Consolidation is bad for all small jet operators. With these dynamic route structures and large jet flexibility it is very hard to justify jets with less than 100 seats. The same efficiencies can be made with larger jets and service and gauge changes to different hubs at different times.

MKE is a good example. DAL has chosen to keep mainline to MSP and DTW, but has opted for more RJ's to ATL. Why? Well they are trying to force the customer to fly to the northern hubs and not though ATL. As Iceman stated on one of these threads, they are trying to smooth out the traffic between multiple hubs and away from ATL. Smart Smart Smart.

If anything the 10 year RJ contracts will probe problematic to the airlines of the post consolidated world. They will need to break them or shrink them.