<Wild speculation>: BA plans to drop own-metal service to Brazil given the weak economy and political uncertainty (the B and R in BRICS aren't quite there today)...hand over most of the haulage to LATAM, and keep a thin, somewhat high premium density (perhaps 789) route to GRU as the bare minimum for those who will insist on and pay to stay on BA metal. BA reallocates the lift and the slots to more lucrative own-metal markets. </Wild speculation>

Ok yeah, crazy, I know.

On a more serious note, there is a corporate view and a human view of this situation, and they don't line up.

Corporate: We all know that AC spent a lot of money on some very expensive consultants to run the numbers to make this decision to make his short term numbers. That is today's reality. Will it help BA in the long run? Likely not. But none of us who can opine freely on the matter have access to the data behind this decision.

Human: A painful reminder that in this day and age, loyalty to any corporation is a risky proposition. I feel for the staff who were affected by this decision, and hope that they land on their feet soon. This act is a shot over to the bow to any staff at any remaining base that isn't London.