I’ve had the full-on bus treatment from A10 to both JNB and JFK - I assume this is just (random-ish) stand allocation which doesn’t take into account the merits of a particular flight.

And in any case if you’re an airport/airline/areoplan buff you can take some pleasure from the experience of being close up to all the aircraft; if not, well, you’ve thirteen hours to enjoy the best of BA, functioning F loos on the 789 permitting