It makes perfect financial sense for Delta to pay contractors a profit so airlines like Republic can turn around and use that money to acquire other carriers that directly compete with Delta.

Who in their right mind would want to pay an entity that you 100% own the cost of doing business..when you could pay a little extra for a direct competitor's new billboard saying how much Delta sucks and that you should fly their shiny jets?

I don't know about you, but why should I pay my son $10 a week to mow the lawn, when I could pay the neighbor $20 a week to do the same job...It just doesn't make sense.

PSH and you pilots think you understand economics