I don't know how many people who have moaned about the BA Connect product have actually tried it, but I'd be prepared to say that it's one of the best low-cost airline products around that I've tried. The ground staff & cabin crew manage to pull of a sense of service & class which isn't always found at low-cost airlines, you can definitely see the British Airways standards of training, along with a very well-groomed uniform which just keeps the sense of decorum that most passengers expect from BA. I'd say the only difference is that now there is no Club Europe (a complete con on an ERJ-145 anyway) and you have to pay for food & drink, and I'd rather have the all-day breakfast at a fiver, than have one of the god awful "all day deli" bags, or the bags of crisps BA are rumoured to be using or about to use on shorthaul flights ex-LHR.
All in all, BA Connect are responding to a new way of flying in the regions, where people are primarily interested in price. BA have kept with Connect things important to their customers like online checkin, self-service checkin, executive club lounges & mileage, flexible tickets, leather seats and BA standards of service. Only thing is prices have dropped, they're now called BA Connect and food is no longer free. I fail to see the big deal ... in fact bmibaby ought to learn from them.