it scares the sh*t out of me,
You should be! Having flown with a number airlines, your observation is not far off. Likewise if you work, like a brother of mine, in some big public hospitals, you will be shocked at the going ons in their operations too.
Commercial pressure with the advent of airlines, railways, hospitals and educational institutions being run like cut throat businesses safety and professional propriety are shoved right to the bottom of priorities inspite of all the public protestations to the contrary.
The travelling public and mercantile capitalism are the culprit. Think about it. Think hard!