Originally Posted by Globaliser

Things seem to have changed since that exchange.

It used to be the case that if you pre-allocated seats while you were entitled to them, and you then lost the status that gave you that entitlement, the existing seat pre-allocations would stick but any changes would be done on the basis of your current status (including now having to pay, if relevant).

The exception to that general position was 1A and 1K in F, from which you would reliably be evicted as soon as you lost your Gold/Emerald status.

Now the situation is different. BA appears to have introduced a mechanism that sweeps existing reservations and cancels pre-allocations if the passengers on the booking are no longer entitled to those pre-allocations. In other words, what used to be true only of 1A and 1K in F is now the general rule.