Originally Posted by C17PSGR

It seems to me someone will be willing to put you on the Manchester flight and give you something in exchange for it. Thinking that's more likely to be the gate agent than the AC, although the AC will have been information on availability. For 20000 miles for the two of you, I'd go to Manchester and take the train to Edinburgh. Its "quite pleasant" to sit on the train with tea going through the English and Scottish coujntryside.