Again, the arbiration was between AMR and the APA. The issue under dispute was, did AMR still have the right per their agreement with the APA to exercise CRJ options. There was NO requirement that AMR PROVE they still even had any CRJ option contracts left, it was only to determine if AMR was still allowed to buy them ASSUMING they still had an option contract....

so, I repeat, find me a case of an option contract going for over 6 years without being exercised or bought back in, each of which would show as a line item on their expendatures...

This was about keeping the APA in fear of Eagle getting more "big jets" especially while AMR and APA are still in contract negotiations....

Lastly, the section of the APA contract detailing the exact percentage of flying that can be outsourced to regionals is still valid, and is one of the primary reasons Eagle began to shrink last year into this year. As AA is continuing to shrink, it would be impossible to "grow" Eagle beyond the fixed percentage. AMR has announced furthe reductions are expected in all flying in their most recent stockholders report...

Stop drinking the Koolaid, there are no CRJ options left, BUT since NOBODY has ever seen them, AMR could always pull some behind the scenes BS to obtain CRJ positions and claim they were their optioned positions, and prove otherwise....

It also would be cheaper to put the 135's back in sevice since they are paid for, or increase the usage on the 50 seat 145's. Frequency has been reduced to the point where flights are pretty full again... so they could easily add a few more 145 flights with existing airframes. So, run a paid for 135 full, or a financed CRJ half full, to 3/4 full... and have the expense of the second flight attendant with full benefits... if those last 20 seats aren't always filled, the extra expenses don't justify new planes.