How many BA staff do I want to put put of work for my compensation? None, obviously. But how many will I put out of work by choosing to fly with an EU airline rather than BA when I have the choice?

But please note I said consumers. Many of these are themselves business representatives whose work is jeorpardised if they do not get the the meetings on time. What the compensation does in practice is alter the price point where it is more economic to cancel or continue the flight. And that affects not only BA but all the business folk they are carrying at the time.

But you miss the main point. Europe has one model. Asia has a different model, which is basically let everyone book and make plans then cancel the flight without compensation if it would not be cost effective for the airline - and to hell with any other business impaced. BOTH models work, in their own way. The point is there is a choice and would like some way of predicting what the future will be.