You're not stupid, Raven. In the mid 80's and early 90's pilots were regarded as very much part of the Management Class. Able and willing to save fuel, fly to the best of our ability and make Company minded suggestions to improve the Operation on an almost daily basis.
We were included and consulted because we were the sharp end of the Airline and 'they' were the back room business experts who sorted all the finance, politics, route structure etc etc. Bloody good team game and we were all paid pretty well for upping sticks and moving to a very culturally different part of the world. It was exciting and we felt welcomed into a very elite Club.
Somebody decided to change all that and we have arrived at the current shambles. What a powerful will the person responsible for all of this must have. It must be the Swire Family because otherwise they would have stopped it.
Their train set I guess but it's just about to derail and Merlin may just be the driver at the time. How appropriate.