The biggest threat that I experienced was a wholly owned carrier being whipasawed against the mothership (or even other regional feed to the same mainline).

Good example is Comair vs ASA and Delta. Or Eagle vs Chataqua. Delta vs Comair and both carriers were ALPA.

If there were any feed opportunities for us, I’d want the planes, the pilots, and a scale appropriate for it—in house only. One pilot group, one union, one contract. Thats leverage and better job security.