I usually arrive on the last BA flight of the day and it's very quiet. My wife swings by the Long Stay and stops for a few seconds in the single spot by the barriers while I jump in. Clearly it would be chaos if it were busier and it sounds from what you say as though it often is at other times.

Also completely agree with you about the signage from the terminal. Even if you know that you're being picked up from the Long Stay, there are various signs to different zones and no indication of where the official pick-up / drop-off point is. Which of course is probably because there isn't an official pick-up / drop-off point because, as you say, zero thought or effort has been put into it.

And while we're at it, can I have a rant about the boarding process for flights from BHD to LCY? Honestly, I've been on Ryanair flights where this has been better organised. Even if you abandon what's left of your alcohol-free Carlsberg and leave the lounge the second they announce that the flight is about to board, by the time you get to the gate there are 100 people in front of you and there isn't even a pretence at boarding by group number. Has it always been like this? Perhaps I've just never noticed because until recently I always flew to LHR.