What Trimotor says is spot on, its that the landing flap must be
selected by 1500' aal. The 777 takes a long time to travel from 20 to 30, whilst all Airbus take a nano second to travel from 2 to 3 or 3 to 4 depending on landing flap you want. You do NOT have to have the flap at the landing setting by 1500' aal. You are quite wrong if you think you do. However, if you do its safe, but its not required.
Anyhow, thread drift over.
I had a freind on the flight (non EK), and she was royally p***ed off at the fiasco. Sounds like a royal communication cock up. The crew are the operational lynch pins, shame they were left out of the loop prior to landing at LHR
EGGW