the company still burned an average of $30 million of cash per day last quarter, equivalent to a staggering $11 billion annually. By contrast, Delta Air Lines (which is similar in size) limited its fourth-quarter cash burn to an average of $12 million per day.
Management expects cash burn to continue at a pace of around $30 million per day during the first quarter (which includes $9 million per day of debt and severance payments). Luckily for the company, the government is effectively picking up the tab in the first quarter. American Airlines expects to receive $3.1 billion of payroll support funds this quarter, including $2.2 billion of outright grants.