To answer the question in the letter - Yes, it would cost BA something (as NWIFlyer has said).
As such, it would not be a free gesture of goodwill.
To take things to the extreme, a revenue flight back from NYC in F, is for sale at $9,457 in the middle of September. The writer wants two seats, so BA could justifiably state that his 'gesture of goodwill' would cost them just shy of $19,000. Quite a jump from the £500 the writer has said no to.
What BA should do, in my opinion, is offer the writer a GUF2. That way, they'll have the option to upgrade on the way back from NYC, availability permitting.
M
Last edited by msm2000uk; Sep 1, 2018 at 12:41 am