Capt Spunkfarter
The flights to JFK are non revenue earning, therefore there is no "expensive" gesture by BA. They have to do these proving flights and need pax, so why not reward those who worked hard to make the return to service possible?
Unless you are a BA person engaging on a wind up (i.e. big bonus), you are unlikely to be aware of the company culture - this gesture will mean a lot to those who are part of it and will be a welcome distraction from this week's unpleasant news.