Pixie,
Aeroplanes are leased by, most, airlines, they are not owned by airlines hence the sooner one can offload said aeroplanes the sooner one stops paying for lease of said aeroplanes.
Of course this is a set-up, as worker(s) at ASW have indicated the truth will come out once they are no longer contractually obliged to keep their gobs shut, just compare the identities 'South West' and 'Eastern' ... Was this a marriage to be made in heaven or was a quickie divorce on the cards all along?