and what position was CAL in over 3 years ago??? it definately wasn't better than now. I think you are missing the big picture here. CAL management has stated several times that they want at least 3-4 airlines doing the regional flying. they don't care about keeping the status quo. they want to change the status quo. my buddy's uses to say that CAL created expressjet into the best regional out their (for CAL) so why would they screw that up and take planes away. they never believed cal would even take the first 69. they thought it was some sort of bluff. oops...