Now that this one seems to have died down, can I ask a genuine question to the ops people from BA writing above.
Did you feel it really was the most effective way to handle things, to do this recovery with your own aircraft. Interesting to read all the convoluted arrangements described above, and the apparent urgency to get the relief aircraft out to Uralsk.
But would it not have been more effective to have chartered a widebody from one of the several Moscow charter operators ? Much of their capacity seems to hang round the Moscow airports waiting for business, and they know Kazakstan. Could be in Uralsk in 3 hours, and then hike everybody over to London. No problem on an Il86 with lack of steps, they have airstairs to the baggage level and a staircase inside up to the cabin.