Status matching, apart from very occasional route deals and some corporate arrangements, isn't going to happen. Nothing new there, I can't remember a time when it was any different, and given the relative ease of getting Gold - and with it the large population of GCH who need no such assistance, I can't see that changing any time soon.

As for whether to give up on BA, there is of course FlyBe on LHR services. In making these decisions, I would say it's easy to get the wrong set of perspective after a couple of bad 'uns, then you can end up on the never-ending train from Hell and reach a similar jaundiced view. Perhaps this was weather related? In which case little is exempt from its impacts. What can you do? Stay pragmatic, don't spite self a la Paralytic, check the fares and mix it up once in a while. Going to Scotland at least there are plenty of options.