Please enlighten me then. How exactly is having more financial liability a good thing a company actually wants, especially in such a volatile industry? Guess I missed this in economics. Do regionals not follow the same basic rules of business as any other American company? If it's more advantageous for United to own the aircraft, then why didn't they purchase the 40 EJets they awarded Skywest?

You're probably under the impression that United can just give the flying to someone else. This scenario has happened before and has the possibility to happen again. And if that scenario happened (the contract would have to be broken with their #1 performing regional; so it's highly unlikely right now), we would be over staffed pilots. That's it. Nothing a temporary furlough couldn't solve.

Now let's flip the scenario of ownership. Say we owned the aircraft (leases anyways). United could still pull our contract and we would be heavy on pilots which prior mentioned furlough could solve but there is no such thing as an aircraft furlough. We would still be liable for millions in payments every month to the leasor. (Could this be a crystal ball peak at Skywest and all their 200's?)

My point is, owning the capital in the regional business makes a company no safer than the next which is willing and able to operate at a competitive model.