Ancient Observer really hit the nail on the head:
They try. They just do not see that by the standards of the best in the game -consistently excellent delivery of operations and high service standards - they are at best average.
I think this is a beautifully concise and accurate summing up of BA's entire operation - in the cabin and beyond. And it's not all about money: sure, it helps if you have gleaming new planes and top-notch IFE. But so much of good service relies on good organisation and training - and this doesn't necessarily cost more than bad organisation and training.
An example from I trip I took on SQ: returning from Jakarta, we were delayed by an hour or so due to a tech problem, so missed my connection in Singapore. OK, happens to all airlines. But it's what happened next that made the difference. On disembarking in Singapore, there was an SQ lady waiting at the top of the air bridge, with my name on a sign. She handed me an envelope containing boarding passes for the next flight to Zurich and connection to Geneva, meal, hotel and taxi vouchers, and tourist brochure for Singapore. No queueing, no waiting, no haggling, no hassle - all fixed. I was still inconvenienced, but instead of feeling grumpy about the airline, I left awestruck by the efficiency of the SQ machine.
Now, I'm sure BA and many other airlines would have duly got me on the next flight and provided the requisite meals and accommodation - eventually. But could they turn a grumpy customer into an impressed one? Would it even occur to them to try? Doing it the SQ way needn't cost more (the main cost is in the meals and accommodation), but it does require thought, organisation and planning - as well as the ability to see things from the customer's point of view, rather than the airline's.