Back when NW was still NW, I booked a flight from MSP>LAX at 6:00AM in order to catch an NH flight to NRT that would leave a 1:00PM.
Well, at 2:00AM, I got a robocall saying that the 8:00AM flight was cancelled, and that I was rebooked on the 10:00AM flight. Well, that was tight, but workable.
So I'm at MSP, and the flight is delayed. It's nearly 11:00AM when we take off.
By the time we were approaching LAX, it was nearly nearly noon, local time, and I had to retrieve luggage and make my way to the international terminal.
The young woman sitting next to me noticed that I was a nervous wreck and asked what was wrong. I explained the situation, and she said, "I know this airport well. I'll run to the ANA desk and tell them you're coming. We'll exchange cell phone numbers, and you can tell me when you have your bags."
So that's what we did. By the time I arrived at the ANA check-in desk, it was something like 20 minutes before the flight. At first, the ANA personnel seemed a bit put out at my lateness, but I explained in Japanese (I'm a translator) what had happened, and that seems to have made a lot of difference. They checked me in with a smile and had one of the counter personnel escort me through the employees' security line, and brought me to the plane literally moments before the doors were closed.
Whew!
Two acts of kindness, and my trip had barely started.