How short a memory you have. BA accepted a couple of years ago that having local crew on Tokyo was so important that they voluntarily increased costs massively by moving back to WW on HND so the ICC could work both flights.

My hunch - based on nothing more than observation from FT - is that BA will use the base closures (and threat of more) to extract concessions from the remaining crews finally allowing them to work with MF. At least Japan and India.

I also wonder about the effect of the new China-based crew. It was a huge publicity move in China, smoothing the waters for rights to increase PVG frequencies, and of course HKG (and Cantonese in general) are a thorn in the side of the Chinese government. Could this be part of it?