Originally Posted by
golfmad
If it were me I would call BA and put yourself at their mercy. Explain the situation and your need to get home as soon as possible for the reasons you outlined above ...
Is calling really likely to do the trick? For the usual reasons, the airport is more surely more likely to be able to exercise discretion when the staff there can actually eyeball the passenger. Call centres can have no idea whether or not they're being told the truth, hence the reputation that they generally go by the book.