The situation is likely to get worse with the introduction of EU FTL's. As it stands at the moment, the limitations on FTL under the EU proposal are far less restrictive than the UK CAP371 limits, however there is a caveat at the top of the paper which allows member states to impose their own limits above & beyond the EU ones. What will happen, the CAA will overlay EU FTL's with CAP371 and the status quo remains in the UK. However, if you are registered in (for example) Ireland, the limits you are operating to, even with EU FTL, are far less restrictive than UK limits. So, what is to stop any other airline doing the same as FR and basing themselves in a country with more business friendly FTLs and operating out of any EU / EEA country that you want to.