Maybe that's the strategy! They are claiming to be working on a new and improved Matmid club so perhaps in the meantime they are "enhancing" (as we call it over at the BA forum) various benefits to then make the changes they make look great...

Over time they really have made GL almost useless except for KD membership..
Gold used to be the top tier with similar qualifying requirements as it is today.
Now Platinum is the new Gold only it requires more than double the points...

It's amazing how downhill matmid have gone and even more amazing how many people make it to PL and TP because they are willing to put up with a c**** premium product, mostly for lack of awareness that there are so many better products out there or they want to fly direct (LY's saving grace).

Last week a friend had a rather last minute trip to San Francisco paid by the client as always.
He travels mostly on LY and in business.
They wanted $6500 for the ticket to LAX, so he ended up booking an M class ticket hoping he would be upgraded (he's "only" Gold) but no such luck.
He paid $3700 for the ticket.

I checked BA the day before he traveled and despite it being very last minute it was pricing up at $3400 to SFO in CW...
He is a good example of those who travel LY without even checking the other offerings.

Back on topic, as Gold on BA, I don't pay a penny for changing or canceling a redemption ticket up to 24 hours prior to the flight, and nor does anyone else on my booking...