ManAT, I am glad that you realised the error of your ways, we can't be having any of that idealistic talk around here.
Suitcases that are not misrouted? Hhm, might you mean that one company has control of all the stages and people from the moment they collect the bag from the pax, to the moment that they deliver at the destination? Hey, I think that you have something there - cancel all those outsourcing agreements. Oh and by the way, rely more on happy staff than on automation.
I think that the mixed messages of the carriers that 10sec refers to is a very good point - because the staff are getting mixed messages too! I agree that the short haul is now going down the cheap path for the forseeable future and those that want and are able to pay for better, should really think about saving their money. The only advantage to being in the front of the a/c now is the rapid exit and being able to get a larger carry-on case in the cabin. I can see no other benefits, particularly as quiet lounge access is readily available at the big airports, for a very reasonable price.
The varied response that 10sec mentions is also typical of a company that is slowly losing touch with itself. In one particular field of business that I am involved with, people ask whether they should use the big nationals or the small independent suppliers and my reply is - it makes no differance. The differance is in the staff in the particualr shop that you go into. In this case, the staff at one BA desk in one airport on one shift will be great and the ones that follow five minutes later, will be ghastly. I again refer to the R&N thread
Airline delays rise - and some blame stressed workers.
I also agree that the BEA/BOAC issue was fudged when they did their review post 9/11. Since the two comapnies were made to marry by the govt of the day, there is no doubt that a split is the best long term solution but no one wanted to bite that off at the same time as tackling the post 9/11 slim down.
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"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.