customer surveys, dal does them often and the info is relatively easy to get - the coach seats in dals 900 have a ton of leg room - only 76 seats - mesa shoehorns 88 or something like that. Not sure what you are referencing but the 700 and 900 (with 76 seats) smokes a 170 anytime, climb, cruise - show some numbers. the 170 also gets poor grades for finish (cheaper cabin materials). i agree that the 170 cabin is nice and the seats are wider, but the legroom is much better on a 900. the 700 is tighter, but i dont think 170s cruise at 410 at .81 very often.
try to get a 170 out of EYW in the summer with close to full loads - never gonna happen. and i have yet to meet any 70+ seat operator who makes more than I do (asa 13 year pay) - save for horizon and it took that guy a lot longer to make 700 cap than i did.