Jim, I'll agree that IF it WAS a third party that was under the indirect control (such as a hired 3rd party vendor) then there's a valid point to be made about the airlines ability to control that service..
Yes, they are not direct employees of the airline, but the airline- as the customer of the vendor- does have some ability to control how the service is delivered..
As example, we use an outsourced vendor to clean our aircraft in many of our smaller Asian stations.. If I find something that is not done to my expectations, i can't just discipline that employee for shoddy work-- they are not my employee and therefore I am not free to discipline them.. I need to bring it to the vendor manager.. and as their customer, I'd lodge a complaint about sub-standard service.. much like a retail-level customer would complain about a service from a shop..
By contrast, in those situations where the service is not done by a party of the carriers choice-- such as services that are provided by the airports own in-house employees, then THAT's another story altogether.. and one that I DO think the carrier can legitimately say 'we have no control over'..
Again, it's just a matter of exactly WHO is doing the work and WHAT that party is-- direct airline staff, airline-contracted vendor, or non-discretionary vendor.
As to the notion of a "tendency" of airline employees to blame "thirds parties" goes, I'd refer back to the immediately preceding paragraph...I think it really matters exactly WHO that party is and under what arrangement is that work being done.. In some cases it's NOT a case of "not our employee/control".. but other times it IS in fact a very legitimate claim and situation.
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