Funny you should mention being BA-free (and it perhaps deserves its own thread). I have been tinkering around with my next RTW itinerary, and it is a consideration that definitely passed my mind. But it's hard to do, especially if you want to maximize mileage. The longest non-BA segment within Europe is BCN-LEN at 2958, which is a whole lot less than 3628 on LHR-MCT. This is quite aside from my utter lack of interest of going to LEN, although the Middle East also has limited appeal. At least I don't need a visa to go there.

It gets worse as I have been thinking of doing an AONE4 this time, which makes the long-haul BA Europe segments even more attractive. My current tentative Europe itinerary is HKG-FRA, LHR-IST-LHR-MCT-LHR, FRA-SCL. If I do the second LHR visit as a transit, I can avoid getting hit twice.

I do share the general sentiment though that BA is becoming ever less attractive. Draconian luggage restrictions, the general awfulness of LHR, strikes looming, insane taxes... minimizing BA and LHR is likely to become a popular pastime here, I suspect.