Something is wrong in the UK if perpetrators of violent crime are given suspended or minimum sentences, yet business execs - at no personal gain - fiddle the figures and face jail time.
Actually those who are being charged are on very large performance related pay bonuses. This year BA hit the 10% operating margin and its been pretty good bonus for these guys, tens of thousand of pounds.
Something not mentioned, Andrew (or Drew as he likes to be known as) Crawley as well as Head of Sales is also the Head of Revenue Management - his job is basically is to maximise revenue for the company which includes managing seat inventory and setting prices. Under pricing he ultimately decides what price the customer pays including fuel surcharge.
He has to authorise the fuel surcharge increase, so even if he did not talk to VS directly he would have known that someone did. He would want to know or be assured that the competition is likely to match an increase in fuel surcharge, for him to agree such a move especially if it means BA becomes price uncompetitive.
Martin George, being Drew's boss is probably the person in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Will Iain Burns be coming back from AUH quickly?