Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave

BA will normally offer option 1, and at least on paper if then choose a longer duration routing unnecessarily that would be for your account and not allow EC261. Clearly the trick will be for BA to offer you option 2 without offering option 1 or 3. Personally I think you're best going with option 1 or 3 anyway. But the usual rebooking conditions do indicate direct routings are allowed/encouraged with QR. It may be that regardless, if you claim EC261 off option 2 they may pay it anyway, but I don't see them as being required to do this.