Well if BA are not planning to order before 2009 they will not be in service until 2011/12 which seems a long way off. I don’t see it like that, if the A380 is a success it will bring down ticket prices OR maybe VS/SQ will give a few extra inches of legroom and fly a premium economy main deck, for those who don’t buy on price. BA's hand will most likely be forced well before 2009, delivery slots being limited (unless they already have an arrangement)
The point is that a prudent carrier should keep flexible and make contingencies.
747Adv still in the frame? Explain please. How can it be in the frame when its not even on the drawing board, or are you talking about the 747-500, 747-600, 747-700 or the 747QLXR (which could be delivered to airlines in 2003 according to an article I found web crawling), are RR going to build an engine for it, they don't offer one for the 747-400ERF. Get real, we have seen the last 747 derivative.