Originally Posted by
SK AAR
Correct, and a flight departing 6 hours earlier (despite having to connect at BCN) would normally be not the end of the world, and considered adequate and acceptable to most pax. There is no right to purchase ticket with another carrier and ask for reimbursement just because there is a better and more convenient flight to the pax; there is absolutely no basis for this in the EU reg. Not even legacy carriers would rebook OAL in this situation. Yes, the OP can try to argue that departing 6 hours earlier and rebooked to non-direct flights is not considered adequate, but I would not bet on the OP winning that complaint, i.e. it will certainly be risky.
For short breaks - and in many other instances - six hours difference would indeed be entirely useless. And don't forget that the compensation kicks in at only
one hour earlier departure against four hours for tardy arrival. Which is not to say that there's no risk, and I have no idea how easy to use small claims channels are in BE - but I do think the regulation is on their side.
[Edited to add: which I think it should be. It shouldn't be acceptable for a company to retime a flight drastically and say that the consumer who has planned around the original is SOOL.]