Be prepared and have a "fallback" plan
I try to avoid the last flights of the day and always have a "fallback plan" The key to travel is to build in "flexibiblity"
Your son was not a Plat Elite and accordingly was not enrtitled to being rebooked via the elite lineCSR's. While you used your Plat Elite relationship to push the issue, your son really wasn't entitled to any rebooking priority from the elite line.
It is absolutely amazing what people expect they are entitled to. If an 18 year old cannot deal with irregular ops maybe they should travel with their mom and dad.
RC