OK how about this for an out-there guess:
-Mesaba gets a big batch of 70-seat jets
-Since they're "owned" (in the sense that we own all our aircraft) by Mesaba, they're maintained by Mesaba, ground-handled by Mesaba; the F/A's are Mesaba, the pilots are trained by Mesaba...but the pilots are NWA mainline pilots, provided by NWA to Mesaba on contract.
-As payback to the Mesaba pilots, they implement a "flow-through" program for our pilots to NW.
Result: The operating costs of a regional, and the NWA pilots get their way.
Just a brainstorm from a spoke-station grunt... (if it actually happens this way, just remember you heard it here first)
-Mesaba gets a big batch of 70-seat jets
-Since they're "owned" (in the sense that we own all our aircraft) by Mesaba, they're maintained by Mesaba, ground-handled by Mesaba; the F/A's are Mesaba, the pilots are trained by Mesaba...but the pilots are NWA mainline pilots, provided by NWA to Mesaba on contract.
-As payback to the Mesaba pilots, they implement a "flow-through" program for our pilots to NW.
Result: The operating costs of a regional, and the NWA pilots get their way.
Just a brainstorm from a spoke-station grunt... (if it actually happens this way, just remember you heard it here first)