Heads I win, tails you lose could be an alternative title. Indeed, it sounds more like hearsay and gossip to me. Had BA not taken this alleged action - can you imagine the thread? Bumped to J, Bumped off the aircraft, F is overbooked (funny how everybody appears to fly F these days - no one with whom I am personally acquainted actually does but that's by the by). So if as you say all this happened, then it would appear that BA did the right thing and booked them with an excellent airline(so I read here)

I really do think that they are d*mned when they do and d*mned when they don't)