Talking of leasing. I watched one of those Nat Geo aircrash investigations last week. It was about a small airlines propellor driven aircraft, the company now out of business but was based on the Isle of Man. The plane crashed and the subsequent investigation turned up that the company leased the aircraft through a third party. Who themselves had leased it from its owners a Spanish bank! Basically the company was just a ticket selling outfit but the law lets them advertise as an airline! The third party provided the aircrew who had to wear the uniforms of the IOM based outfit. However why it crashed was maintainence. Defects were reported by the aircrews, these were passed to the company, who then passed them onto the third party, who had tendered out the aircraft maintainence. The maintainence company then further sub contracted the upkeep to yet another company!!
Everything done on a shoestring.
The aircrew which consisted of the pilot and 1st officer, also acted as baggage handlers to load/unload the aircraft and while the pilit stayed with the plane while on the ground, the 1st officer acted as the check in desk operator as well. Along with this, while the plane was taxiing he had to do the cabin crew safety run through for the passengers. They were working the maximum hours aircrew could each day- not taking into account the extra time needed for the loading/unloading of baggage and ticket checking! It took the investigators nearly a year to unravel the web of false leads and dead ends before anyone could be held accountable.