To answer the other question - a free upgrade won't increase your tier points or avios earnings. Only a paid upgrade (and on AA that means pre-checkin not a special offer) will garner more earnings.

I agree with Karfa on the other points although you mind find it a much harder case to argue given it was booked with AA (rather than BA) prior to April 28th.

I knew SH had had the '25%' point decrease - I didn't realise that had happened to LH too ... seeing 20 points in deep discount economy makes that a long road to even bronze!