Doin Time,
You'll have to show me that NWA Scope that keeps Mesaba Holdings or 9E from flying 70 seaters for someone else. It doesn't exsist. That is one reason the Mesaba guys fought for a scope clause binding Holdings from using ANY subsidiary from doing ANY flying without XJ pilots flying them. It is also the history behind AirTran. AirTran used to be part of Mesaba, but NWA got pissed and brought in some friends to buy out the Swenson's and send them packing and taking AirTran with them. There was no scope that could stop that. The NWA guys couldn't care less if Holdings took BigSky out and bought 100 70-seaters and flew them for United.
As for 9E, there used to be scope that applied when 9E was a wholly owned. The only NWAALPA restriction on 70 seaters (other than A/C with a RedTail) is that NWA cannot acquire or control a company that operates A/C with greater than 60 seats. That was some of the motivation for a IPO. Now 9E management can go buy another BigSky and try and use them as leverage in negotiations. Same dusty playbook.
Not starting a fight, but I can't find the language that you mention anywhere.