Here's the thing, scope clauses, due to better financials (you guys prey on airlines that are weak), means fewer RJs eventually.
It's rather funny how much faith you put in a piece of paper, especially considering who is running your airline.
When you make large orders, you have fewer targets as airlines grow stronger and contracts become ammended.
CPA's are going the way of the dodo. In the future, what makes sense economically will happen. The laws of economics aren't negotiable as the UAW is learning.
You aren't the only game in town (Republic and TSA are positioning themselves too),
True, but we have by far the strongest balance sheet.
and if you do go the Indy Air route, you saw how that ended quickly.
There business plan called for fuel in the neighborhood of $30bbl and they went head to head with UAL. Legacies no longer own the metal to replace the capacity provided buy the regionals, 88 717 notwithstanding. 1980's engines on a 1960's airframe vs. all new technology. Those 717's will be parked right next to the CRJ 50's out in the desert. Along side the MD-80's too for that matter.
How many narrow bodies does Delta have on order compared to your current fleet. History is a big green weenie heading strait toward your ()*().
Legacies and LCCs don't really like new entrants.
Unless they can profit through mutually beneficial arrangements. Airlines make money selling tickets, they lose money operating airplanes.
Virgin America still hasn't made a sustained profit.
I hear their parent company just got a large infusion of cash.
Hoping that mainline pilots will forget about scope and give it "all away" just won't happen.
They already gave up most, history, fate and a judge will do the rest.
Most of the junior guys at the legacies now went through some sort of downsizing due to furloughs, BKs, and Regional growth. That just won't be forgotten.
And they will become more senior at the legacies and will piss on the heads of junior pilots as has always been the case. I was once told by a UAL pilot about how when discussing a new contract with a Captain, he said his favorite part of the new contract was furlough protection. The Captain calmly informed him that if they came after his paycheck, 'You're on the street.'

You guys never learn.
So, there may be a scramble now from your airline and the likes of Republic etc to get deals done ASAP, because things are changing, in favor of mainlines again.
They are changing alright, but the future won't look like the past. It never does. Ten years ago, who could have imagined the changes that took place? Ten years from now the changes will likely be just as dramatic. Neither you nor I know what it will look like, but I'm not betting on the past.
See you around.