Suggestions that saying NO to BA's shopping list of demands by the cabin crew union, would preclude the establishment of the Mixed Fleet is pure fantasy. Project Columbus had been floated for at least 18 months before the cabin crew dispute and the blueprint, like what is happening to Flight Crew now, is at QANTAS.
There is no way BA were going to be blown off course from their main objective to establish a new cabin crew fleet. And this is the point all of the posters here have missed, the cabin crew dispute was union busting pure and simple, hidden behind a facade that a negotiated settlement was possible.
Also it is naivety in the extreme to suggest that it was possible to reason with the current management regime. BA will not integrate Mixed Fleet even though it has proved to be a disastrous decision, and the fleet has had to be removed from AMS and ATL for reasons of customer service.
If BA want to start BA Express and that is their ultimate objective, feeding the crocodile by accepting the current deal will only ensure a more aggressive attack later by Walsh, as the will to fight is diluted by the assimilation of BMI flight crew.