Luggage?
Phileas,
I am not too sure why you should think that BA should have any responsibility for your luggage when you did not travel with them.
Surely the airline you travelled with had representation at your destination when you discovered your damaged case?
I understand your feelings about your cancelled flight but this comment regarding luggage seems to be irrelevant and just another "moan".
With regards to accomodation etc, it is my experience that BA will try their utmost to get passengers accomodation if they are away from their home base, if they cannot get you to your destination by another route.
They have a "hold" on rooms at hotels for precisely this purpose. This also tends to be organised locally.
Also, Flypuppy, BA just do not have huge numbers of replacement aircraft these days, their fleet is not as large as you may think, especially at LGW. They do borrow from LHR if at all possible.