ArcticLow,
Great post, and very well thought out. There is understandably a lot of emotion, and as you say there are a lot of people (primarily ground-based) for whom this is not welcome.......but I totally agree with your post, and had the operation continued then GB would progressively have been squeezed as they approached the 2010 franchise deadline, and who knows what beyond that.
Good luck to all affected, and hopefully for many there will be greater opportunities and long-term stability as a result.