I seem to remember Virgin being interested in buying CFE, so by BA buying CFE they reduce the slots available to Virgin at LGW perhaps? They couldn't transfer some of EOGs 'loss'making' routes (and remember that loss making is purely a result of the accountants practices and has little to do with the real economics of the route) because BA pilots would not accept that and rightly so. It does appear that BA have wasted a large amount of cash on a badly handled takeover, but then why should that surprise you? The company has a history of costly and unsuccessful interference in other airlines (Air Liberte, Deutsche BA, Iberia.....) and its just another symbol of the shambolic running of the company.