Originally Posted by
warakorn
What a bull!
EC261 downgrade refund applies regardless what has caused the downgrade.
No, not in this case.
Originally Posted by
LCY8737
Ridiculous to see people arguing that this is not a downgrade. The CE experience is all about the space - if that doesn't get delivered a M&S style ready meal is hardly worth a few hundred £.
BA did the same thing during a Christmas snow chaos in the late 2000s. Back then it was described honestly, with an apology for the downgrade and a refund of the fare difference. That would translate to EU261 these days ...
Originally Posted by
let_BAegones_be
Of course it is not a downgrade entirely.
Space may be the most important feature for you, but CE has many other like food and drinks, priority boarding, lounge access, extra luggage allowance and so on.
BA should offer some avios as a compensation. Certainly not EC261.
This is not a downgrade in EC261 terms, what was proposed does not meet the definition of a downgrade under EC261.
Originally Posted by
LCY8737
... We should not confuse compassion with fellow travellers with allowing BA to take money for services that were not provided.
Absolutely. Whilst I think BA should be applauded for its decision (in this particular set of circumstances), the fact remains the product paid for was not provided as advertised or as expected. BA acknowledges as much in the SMS notification
"We appreciate this [is] not what you expect when you travel with us". Any request for compensation is more likely to succeed under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 rather than EC261/2004.