Ownership
Yes there are operators around with equipment, but I feel that because of the situation regarding the ownership of AUR, if they (the States) put money up or guaranteed loans etc, they will be looking to purchase/lease their "own" aircraft, rather than just pay an operator to supply a service.
I think the Flybe situation regarding the LGW service has been a wake-up call for those people who queried why the States would want to own an airline. Living on a rock in the Channel is all very well so long as you can get off it easily (and to somewhere with some decent onwards connections)!!
Also the IOM situation, where choice is being taken out of the market because of the actions of a LCC to whom the IOM is not a core market but just somewhere to go, has concentrated minds.