Capetonian
I take your point. There was a UK start-up in the late 1980's called Paramount Airways operating (iirc) MD83's on Non-Smoking flights from Belfast & Glasgow!!! Great business plan!!
Can Lo-Cost Long Haul work? Yes it can.Back in the mid-late 1980's I used to 'commute' LGW-MIA with a certain 'New Kid On The Block' that operated 2 old Classic B747's that offered £99 London-Miami, $99 Miami-London.
Shrewd move, Sir Richard, shrewd move.