The sticking point was the protection clause linking contract agreements between pilots at LHR and LGW. BA rejected this showing the truth that BA wants to split the pilot group and a weaker workforce at LGW. Glad BALPA stopped this, let them pull out.
LGW is one of the most important airports in London and therefore the world, if BA pull out and sell there slots they will be purchased very quickly by a competitor, my presumption is that more of these slots will be purchased by the orange airline than the pink one. They raised 1.7 billion dollars in cash to strengthen there grasp in their fortress airports, they will do anything for those available slots.
COVID 19 is passing and things are looking better everyday, it’s better for BA to pull out and let the already better paying competitor take over than to divide and conquer the pilot group to push down terms and conditions permanently. At the end of the day these slots need to be flown by jets and those jets need pilots, especially now when those pilots need to be British nationals there is not the possibility of outsourcing cheaper labour on dubious contracts in foreign lands. BALPA knows this and made the right decision.