Liam. I could not agree with your post more. The root of all the problems, in my view, goes back to the decision to ground the Airbus fleet and the consequent request from the company to the AOA to stop that moderate action they were taking at that time. I believe that request came from THE man himself through KB. The AOA refused, for whatever reasons, and now I believe the very head of this organisation is pulling the strings far above KB, PC, NR and DT. They are, as you so rightly stipulated, just doing as they are told. How to get out of this mess? Well in truth I think the AOA had better start moderating its stance even more before it becomes absolutely irrelevant as an organisation. Perhaps it is already too late.
I understand the company would not provide data it considered 'business in confidence'. A lot of the disagreement between the AOA and the company then was because they both insisted on comparing apples and oranges. You seem a sharp person close to the AOA action. I hope they are using your brains. Lets both sides define our apples at the least. In any dispute both sides have to agree on what is actually in dispute before progress can be made and I mean both sides.