I'm a bit fed up with the so-called 'race-to-the-bottom BA bashing' (although they do have plenty of other issues to get right), and the constant whine about 'having paid that much for a CW fare I have to cough up another wad to select a seat'. If seat selection was included, then the ticket price would be higher. I see the ability to choose to pay less if you are not bothered about where you sit, or take baggage, as a good thing. Perhaps the article could have been written:
Couples and families booking long-haul flights through British Airways are able to pay a lower fare if they are willing to risk not sitting together. In one recent case, a couple on a transatlantic flight were automatically allocated seats several rows apart — and saved more than £100 instead of paying extra to sit close to each other.