>>I realise that the airline biz has closer scrutiny and standards to follow but I'd lay a bet that they are all trying the same fiddles and cut backs as their mates in other industries!<<
You made me chuckle in to my tea, PAXboy. Of course that is what happens.
The type of incident I described is the tip of the iceberg of problems the ailline deals with. If you ever get close to a B737 on hte ramp you will see it is full of little dents and scratches. These are recorded in the damage control log. All these things cost money over the years but could be prevented by effective safety management systems.
The point is that spending money on safety is about the the avoidance off loss as opposed the the creation of profit. That is very hard for CEO's and others to comprehend.
Airline quality management is supposed to take care of this issue. However, it depends on whether the airline is prepared to employ the kind of strong minded individual who can take of the issues.
Often airlines employ safety personnel who they can manipulate and thus keep the cost down.