The requirement in law is that airlines offer a rebooking option "at the earliest opportunity", and the CAA's guidelines (not law) is that airlines should provide a same day replacement. Ultimately customers can over-ride this, if the airlines refuse to rebook the same day then the customer can make their own booking, if what they do is deemed proportionate and reasonable. But yes, hopefully it isn't true, but I can see if HAL's number one priority is to get rid of its customers, this is one way to do it.