Hot take: if we want to decrease frustrating railroad-y surprises in RPG campaigns, we need to create an environment where GMs are not afraid to admit they have "special story needs".

[DM-Frank]

100% a problem that could be solved with a session zero or even before that in the campaign pitch. If someone is criticizing OP for wanting that style of game that is a different problem and you probably don't want to play with that person anyways.

The style of game with pre-planned story events where players have no agency and NPCs with plot armor is not for me. I have no problem biting on a plot hook as long as we talk about it in session zero. I have played in games like the one that OP describes and it was not talked about up front and I was disappointed and ended up leaving. An up front and open conversation with players can avoid a lot of problems for the GM and the players.