Killick....what you've said is fair enough. However, we all know that Qatari government can sustain QR through any period of time...even....the next 100 years if they had to.
Any sensible businessmen would think at some point that enough is enough, throwing good money after bad for too long and that they will decide to effectively cut QR's umbilical to sustain itself in the marketplace (like EK).
Apart from Football clubs in Europe (they do it for the love and passion of the game and their club) what other industry/company would even contemplate putting up with behaviour and practices that would clearly prevent them getting even a reasonable return on their investment?
So in answer to the other part of your question...when?
The Bouncer appears to be so naive. Again any sensible businessman would try to forsee that time approaching (even if it is still a fair way off) and start to try to get the company in good shape. However he continues to operate QR like they are his own toy trainset.
Doing it now or in the near future would be financial suicide.
In answer to your question....how?
I've said all this before but QR are such a long way from this point in terms of safety culture, sound business decisions (ie. profitable routes, matching aircraft with routes to maximise yield, retention of skilled management, limiting expansion to a manageable level....basic stuff eh?) etc etc etc that any normal company would have nosedived at a rapid rate straight into the red by now if they had done the same things that QR have.
By definition this makes any sucess that QR have had, artificial. Thats a real shame for all the real people that have contributed to QR.
The board need to wake up and take action before all their credibility is finally lost. Address these relatively simple issues and it might survive on its own.
We all know why this won't happen yet.