Nothing to do with being competitive - it's a US DoT regulation. BR has chosen to comply with this regulation by allowing refund within 24 hours on itineraries both to and from the USA (not just "USA originating") so long as the ticket was purchased at least 168 hours in advance. This policy is clearly stated on BR's general cancellation page, their refund page, their DoT-mandated 'customer service contingency plan' page, and probably many others.

I understand that you are likely just seeking a place to vent due to failing to read the clearly-stated policies, but your rant seems particularly hollow given how low BR's change fees are especially relative to its USA-based competitors.