Here we are 22 years later and EI now have a whole seven long haul aircraft and still only five (vs BA at 18 LHR + 3 LGW to the US) destinations, one of which is literally Mickey Mouse.
This is true but, in making your point, I think you have to remember that EI was not a proper airline. It existed solely for the convenience of the Government, the rich, its unions and staff so there was no incentive (or even reason) to expand it. The cosy arrangement with BA was an extension of that. It is equally important to remember that the Management and Board were people who knew little or, in most cases, nothing about aviation. Then a real airline, FR, came along, burst that bubble and bypassed all that nonsense. EI simply couldn't cope. It is extraordinary that EI had almost a half-century start on FR and yet they were spectacularly passed out.
Unfortunately, due to the intransigent unions and staff who were entrenched in cushy circumstances, trying to change proved a near impossibility not helped by more utterly inept management.
Nevertheless, and regardless of whether or not you fly with them, you have to agree that the current CEO is doing quite a good job given what he came into and the obstacles he has subsequently had to face. It must be soul-destroying for him having to get union agreement for even scratching his ass and, inevitably, progress has been very slow. But, there HAS been progress and I wish him well.