In my view it is about recession but also about shareholder expectation. Nowadays, CEOs have to work for the shareholder first and the customer second. Dang the crazy old idea that, if you look after the customer, the customer will look after you and your shareholder!
The not being able to make phone contact is all of the same issue. Whether they might have made some concession to you on the phone - no one can say. But not talking to you is cheaper, hence anytime you phone any company, you no longer listen to muzak but the endless repetition of the website. The fact that you are only ringing them because you spent 20 minutes on the website NOT finding the answer ... Certainly, in your circumstances, the web site would have given no help at all. it was a phone call or nothing and each time your cell/mobile dropped the signal - naturally you lost your place in the queue.
It is bad luck and I do sympathise but you can expect no mercy from anyone these days. To save repetition, read my comment (post #4) in another thread on this forum
BA cost of pre assigned seats in WTP just yesterday,