I used Skyscanner, as I'm sure many do, and booked through a travel agent which BA has chosen to sell tickets to in bulk. It's BA who should be the ones looking to sell via 'decent travel agents' - I shouldn't foot the blame for booking with a travel agent who is clearly authorised to sell BA flights...

I did get the direct flight I was keen on getting but that isn't really the point I'm getting at here. At the point when they offered me the direct flight, I of course snapped it up as I had been on the phone for five hours and it was 3am Los Angeles time.