The lack of compatibility between CRS systems isn't entirely accidental -- after all they are competitors and this seemed to be a design point. Now the airlines do suffer from it. I've found BA to be quite helpful and efficient at times, and hopelessly inept and unhelpful at other times; seems to be the luck of the draw in finding an agent who knows the right procedure. BA is quick to say that something cannot be done or prohibited, that usually just means the agent doesn't know and wants you to leave and bother a different agent. In theory consolidating reservations to one center will improve things, but a contract center in MIA to be cheaper than a Canadian operation means it is really paying very low wages and targetting entry-level staff instead of retaining them as they are trained and become more skilled. Doesn't bode well for doing complicated things with BA reservations in the US.