I agree it would be a great shame for this beautiful Old Lady to be retired.
However business is business, and the load factors (i.e. profitability) has been poor for BA since Paris, and some of its former users have either been scared off, or become used to other ways of making the journey. First Class 747 being that much cheaper!
But. Most people we all know would love to fly her, even just once. So who would blame the resourceful BA marketing department for letting everyone think that she is going to be retired soon. That would perk demand, and with it profitability, and BA's currently tarnished image no end!