Big Geordie -
"Different times, different pilots. Same management".
Have to correct you on that - any decisions relating to pilots in those days were made by the then Manager-Flight Ops, an Irish gentleman not known for his people skills, and an English chap whose name now escapes me. Both departed EK many years ago. When the A310 was introduced, about 8/10 ex-Wardair Training Captains from Canada were hired for their 310 experience, one of whom, most definitely not known for his people skills, became head of Training and remained in that position until about 2003 if I recall correctly. These two made all the decisions and policies relating to pilots when the A310 was introduced.
The Management team who were there at the time all reported directly to Sir Maurice. (I believe there were about 12 departmental heads in total, all of whom had mere "Manager" titles, none of this VP/EVP etc stuff then). With the exception of Sir Tim, who had zero input to decisions affecting pilots until many years after the A310 was brought in, and the head of Inflight Services, all of those Managers were gone by 1999.
So - same management? Style perhaps, but individuals, definitely not.
7B