The real question is whether some other passenger paid the $1,100 or perhaps even more through a last minute ticket purchase. If so, then the price is not "ridiculous" because there is a market for it.
It also makes little sense for BA to make this process pain free either financially or predictably. That simply undercuts the premium brand. For those who have an employer which will neither pay for CW nor permit an employee to keep a personal credit card with the corporate TA so that the TA may book CW and charge the difference to the personal card, that is an employment relations issue.