ABSTRACT
Interviewees and respondents had two major concerns. The first was the way in which commercial pressures impacted airlines’ and regulators’ behaviour. The second was a feeling that airline managements had become dangerously aloof. Regarding the first worry, the following comments were typical:
The industry is out of control. Publicly the image is not that bad but deep down, airlines do not give a damn about anything (including safety) other than the bottom line. Example? When SQ006 crashed on take off (from the wrong runway) at Taipei a few years ago,1 the CEO of Singapore Airlines held a televised press conference. What were his first words? ‘Our shareholders have nothing to fear. We will do whatever it takes to protect the share price’. Almost one hundred people perished in that accident and his first concern was the fucking share price! And his attitude is typical.
