At BA C.R.M. has been brought more to the fore. I think there will always be problems in the major carriers because CC is more of career there and so people stay longer and so have been around the block etc. So you end up with In-Charge Crew Memebers in their 50's/60's who have been with the company since they were at school. They are then put on board with a Captain and an F.O. with possibly not even a years service (D.E.P. for example) who is earning half as much as them. Not that these things SHOULD make a difference and make the chain of command hazzy but unfortunately THEY DO.
A lot of it comes down to personality as well. A new-nice-guy-not-wanting-to-cause-any-trouble captain faced with a twice his age I know-every-rule-in-the-book-and-I'm NO.2 on the seniority list ok? In-charge crew member might find it a difficult day indeed.
People invariably like power and will push it to the limit sometimes just to see how far they can go before they are challenged. If you let them go further than they can without first giving them permission to do so then problems and arguements can ensue. In the same vien if you have ultimate power waving it around like a big stick is a recipie for disaster waiting to happen to.
The whole on-board dynamic is facinating as no 2 days are the same, but it's what makes the job interesting. Just a shame it's ruined sometimes by the odd idiot that can be on either side of the Flight Deck Door.
