My opinion about status beyond Platinum, needs to be linked to QF status credits or $$ spent on QF (including JQ, any flights with a QF code regardless of operating carrier, and also BA flights that form part of the JSA). QF meet their obligations to the alliance through WP, and beyond that it is probably worthwhile for recognition to focus on generating revenue just for QF.

As for lifetime recognition, that's a difficult one, as you want to maintain custom once people are there - and LTG does that, as there is still the WP carrot. Maybe once you get to a requisite number of status credits (eg 28000) you automatically achieve "Platinum Plus" whenever you retain Platinum in a year, if you don't you just are LTG.

Whatever the case I think another tier of loyalty recognition needs to be a bit more "game proof" so that it can't be achieved by doing status runs on YUPs in the US (or even milking A class in the US on DONEx's), or on CX from certain ports in Asia).