One of the best posts I've read in a while Cactus. You haven't lost your touch. Too much do-gooding in this country scared to say this do that and the end result is sh!t service everywhere and a woeful crime rate. Tell it like it is.
I think 'flair' is what you have when you haven't invested in training for service so you come up with a quick and cheap alternative. Anyone that has travelled business or first class on an Asian carrier will know what service means. Its a radical experience indeed. At the gate, in the cabin and everywhere else is down right seamless and immaculate. There's no loutish laughing or jokes and at the other end no bitter twisted yesteryear 'staff members'.
I have my doubts that any Airline in Australia can even get within a stones throw of this level of service. We just don't have the disciplined service culture here. The opposite is also true and other cultures lack in some areas. This is reality. Having said all that Virgin Australia wont have to try too hard to trump QF as I found their business pretty darn sad (looks nothing like the angelic-enya carry on I've seen in the ads).
You'd have to introduce shock therapy or something the like to change it.