I am booked on a GIB-LCY flight next month. Yesterday BA e-mailed me to say it has cancelled the flight, and offered me a flight from GIB to LHR two hours earlier. I live 8 minutes from LCY, but 1˝ hours from LHR, so this change is very inconvenient. BA's booking system shows that there are no more flights between LCY and GIB with effect from 3rd September 2021.

BA's e-mail states "If you accept to travel from a different departure point or to a different destination than your original booking, we will not cover any expenses for travel between the two points, including car rental and parking".

This breaches Article 8(3) of Regulation (EC) No 261/2004, which states "When, in the case where a town, city or region is served by several airports, an operating air carrier offers a passenger a flight to an airport alternative to that for which the booking was made, the operating air carrier shall bear the cost of transferring the passenger from that alternative airport either to that for which the booking was made, or to another close-by destination agreed with the passenger".

Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 remains implemented in the UK by the Civil Aviation (Denied Boarding, Compensation and Assistance) Regulations 2005, subject to amendments by Regulation 8 of the Air Passenger Rights and Air Travel Organisers’ Licensing (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (often known as "UK261").

Although I have not accepted the change, BA has automatically booked me on the GIB-LHR flight, which BA's call centre has confirmed, so I don't need to accept the change. I expect BA to pay for road transport, for example Uber, from LHR to LCY (or to my close-by home) in compliance with Article 8(3). However, I am shocked that BA's e-mail suggests that BA will not comply with Article 8(3).