My wife's mother just passed away, at 2:00 am., EDT. To book a flight to Japan .... when we, off season, can sometimes score a deal of between 650-800. The very cheapest flight we can book, is slightly over four thousand dollars. It goes Hopkins to Ohare, or same price Atlanta ... to freakin' Amsterdam then to Tokyo. All direct flights, either out of OHare or Atlanta are fully booked. Not one available seat. Three days is the burial time, traditional time from death. No way that she can make the funeral.

I remember, when flying business class, I could book a direct flight (not really direct ... The Mistake on the Lake ain't no international airport), but either OHare or Detroit, Arctic route ... same day ... no problem. Whether coach or business class ... those are ALL filled. Not one empty seat.