How many household name airlines are also cowboy outfits protected by the daily efforts of professional crew? SLF are rarely in a position to know.
Perhaps I should elaborate further. The reason why you ATPL chappies have jobs is because SLF like me want you to fly us about. In the main you do your jobs very well and we're none the wiser about your problems.
My dad was a maintenance foreman for British European Airways. I've flown a lot with BEA, BOAC and BA, and my over-riding impression is of a solid, safe and reliable operation, if perhaps not the grooviest or most spectacular. M&S rather than Harvey Nichols, and that suits me fine. Earlier this year I round-tripped from London to Edinburgh, flying from LCY in a BA-branded E-190, an aircraft and flight I thought exceptional and thoroughly enjoyed. I returned to LHR on an A320: a plain-vanilla experience. Is CityFlyer better, comparable or worse operationally than BA? I'm not in a position to know, or easily to find out. I put my trust in the crew and wasn't let down.
And that is the thinking SLF's problem. I don't mind forking out a few more quid for a proper Nigel. Question is, am I getting one, or is that Nigel and equivalent backup actually available to me?