Cancellation, downgrade, 2-1 voucher and re-route to different London airport

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

Swiss Jim wrote:

I have to get in a flight. Assuming I’m not going to walk or get the bus/train.

It’s important to remember that the alternative flight is only a suggestion from BA to try and get you back ASAP.

There is no obligation to accept it if other BA flights are better for you.

So always explore in MMB what other flights are available thst day and BA won’t have a problem with booking you on one of them amd it should be doable via MMB rather than by calling.

[JDB]

Swiss Jim wrote:

Sorry, I still don’t understand – and I don’t consider myself to be stupid.

If I refuse the change and cancel I’m at the mercy of (lack of) availability and extortionate fares.

How do I reject a flight change, still travel, and still get compensation?

You can reject the proposed flight in MMB or by calling BA, at which point you have the choice of being rebooked on another flight or taking a refund.

In offering you an alternative flight within 40 minutes (albeit with a downgrade and to the wrong airport) BA no longer needs to pay compensation or Right to Care costs, but you remain entitled to ask to be rerouted/rebooked onto another flight without any extra charge. You can’t reject the proposed flight, rebook later and then claim compensation as it was outside the -1hr/+2hr window. Equally, if you had elected to fly to Birmingham as you mentioned, that would have been voluntary, so again no compensation due if the weather wasn’t an ‘extraordinary circumstance’.