensed consolidated statements of operations and is part of the Passenger segment. The impairment resulted from a modification to the November 30, 2021 agreement with Helijet, effective June 1, 2024, which included an earlier termination date of August 31, 2025 (previously an initial term of five years with automatic renewals for successive two-year periods). During the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, the termination date was furthered modified to be August 31, 2024.

As of September 30, 2024, the remaining exclusive rights to air transportation services intangible asset balance is $3,745, which relates to the air transportation rights associated with the acquisition of Blade Europe. This amount is included in the Intangibles assets, net line item on the unaudited interim condensed consolidated balance sheet.
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 fair value of intangible assets and goodwill, the determination of whether a contract contains a lease, the allocation of consideration between lease and non-lease components, the determination of incremental borrowing rates for leases and the provision for income taxes and related deferred tax accounts.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements - Not Adopted
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements - Not Adopted

In October 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-06, Disclosure Improvements. The new guidance clarifies or improves disclosure and presentation requirements on a variety of topics in the codification. The amendments in the update are intended to align the requirements in the FASB ASC with the SEC’s regulations. The amendments are effective prospectively on the date each individual amendment is effectively removed from Regulation S-X or Regulation S-K, or if the SEC has not removed the requirements by June 30, 2027, this amendment will be removed from the Codification and will not become effective for any entity. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact the adoption of this ASU will have on the financial statements and related disclosures.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which expands the segment disclosures of public entities. This expansion includes the requirement to disclose significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker and are included within each reported measure of segment profit or loss. Additionally, the ASU mandates the disclosure of the amount and description of the composition of other segment items, as well as interim disclosures of a reportable segment's profit or loss and assets. These disclosure requirements apply to public entities with a single reportable segment as well. The ASU will be effective for the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, and early adoption is allowed. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact the adoption of this ASU will have on the financial statements and related disclosures.

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09, Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures (Topic 740). The ASU requires disaggregated information about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as additional information on income taxes paid. The ASU is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024 on a prospective basis. Early adoption is also permitted for annual financial statements that have not yet been issued or made
available for issuance. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact the adoption of this ASU will have on the financial statements and related disclosures.

In March 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-02, Codification Improvements - Amendments to Remove References to the Concept Statements. This ASU amends the Codification to remove references to various concepts statements and impacts a variety of topics in the Codification. The amendments apply to all reporting entities within the scope of the affected accounting guidance. Generally, the amendments in ASU 2024-02 are not intended to result in significant accounting changes for most entities. ASU 2024-02 is effective January 1, 2025. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact the adoption of this ASU will have on the financial statements and related disclosures.

Other recent accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB (including its Emerging Issues Task Force) and the SEC have not had, or are not anticipated to have, a significant effect on the Company's unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements, both present and future.
Revenue Recognition and Cost of Revenue
Revenue Recognition
Blade operates in three key product lines across two segments (see Note 7 for further information on reportable segments):

Passenger segment

Short Distance – Consisting primarily of helicopter and amphibious seaplane flights in the United States 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. 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, with the exception of Europe where institutional clients pay after the performance of related services under payment terms. The revenue is recognized when the service is completed.
Jet and Other –  Consists principally of revenues from non-medical jet charter and by-the-seat jet flights between New York and South Florida (discontinued in November 2023), revenue from brand partners for exposure to Blade fliers and certain ground transportation services. 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 when the service is completed.
Medical segment
MediMobility Organ Transport – Consisting primarily of transportation of human organs for transplant and/or the medical teams supporting these services. Blade also offers additional services including donor logistics coordination and support evaluating potential donor organs. 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 when the service is completed.

The Company initially records advance payments for passenger flights in deferred revenue, deferring revenue recognition until the travel occurs. Deferred revenue from advance payments, customer credit and gift card purchases is recognized as revenue when a flight is flown. Deferred 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, 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.