I think I get it now, we've adopted the Coca-Cola Company's business model:
The Coca-Cola Company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world. The bottlers, who hold territorially exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in cans and bottles from the concentrate in combination with filtered water and sweeteners. The bottlers then sell, distribute and merchandise Coca-Cola to retail stores and vending machines. Such bottlers include Coca-Cola Enterprises, which is the largest single Coca-Cola bottler in North America and western Europe. The Coca-Cola Company also sells concentrate for soda fountains to major restaurants and food service distributors.
So change a few words:
The Delta Air Lines Company produces concentrate, which is then sold to licensed Airline "bottlers" throughout the country and the world via special marketing agreements. The bottlers, who once held territorially exclusive contracts with the company, produce finished product in tin cans and long uncomfortable metal bottles from the concentrate in combination with potable water and biscoff cookies. The airlinesthen distribute and merchandise Delta to customers via their similar painted vending machines. Such bottlers include Delta Air Lines, which is the largest single "Delta Air Lines" bottler in North America and western Europe...and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, Austrailia, etc..
^^^^ I still think that scheme is coming to the entire fleet one day.