I disagree, Blackberry had an advantage in secure email via corporate servers but continued to push the sale of devices rather than concentrate on the provision of corporate servers and client software for third party devices.

Blackberry didn't push their competitive advantage instead they continued to see themselves as a handset manufacturer first and foremost. Competitors entered their core space (provision of secure corporate email solutions and platform independent Apps) thereafter Blackberry was constantly digging itself out of a hole. It finally hit upon the right strategy (was this ever fulfilled?) but it came too late.

BA has an advantage in being able to provide the most cost effective business class flat bed product. The core costs come from fuel (which apply to the entire market), staff costs (broadly comparable in the medium to long term given the introduction of MF) and aircraft financing (leases, interest and depreciation) and maintenance. BA has market confidence and can still attract favourable financing. You then have variable costs which as we all know have been rigorously controlled.

BA is well positioned (should it become necessary) to offer the most cost effective flat bed business class product versus competitors because it has lets say 33% more seats in the same space than competitors with lower density cabins. Rather than reducing cabin density by 25% it could almost certainly sustain long term fare reductions in J of 15 to 20% from current levels (this would cost far less than a refit and reduced seating density).

Since the main purchasers of J seats are large corporates who typically care more about the cost than the relative quality the ability to compete on cost is a major strength. Similarly SME businesses and premium leisure passengers will typically be attracted by significantly lower costs than competing options. It would be very difficult for the competition to respond to a strategy like this.

At the moment BA is bolstering BAEC benefits as an alternative to price cutting but price cutting remains a realistic option for BA whereas competitors with lower density cabins are effectively all in, they have far less scope to price cut.

That is how I would respond to a BA case study anyway.