The argument that BA shorthaul is profitable its just the way they do the sums is spurious.
IF other airlines were allowed to feed into LHR and LGW then it would be true. However, they aren't due to slots and therefore the nature of BA shorthaul is that it IS in fact subsidised by Long Haul.
BA's costs are massive. I feel sorry for the operational people - it would annoy me to hell that my productivity was soaked up by so many leeches in the Corporate Free Gift Strategy Dept.
But I'm no expert on airline economics and could well be dangerously naive and missinformed. Flight training, licenses and jobs is my area.
So I'll shut up now.
Cheers, WWW