But despite some advice to the contrary, BA can't possibly compete head-on for the same market as the no-frills carriers.

BBC: What next for BA?

Virgin Atlantic is very keen that BA doesn't do so.

BBC: A new Scottish airline?

The suggestion is that if BA can't compete over the short-haul routes, it should leave them entirely to the no-frills carriers, which would then absorb the extra "slots" - takeoff and landing times - for their own services.

BBC: What next for BA?

"With fuel prices where they are, we are clearly flying into very significant headwinds, " he quipped to The Associated Press on Tuesday, adding that he believes BA could increase its operating margin--he just didn't know exactly when.

FORBES: Magazine Article

But surnames aren't reliable either, given the number of inter-marriages that occurred under Ba'ath Party rule.

NPR: Slate's Explainer: Iraq's Shiite and Sunni Muslims

British Airways, which has a patent on the yin yang pattern, doesn't think direct aisle access is a major issue for most travelers, said Simon Talling-Smith, BA's executive vice president for the Americas.

WSJ: The Many Ways to Catch Shut-Eye in the Sky