Couldn't all this be a moot point anyway? Asking for a release and getting a release are two very very different things. I see regional airlines going 5 years before the NMB releases them. Maybe a major is "higher visibility"? Historically, how long has it taken majors to be released from the NMB?

Either way this is a great thing, it's a step in the right direction and a required step towards the ultimate goal.