Definitely depends on the airline, class of service and whethre you're elite.

Exact situation happened to me (except one of your assumptions). I was on LX BHX-ZRH-LAX. I boarded BHX-ZRH and we were delayed due to gate problems and then traffic and no slot. I was extremely agitated as I knew I would miss my ZRH-LAX flight and it was the last flight of the day and in fact no flight the following day. I asked the dispatcher to be put on LH to FRA and then FRA-LAX. They wouldn't do it and said I should go to ZRH and would be sorted there.

We finally landed at ZRH after the departure of ZRH-LAX, but I thought I saw an a/c still at the terminal. When we stopped at a remote spot, a black mercedes was waiting for me as I came down the stairs, took my bags, drove me to the terminal where my flight was departing, took me through security and escorted me to the plane. I really felt bad coming onto a full flight of people who had been held up.

Now that's what I call service ^

I was in LX F