Prophet of Doom Speaking ...
One of the curious things that I have observed about companies on their last legs is that, many, many folks think that they are doing fine.
Banks are 'solvent' until the day they go bust, even though the harbingers are all visible to those that look. Woolworths retail chain in the UK went bust a year ago and thousands were surprised. I am no expert but I had been expecting it for ten years. Marks & Spencer were very close to the line a few years ago but have pulled back by concentrating on food, an area in which they have only one significant competitor (Waitrose) but the rest of their main operation is still in line for the end of it's life.
The nature of Boards of directors and similar is that they keep on thinking "We can pull this round" until it is categorically proved to them that they cannot. If WW goes there will be yet another bright and thrusting male who says "I can pull BA round" but he won't be able to.
Many companies would do better by themselves, their shareholders and staff if they admitted defeat and sold whilst still trading. The greatest majority don't and the company goes Splat, folks lose money and jobs.
Want an example of a REALLY clever airline owner who manouevered all the way down the line and then sold at the right moment of his choice? Sir Michael Bishop at BMI.
For the record, I am not a BA shareholder, nor have I ever worked for them. I have been a HIGHLY satisfied customer of them but they are no longer my first choice of LH carrier and have not been since the disgraceful dirty tricks campaign. In the air, the staff are top class.
I repeat that I do not know the timescale of BA's close but, they will not exist in their present form, management and owneship within ten years.