The only possible reason QF could pull off the Hong Kong-Heathrow in the Olympic year & lend the slots to BA is to have them in the bag when Jetstar A380's can take over the route and it doesn't appear as a transfer of business.
Numerous 744's were coming up for D checks and they weren't prepared to spend the money on them to get them through the Olympic bubble but then face a post Olympic slump when they would withdraw anyway.