Define "normal prices" please. Because, for the most part, travelling on AC to London, on seat sale fares, is cheaper today, than it was in the 1980s. AC (and its competitors/suppliers) have done an extraordinary job in bringing low fares to the travelling public, in many cases, fares that are so low that AC incurs severe losses.

The Saturday night or 7-day stay requirement was initiated to extract more revenue out of short-term business customers, as opposed to tourists. This has been around for decades.

AC's load factors have been extremely high over the past few quarters, so there is little fruit to the allegation that they are flying 'half empty'.