Originally Posted by
airsouthwest
Making a profit and being a good airline are two very different things, i.e Ryanair.
It depends on your definition of good. As has been demonstrated, an investor will interpret this word very differently to a customer. The job of the management team of a publicly listed company is first and foremost to answer to shareholders. That's not to say that you shouldn't focus on your customers, but it cannot come at the expense of running a profitable business, something I would argue that Virgin Atlantic are now trying to work through.
On a personal level, Ryanair have never ceased to get me where I needed to go at a price I was very happy to pay. Would I prefer to travel British Airways if I had a choice? Sure I would, as the overall experience is more polished, but would I pay significantly more and travel halfway across the country to LHR to do so? No I wouldn't, but I'd still rather they be a strong competitor on the global scene and being profitable enables that.
In the end, both Ryanair and BA get their customers from A to B and they do so profitably. They are both 'good' at what they do. I guess it then becomes a personal choice as to which one you give your custom.