A few years ago, I did my Masters thesis in Air Transport Management on the effects of franchising in European airlines.
In it, I said that there was a good case to be made for strong brands - such as BA, Lufthansa (and at the time, Swissair) franchising out <b>all</b> of their operations (cargo, regional, short/medium haul and long haul) to other companies, meaning that BA could downsize to about 20 people who would provide leased aircraft, manage the brand and quality control, and count the steady stream of cash.
No risks, no worries about declining markets, no passengers, no staff. Little in the way of expenditure; lots in the way of income.
We're talking management Utopia here, people!
Properly managed, this would well be the way of the future. I'm convinced that this was pretty much what Bob Ayling's Master Plan was, with the World Images and franchisees from Scandinavia to South Africa; and I suspect that Rod may have found a copy of it and has dusted it off.