So where does UAL coming in and buying ExpressJet give them a pilot supply?

Easy. A flow. Those regionals that offer flows have zero staffing issues. One interview, but a few years in at a regional, and flow over to said Legacy. Great recipe.

Also, United’s pilot union wants to bring all 175 (Mesa, SkyWest and Republic) flying back inhouse. A wholly owned regional might be a step toward that goal that their union would agree to as an interim step. Several CPA’s would have to expire and 175’s acquired to make that happen and it would take several years.

It doesn't matter what the union wants. Is INC. willing to sell??

Huge piece of the puzzle.... They could be forced... assuming the buyer has any collateral....

How could they be "forced" to sell?

“Sell us Xjet or we will cancel all our CPA’s with SKW/Xjet and transfer them to others.” is one possibility of forcing a sell. An empty 121 Certificate (Xjet’s Certificate) is worth a lot less without a pilot base.

When Xjet started winding down its operations for American, I figured the Xjet deal was already done with United and there are a series of steps that SGU must go through. If the CRJ200’s and 175’s happen, there is a definition change of attitude in SGU and something had to make that happen.

Worked for DL 3 times now.

Well in that case why don't they buy OO too...

Could... But the OO DL and AA flying would have to go away first.