Technically these won't be used as fee for departure aircraft under the Delta or US Airways brand but they will be carrying Delta and US Airways passengers via the code-shares into legacy hubs instead. Strict code-share language needs to be implemented into everybody's section 1 or else "regional" feed will shift from 50-70 seaters with "Connection" planes to 100-140 seaters with Midwest/Frontier/Republic painted.

The only real money making part of the airline industry is the long hall international stuff, everything else (except a few LCCs) is break even at best in attempt to funnel as many international customers into your hub. If Delta can get people into ATL via a code-share with Republic for 20% cheaper than flying their own MD88, they will replace the MD88 with an RJ and sell the rest of the seats via the code-share. For the legacies the only profit is going to come from international flying, how they get their passengers to the hub is only a matter of what is the cheapest route.

I see a future where most domestic feed is outsourced one way or another unless scope language can be implemented, but history shows us the mainline guys are much more concerned with pay rates than scope. These guys that lost pensions and 30-40% of pay will vote in a 777 pay rate increase while voting out 100 seat scope. We need all baby boomers out of the union in order to preserve decent paying jobs for the next generation.