Well the OP has not mentioned a few recent positives e.g. (and this is just off the top of my head):

- new routes, additional frequencies, sheer network reach
- services running to and from places other than London
- Lifetime Gold and GGL
- HHA expansion
- Additional GGL benefits such as partner cards and additional 3 levels of TP baubles
- Improved catering (yes, that's been my experience this year)
- Flounge LHR and CCR LHR and JFK still at the top of their game
- US, Qatar, Sri Lanka, MAS all been plugged into oneworld
- new PED policy
- ease of getting Avios, I even get them when I buy sheep!
- 787 quality of ride in CW and WTP
- Reward Flight Saver
- Some stonking deals in the Sales

As for the hand baggage fares: only a small percentage of any given service gets these fares. I don't recall the exact figure but I think it's 10% or so, and generally only on services which won't get full (EDI and BHD excepting). It means that £78 return fares to places like Naples make them as attractive as RFS and I've certainly taken full and grateful advantage of them. I hope everyone here has taken a good look at what LGW (and LHR/LCY to a lesser extent) can offer.

You have a case with IRROPS, however my recent experiences have actually been far more positive than a few years ago, admittedly that was a very poor baseline from which only improvement could arise. We now get phone calls, emails, text messages, which we did not get before. Now there's still plenty of scope for improvement still, getting an email 1 hour after the proposed departure is a bit silly, but there seems to be some focus there. But it remains a weak link for BA certainly.

More to the point, BA management are delighted with the way that BAEC is going, it's one of the best frequent flyer programmes out there and has done wonders to the bottom line. So I don't quite see the doom and gloom pictured here.