This could have been mitigated by three methods.
They could use the USA’s 10kt discretion and flown 170kts to zalpo (5.4dme from touchdown) which works out as roughly the same decelerated profile as 160kts to 4dme at LHR.
However it did seem the crew were ready for 180 to zalpo direction from atc. If this were the case it would have been prudent to inform approach in the same way one would inform you were unable land and hold short when changing from Boston at CCC, not on intercept. This would have allowed the approach controller to put some extra space between aircraft.
Finally, if they are that worried, they could go via BA flight ops and inform jfk via back channels that 400’s cannot fly 180 to 5.
This ATC recording is sadly not the way to deal with it, unless the pilots were both very inexperienced at Kennedy or having a very ****e day.