BA didn't normally return strollers at the gate. You had to get them at baggage claim at your final destination, so any connections had to be made without. This was one of the reasons why I, and many other parents, avoided both BA and Heathrow. They're also not the only airline.

Apparently, strollers were being returned on the jetway in the run-up to the Olympics last summer (anyone with experience?) Obviously, that couldn't be confirmed.

Wonder if it's at the whim of whomever is on duty when your flight arrives, or whether it varies by airport.

They're not the only airline that does this. I avoided flying Air France for the same reason. I could take the stroller to the gate on departure but I wouldn't see it again till I got to California. That meant negotiating CDG alone with three small children and no stroller. No thanks. I just flew them again for the first time in almost 10 years last winter.