SkyTeam had talked about providing "asset backed financing" to JAL. If those assets included MD-90's, why would you go through with the transaction? JAL needs cash right now. There's not a lot of worldwide pent up demand for the Long Beach sewer pipes. Why would you give them cash if they're going to park the aircraft anyway? Even if they continue to operate the MD-90's JAL still loses. It's a small, inefficient fleet that they have to train to and maintain. I say starve them. There are other MD-90's out there and available.

I do hope Delta sees the JAL airplanes someday, but not at the expense of speeding JAL through restructuring. Let JAL park them now, eat the loss and hopefully DAL pick them up later. We'll have enough problems with a healthy JAL and "Open Skies" (sic) in the future.