I think for anyone who - like yourself - hasn’t had occasion fo fly BA “in a while”, any differences between the modern-day BA and the BA of the past are perhaps likely to appear more pronounced than for those who have witnessed the pattern of changes at first hand.

It’s become something of a well-worn cliché but the mantra of managing expectations still holds good : once you adopt the mindset that a short-haul hop in economy with BA will provide no material differences in the air than an equivalent flight with the LCC’s, then there will be far less cause for disappointment or surprise. It makes for a better life !