Hi All,

Maybe someone with a better understanding of EC 261/2004 Article 10 than me can help here. Bear with me for the long background...

I booked LHR-MAD-PMI//PMI-MAD-LHR all in Y. I later received two separate email notifications that the MAD-PMI and PMI-MAD segments had suffered a schedule change. A little later I also decided to upgrade the entire itinerary to J, which I did with no problem, paying the change fee and (quite significant) fare difference.

Now I have been informed that the MAD-PMI and PMI-MAD flights have been cancelled and I have been rebooked on Vueling flights which, coincidentally are at exactly the same time as the new schedule. Vueling is a Low Cost Carrier with no business class.

It seems clear to me that IB first modified the flight times so that there could be no complaints when they rebooked passengers on the Vueling flights. This also indicates that they knew that there would be no business class option when they processed my upgrade and took my money.

In fact, I was never actually notified that the flights had been cancelled, I was simply sent an email asking me to call the Service Centre. For a start, I consider this a dereliction of Iberia's duty to inform me of the cancellation - it is their responsibility to phone me, surely? (I know that the contact information they have for me is correct)

I made the above point twice through the online complaints system but it has now been over three weeks with absolutely no response.

Finally, I called Iberia to be told that I had been rebooked in Economy class (although the LON<->MAD legs are still in J) and did I have any problem with that. Yes, I said, what about the compensation for my involuntary downgrade? "Oh no sir, you have been booked in the highest grade tourist class, therefore no compensation is payable".

I have checked Vueling's website and there is no mention of any 'grading' of classes. It is possible to purchase a 'duo' or 'xl' seat but this does not appear to be the case for my booking and, anyway, surely still constitutes a downgrade - meaning I am entitled to 30% of the fare.

If anyone has actually made it this far , any suggestions for my next steps? I am extremely disappointed with the way this has been dealt with (I could go on and on with more complaints about the way I have been treated, but I think this is enough for now!) and want to get as much out of Iberia as I possibly can - more as a matter of principle than anything else. Open to all ideas.

Thanks for reading,
TBK