They have to put in an order some time unless they just want to run old airplanes until they shutter the doors from mismanagement. Nothing says they have to start taking airframes soon, but ordering is easy and ordering now may very well actually be a rare piece of good management if they can get better deals than they could before. Boeing and Airbus are getting lots of cancellations so they may be in the mood to cut some better deals. There also isn't anything that says United has to sign on the dotted line if they don't get terms the terms they want now. I doubt the current management group will be around by the time deliveries are actually made and I wish the employees luck on flying them for a viable airline that the current jokers in management seem to be doing their best to destroy.