Sorry, but the notion, sometimes popular within BA, that the franchises did not deliver a product up to BA standrads is simply untrue. The franchises have consistently each outperformed BA in delivering each and every one of its own specifications,- and this is as measured by BA itself. The franchises have added enormously to the reach and effectiveness of BA's frequent flyer programmes in the provinces and have operated routes which for the most part would be totally uneconomic to BA with its high overheads and terms and conditions way above those paid by the regionals. Through their fees they have given BA, for almost no capital investment of its own,a guaranteed profit. Overseas , Comair has given BA a reach into the South African and southern Africa regional market that it could never have achieved on its own and which many competitors would dearly love. The pity was that BA lost interest in the franchising idea some time ago and what was a highly successful business is being left to wither on the vine. For those franchises which have been bought by BA there has been little chance of survival once the accountants have insisted they be donated a chunk of BA's central overheads, IT costs etc.