Yes, many thanks for that, I had read about the staffing problems, as well as massive IT failures. But in order to make a sensible decision about what to do, ie which option to go for, I need to know which, how severe, etc etc. And it might be something else entirely.
The flight is one segment of a complicated trip and if I'm going to unravel it I need to do it now.
And, typically, BA confronts me with a blank wall of indifference to the consequences to their customers' interests of their incompetence.