Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave

That is indeed possible, but unless you've set your privacy settings to inhibit communications (or perhaps the OTA used their email address on your booking) then normally you get a text message from "BA eService" announcing this, along with an email. After all, if they are relaxing the conditions they do need you to know about this in good time to pack accordingly. In which case you wouldn't necessarily get anything for the return sector. If you know the fare basis you can check to see if it is a Basic ticket via ExpertFlyer, it's in line 1 or 2 of the ticket heading. If it has your Gold card in there and you can move seats without charge then I suspect you were not in Basic to begin with.