Well... actually, ASA bought you with money from SkyWest Inc. when the buyout first took place (before the TPA) you were a wholly owned sub of ASA, not SKYW because they wanted to shield the non union side. So technically ASA did buy you. Not that it matters.

Somewhere along the line one of your union know it alls deduced that being bought could hurt your negotiating position, particularly in the SLI, so they told you all to spin it that you weren't acquired and are on the same level as us. You all foolishly seem to believe if you say it on enough forums it will become true. Of course it won't, but under modern merger law and policy, being acquired doesn't automatically lead to a staple job like it used to. I'm sure the arbitrator with give you guys something. Maybe a 1:3 like Pinnacle or a 10 year upgrade cap like AirTran. You never know. Either way, this annoying spin of who bought who on the forums is needless at best and annoying for sure. But I don't think any experts (outside of the pipe experts) disagree that Expressjet Airlines would have been out of business by now had the not been purchased, regardless of whoever actually bought you.