but have to ask why would you expect it to be any other way after a dispute that has being going on for nearly 9 months?
Because that strategy has not worked so far, so what evidence is there that this is going to help resolve matters now? In what way will any of this convince WW to settle this dispute on BASSA's terms? It won't. They know that. This is tantamount to a v-sign.
This isn't playing hardball. That would have been to sit down and thrash out a damn good deal re: Mixed Fleet. That would have been playing hardball. It's easy to be petty.