Sky Scanner / British Airways review: Flight change

I want to make a formal complaint regarding my recent flight change.

My mum was scheduled to fly from London to New Zealand. She was leaving London at 9.50pm arriving in Sydney at 6.55am, leaving Sydney at 9.25am to arrive in NZ for 2.40pm.

I booked this in June I then find out in August that the flight from Sydney to NZ has been changed; she will now be leaving at 5.55pm and arriving in NZ at 11.10pm.

My mum is 65 years old and has severe anxiety, waiting in an airport for 11 hours is unacceptable.

I initially called Sky scanner on the 29th of August to discuss this. I was informed I would be emailed my options within 24 hours. When the email came through I was told my 2 options were to accept the change or to cancel and get a refund.

I intentionally booked 6 months in advance and paid a bit more ($2,999) so as to secure tickets with short airport wait times. I have not seen my mum in 4 years due to Covid and when I looked at other suitable flights their cost is now $4,500 (very expensive!) so cancelling is not possible.

I then received an email informing me I have to accept the changed flight offer within 24 hours.

When I called Sky scanner again on the 30th August I was told to call British Airways and hung up on. When I called British Airways I was told to speak to Sky Scanner, when I called Sky scanner again I was again told there was nothing Sky Scanner can do and to call British Airways again. Offered no help or assistance.

I called British Airways (again) who informed Sky Scanner needed to call their Trade Support Department (on an internal number all travel agents have) to handle the complaint as British Airways have a special department that handled bookings made through a travel agent. When I called Sky Scanner again and asked them to discuss my complaint with British Airways via the Trade Support Department I was told this could be done only in relation to re-booking alternate flights (which as I found out on the previous call was not an option open to me due to all flights that would arrive on or before the 13th of January being fully booked).

I called British airways (again!) and they informed as the booking was made via Sky Scanner, it is Sky Scanner that need to put in a request for a refund or any accommodation requests as they are the travel agent acting on my behalf.

I would not have spent more money on a ticket with a shorter wait time had I known it would be changed to the same flight times as one of the tickets with a longer wait time but cost less.