Originally Posted by Sink r8

Right. But I don't know if aircraft qalify as "one-time/special" expenses. That's basic "CAPEX", for an airline, isn't it?

I wonder if your post needs to be "unscrambled" and read like this:
More CAPEX reduces Delta profit (not revenue),
There is not net effect on debt, because we don't know how lenders view this cash payout.
Less cash in the bank results, leaving us less to "point at" in negotiations.
This will only weaken our position to ask for more in 2012, if we don't see throught it.

I don't claim I understand everything at play here, but your read of this cash payment doesn't completely make sense t me.