Thanks for the post crewmeal just tuned in to the interview and it was very interesting.
SMB said that 'he had no regrets and that he felt that he was very lucky to be one of the few people to spend so long in the business and come out on the right side of the balance sheet'. This certainly is true, and his agreement with Lufthansa 10 years ago was a clever move that in effect safeguarded his investment.
However, when he was asked about whats very important to successful management he said controlling costs. I was surprised that he did not say the importance of building a brand aswell.
All in all food for thought and one can only marvel at what he has achieved in his time in the business.