Originally Posted by
corporate-wage-slave
Yes, the inbound being more than an hour earlier is treated by the CJEU as being effectively a cancellation, so you can ask to be rebooked.I suspect BA won't move you to RJ, so the practical outcome would be that you ask for the rebook, and if declined make it clear that you will charge BA for the RJ replacement service, assuming no other practical option. Or presumably fly on an alternative BA service on another date. Then you will need to recover that from BA after travel, either via CEDR or the courts. Depending on the RJ costs, there may be a reasonableness test applied by either bodies, given the relatively small time change, and the risks associated with this operation will pass to you.
I've asked the question and will report back and we'll see what the reaction is, though I won't get into a lot of to and fro or legal threats. An easy option is to cancel the return redemption leg and to book a cash Y ticket on RJ which for a 5 hour or so flight isn't obviously worse for service and comfort. Or I might just cancel the entire BA sequence and go RJ Y.