Basic advice about what to do after a missed or cancelled flight

A story was posted yesterday about a grieving couple who, after a series of airline-related issues with Delta, ended up missing their brother's funeral. As someone who specializes in urgent airline assistance, it was painful for me to read, because it didn't need to end this way. Several solutions could have been found to help them get to their destination in time for the funeral.

I would hate to seesomething like this happen to others, so try to remember these steps: stay calm, get help (from the internet, from an airline agent, from a problem solver like Cranky Concierge or your travel agent), be nice, and be creative.