Let’s see what Kirby actually said (link please).

There are a couple of ways to read it based on what exactly he said:
anything from we are stopping all 50 seat regional flying Sept 30 to we are not going to use regional gauging to rebuild routes, maintain frequency, and goose loads artificially on the way back up (unlike what they did in 2001).

Also may just be yet another marker in the ongoing scope fight with mainline pilots. If he could have had all the large RJs he wanted without giving anything up he already would have shrunk 50 seaters...

...isn’t it funny that in a crisis the ‘solutions’ are always the things that were wanted by leadership but unacceptable before the crisis. Never let one go to waste to achieve your goals!!