The payroll issues are most likely not related to a cash issue YET. It is purely a system issue which resulted from 9E not doing their homework and moving over to the new system too fast. They now don't have the personnel to fix all the issues.
If Delta wanted Skywest to have more flying they would have sold XJ to them in the first place. They didn't and from my understanding it was a result of not wanting Skywest to get any bigger. If Skywest shut down Delta would shut down. No idea if they are changing their mind now but I can't imagine any company would be interested in 9E at this point. Maybe we will get some news today at 5:59. Maybe Delta is buying 9E. . .