Rescheduled = Delayed?

Sandtree

VS rescheduled our flights back in August with just 60 hours notice, the change in time was just a 2-3 hour pushback (cant remember exactly off hand) but it meant the Covid tests we had had to have done "no more than 72 hours before your scheduled departure" were now about 73.5 hours before the revised scheduled departure.

Having put a complaint into VS they have quoted EU legislation on delayed flights and what they are and are not liable for and thus rejected my complaint (there is another angle of attack but just to validate this one).

So, my question to those learned people here... does a rescheduling 2.5 days before departure count as a "delay" under the EU law or is it not a delay and therefore falls outside the EU legislation.

Alan_Bowen

The minimum delay that justifies any compensation is 3 hours so even if the other criteria applied, it doesn't; sound as if you are entitled to anything. If the flight time was changed in advance, it doesn't sound like a delay at all in fact

Caz3121

what actually happened re the covid issue? were you denied boarding, travelled and refused entry to the country, had to change your flights, arrange another test or travel as planned and all ok?

Sandtree

Thanks both.

@Caz3121 long story short, the contact centre had no guidance, they contacted Heathrow Ops who said they couldnt confirm if boarding would or wouldnt be allowed with an out of time test, and so the contact centre said to pay for another test and reclaim the cost.

This is what we did but when attempting to reclaim the cost they stated it was a "delay" and so covered by EU legislation that allows expenses for hotels, taxis etc but not medical screening and so its my own loss. My own understanding was that EU legislation was irrelevant as it was a reschedule not a delay.

The whole point has now become a little moot as the Exec complaints team came back yesterday evening saying that whilst our "cancelled flight" (wasnt cancelled but hey ho) was bound by EU legislation that because the contact centre had instructed us to pay for a new test and get a refund that they'd honour that instruction (a point the standard complaints team ignored in all three emails) so have now issued a payment.