>If this is the calibre of senior management at BA then they deserve to fail.<
Does anyone nowadays doubt that the Peter Principle has been proved beyond reasonable doubt to be true? I can't off-hand think of any large company that has enlightened and capable management -- I certainly never came across any in my consulting days -- and it isn't necessary to look very closely for it to be horribly obvious that none of the emperors have any clothes.
Perhaps an even bigger mystery is why society at large allows the situation to persist.