FloridaCandle,
I have done 20 years in BA, cabin crew is my third job in the company, and I agree with everything you say.
I personally think if more crew had worked elsewhere within the company, things would be different.
Yes, to most pax we are the face of BA, they spend longer with us than other depts within the company. But we need to remember that most other depts have already been downsized as far as they can go, so most people still at BA are very much needed to keep the company going.
We're all cogs in a very big wheel.