You are right when it comes to rebooking... there are no extra charges, and only the difference in fares has to be paid...
However, it seems to be that fares are different when you are rebooking or when you make a first booking.
And secondly, when a passenger is not allowed to fly to a certain country, and therefore can't use his booked flight, it is not his choice not to fly, so I think he should have the right to be reimbursed, as he didn't chose not to fly, but was forbidden to use the flight...
So, tehnically, this is a cancellation, not caused by the airline, but caused by the Belgian authorities.i.
On a side note : it is totally incomprehensible and inacceptable that only the BELGIAN authorities forbid traveling to Spain.
French, Dutch, German, English passengers are still free to travel...
The Belgian authorities are jailing their own people...
How long will we all be going on accepting this discrimination?? In the 20th century, we were chocked by seeing the Russian and Chinese governments to forbid their people to travel abroad... Now the same happens in Belgium, and nobody reacts, and just accepts blindly the rules of the non-elected minority government, without asking one question or giving one sensible remark...
One of the basic principles of the EU is the right to move freely, within the boundaries of the EU...
Only the BELGIAN authorities are ignoring this fundamental right that has been in place for several decades....
It is time to raise a strong voice against this criminal discrimination and violation of the all important European rules and liberties, just for the sake of public health...
I wanted to travel to Spain, to go and walk in the Sierra Nevada... far away from beaches, beach bars, discotheques or night clubs... By one small decision, I'm not allowed to do this... Not everybody travelling to Spain goes to Benidorm or Torremolinos! Spain has a wonderful nature, open spaces and fantastic quiet nature parks... How can a government be so blind to take such a far reaching unilateral decision?
Regards,
Duke