I have zero proof and could very well be reading somebody else's tea leaves, but I think United and .inc are going back and forth about the future flying of the contracts coming off line shortly.
I think this because of the random articles from "some one in United" popping up here in the last month (couple of them), about how express is dead and United is buying small planes.
I think contracts are coming off and .inc isn't bluffing United, in fact I think they showed their hand on purpose. 'You renew the contract at x% profitability or those planes go to the desert.'
I think United is playing "soup nazi", but at the end of the day they really do need the lift until more planes can show up (especially a plane still in development).
If I was United i'd want that gravy train to keep rolling too.
But I'm just taking potshots in the air.