Denny,

Logic tells me "oil killed the 50 seater" is extremely simplistic. Many of the 50 seaters are simply getting older and the model they were used in no longer exists. Sector costs have increased as a result of all the crap we taxpayers have over built into airports from security to Taj Mahal structures like Brunswick where maybe 120 people walk through the terminal a day. These smaller airports got Federal money to build RJ palaces which simply are not self sustaining using local budgets. At the same time travelers began avoiding RJ connections, preferring to drive to the next larger airport and airlines got tired of competing head to head and decided to remove competitive capacity to raise revenues.

The 50 seat RJ is like my 300,000 mile airport truck. It isn't comfortable or fashionable. Do I really want to spend $1,000 fixing it up to drive another three years?

Management would prefer to buy newer, larger, airplanes to refleet DCI. The thing is half of those newer, larger airplanes are 717's flown by us. That's the deal.

If the deal doesn't happen the 50 seater is remains airworthy. Like my old airport truck they'll refresh the engine, put new brakes on it and run the damn thing until it breaks.

There are still markets where a CRJ200 fits and management is keeping some of them to fly those markets.

Fuel is only a part of the equation. If there is a sufficient revenue premium then the operation still works. Management would prefer to refleet. It is not the end of the World for any of us if they choose option B. In fact, if you like what you see now, that's probably "option B."