May not be related in any way of course but those periods of long CEO stability with Marshall was CEO were probably BA's most successful years. Having said that, pre-privatization they had sunk so low in service, industrial unrest etc that it was not too difficult to improve. But the later part of Marshall's tenure, once AA, UA and VS arrived on the LHR scene were very, very good for BA......notwithstanding GW1 and the "Dirty Tricks" affair of course.
Only the world has moved on from those times but I get the impression that BA has not.