While future plans stated on earnings calls tend to -maybe- happen, it does sound like United is interested in reducing its international exposure by flying those seats domestically which up gauges every route. That is great news for 50 seat reductions.
I didn’t understand how up gauging is going to “increase connectivity”. I’m guessing it means 737s doing routes 700s and 175s couldn’t. That would cut down on passengers visiting two United hubs in a day.
In the end though I don’t think major airlines are going to cut service to class D airports but instead these 50 seaters might be flown in the regional colors on a code share. They want riders our of xyz, they just don’t want their brand on the napkin.