Originally Posted by jimbodxb

Hi Forum team,
looking for some advice/validation by request is valid.
I have a one way flight LHR-DXB for myself, wife and 3 month old to go home to DXB on 31st March (we evacuated on March 9th due to the conflict). I booked this ticket as a Avios redemption in CW for this date hoping the conflict would end. Obviously it hasn't and BA have cancelled all flights to the middle east really.
BA per the trade website policy are trying to put me on their interline agreement partner airlines, none of which are actually operating to DXB so they are essentially offering to book me on a flight that is going to be cancelled.
The only reliably operating airline is Emirates which they are refusing to book me on as it's not in their policy. The other advice they gave was to request a refund, which i'm certainly not going to do as it removes their obligation to get me home.
Per EU261 from what I can tell (and looking for advice here) i can request a comparable journey to be re-routed on at a future date of my availability.
I wish for BA to book me on Emirates flight in Business direct LHR-DXB on the 1st May.
BA are refusing to do this and reroute me on Emirates as not within guidelines, but is my EU261 argument valid and how can I force the issue? Gold member line is refusing to escalate to a manager that i can speak to.