I would like to examine 2 scenarios that would change my feeling as to whether this comment was appropriate.

1) The comment was made by a staff member in the VIP section of LHR as as the OP got out of his Maybach on his way to a private jet taking him to Rio with his entourage of yes men and victoria secret models.

2) An off the cuff comment by a likely tired and bored BA staffer as the OP gets onto a tired and old short haul plane where business class only mean less distance to walk on board and the guarantee of an empty seat.

I would be quite upset in scenario 1) and not give it a moments thought in 2).