Originally Posted by
NERD
Weren't the 717s a 7 year lease with the option to buy? I kind of thought that that whole deal was RA playing chess again with Embraer and Bombardier to say "don't need your stinking overpriced RJs at those prices". Now, make me a deal I can't refuse and I'll buy 300+ and replace all my 717s, M88s and 319s and upgauge some 76 seat flying with various versions of yours.
Had someone in the know on the jumpseat a few weeks ago...he said after the 7-year lease (of which SWA is paying half of each payment), the 717s belong to DAL. He made it sound like when the lease was up, that was the end of payments and DAL just owns them outright.