then perhaps that is something that you should take up with the airlines?
I certainly took up the downgrade with the airline, but other than a refund they didn't want to know. I fly with someone else now - it involves a change rather than a direct routing but its the principle
I'm not too bothered about not getting the upgrades with BA. I travel business class most of the time anyway, and collect enough miles to use FIRST for reward flights, so its fun for the more junior team members to get to experience it. But my experience certainly challenges the received wisdom that gold card holders get priority on this sort of thing.