safety and QA
Nick
In my experience I feel that, although it does not appear so when we are flying for a UK airline (or a European airline in general) , "modern management" are much more aware of the problems - hazards than they are prepared, in many cases, to admit to.
It therefore takes a very strong and experienced flight safety manager to point them out and keep stressing the point until action is taken. It also requires the proper hierarchical set up to ensure that he has direct access to the management board to ensure that any possibly embarrassing loop holes in the middle managhement's strategy do not become a distraction.
To a point we are well protected by the JAA but the concern is that not all operators (worldwide) are bound by JAR-OPS. The problem is that these operators fly in the same skies as us and bring with them or create hazards that are outside the controls of our management or evenm our regulator(s). Because these operators are only regulated through ICAO there is very little effective auditing and minimum ICAO standards suffice in many cases.
Good luck with your quest
Diehard