Sallyann1234
Indeed, I agree. For the last 40 years the UK has gone down the road of Lowest Price Wins. We have seen people abandon trusted suppliers to save a handful of pounds. The UK has fully adopted the USA idea that lowest must be better and, even if you have some difficulties? Hey, you saved money. Afterwards, moan about the poor service / delayed flight / hotel not finished / extra costs / etc.
We have seen the success of a pricing structure that I call, [insert name of well known LCC] pricing. That is, to keep the headline price as low as possible and then stick on extra costs wherever possible. This can work when dealing with things that stay on the ground. But, ultimately, it works its way back. Since Boeing had postponed a brand new narrow body project for too long - they then made savings. In the USA another well known LCC told Boeing that they would not buy an aircraft that required a major conversion course. So they agreed not to have a major conversion course. Bingo. As is often the case, the lowest price turned out to be the most expensive.
I have noticed that, whenever there is a new type of major disaster - engineers and regular staff have been warning about it, increasingly in email and by photo and keeping records. In the UK there was terrible disaster on the London Tube system in 1987
Kings Cross fire Wikipedia and there was the ghastly end of Shuttle Challenger. The top dogs say 'lessons have been learnt' but all they had to do was listen in the first place. Any staff member knows that corporate approach is set from the top table. Think of certain well known media companies, their owner always says the Editors and Correspondents report as they see fit. It is no secret that they report in the style that will ensure they continue to get paid. Whistleblowers often lose out.
It is my view that the USA and UK have the govts and commercial systems they voted for [and that the corporate world paid for]. On current evidence, they are sticking with their choice. Many quotes are said to be Mark Twain, but there is no doubt these words have been around for a long time, in many countries:
We have the best government that money can buy.
The greatest test for the USA system is what happens to the men at the top of Boeing who made these choices.