Then Tupelo, as you have never been a BAEC Gold, you really have no say in this issue, do you.
moral_low_ground............you do realize that many of us fly US carriers. I point this out because besides pointing out "US airlines" rather than let's say every airline in the World, what you wrote was in fact a half truth wasn't it? There are US carriers that allow top tier members to have complimentary lounge membership, I've had it in 12 of the past 14 years with Delta, almost all allow premium passengers to use the lounges, and several, including one which you noted DO in fact give complimentary access to overseas card holders, Not that what you wrote had anything really to do with the subject at hand anyway. How exactly if I am flying MXP-IST am I giving custom to a "competitor"? BA doesn't fly that route, as a matter of fact no 1world carrier does so. Please explain (but we are getting here again a small view UK-centric view of the matter).
Whether LH and KL did away with the benefit should be immaterial? I had assumed that BA was trying to be a better carrier with a better programme?
Seriously, they should just eliminate the benefit from the two troubled airports/louges (as they have already done with one) and otherwise leave things be.