Based on my admittedly limited experience, most airlines do not spend money on anything unless they are forced to by the CAA or DTLR, or have to in order to retain passenger confidence and therefore revenue. Reduction of human factor related incidents and accidents is not perceived to be of high priority by many airlines even though the CAA have stated that human fallibility presents the greatest threat to future flight safety around the world. The trouble is that improving human reliability through inputs such as more regular refresher training, sympathetic crew rostering, better ergonomics and software design, increased rest and recuperation periods, more hotac to reduce fatigue, increased manpower levels etc. all cost large sums of money for which there is no direct financial gain, the safety benefits are not immediately apparent and these measures are not mandated by the authorities. Until these types of improvements are forced upon the industry they will not happen as most airlines perceive the current level of risk to be low and therefore acceptable. The Tombstone Imperative will dictate what happens next. If there are increasing numbers of catastrophes in which human factors continue to be implicated then the authorities may apply more pressure in the airlines for greater spending in this area. If not then the status quo will persist. The more far-sighted airlines such as Britannia, Virgin and Air Canada are leading in this area because they realise that although there are no short-term gains from better management of human factors, the long-term gains in terms of improved customer confidence, better corporate image, greater employee motivation, involvement and loyalty, reduced hangar and ramp rash, and reduced risk of aircraft hull losses and fatalities are priceless.