Originally Posted by eternaltransit

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-conte...lex:32004R0261

You may also need to refer to the various ECJ case law which sets some precedents, such as Emirates v Schenkel and Air France v Folkerts .

As Dave Noble states, for the downgrade compensation there's no notification time that has an impact; what matters is that you turn up for travel and it turns out the airline involuntarily downgrades you to a lower class of cabin.

However, this of course assumes that the flight you are taking is within the scope of the regulation (i.e. departing from the EU on EK!)