AA morning departure from ORD to LHR in December. Crowded gate area, no 777 outside, departure time starts to slip. Informed that FAA was inspecting the A/C across the APO in a hangar, but not to worry as crew hours were not an issue and that the curfew would be extended at LHR in case we were a little late.
More standing arround, still no 777. Finally told to go to a nearby gate where a different 777, originally bound for NRT, would become ours instead. Luggage, etc, moved over to the new gate. More standing around.
Then, an announcement to begin boarding but, strangely, economy first as "cleaners" were still working on the first and business cabins. Also asked to have passport in hand when presenting boarding pass. Much confusion and consternation among business and first passengers.
Begin boarding. Passports not physically inspected, but two men in jeans and fleece jackets, more British than American in appearance, along with a uniformed ICE official, stood watching intently as we presented boarding passes.
Sat on plane. Economy filled, then finally business and first. Sat and waited some more. A couple, man and woman, then got on very late, the woman sat a couple rows in front of me in the A seat near the front of economy. Man sat on the far side of the plane somewhere. One of the jeans-wearing men wanders through the cabin.
Further assurances that crew hours and curfew not a problem. Pushed back, deicing begins. Deicing suddenly stops, A/C pushed forward again, doors disarmed.
Flight attendant calls on PA for a woman, whose name I forget, to press her call button. No call button pressed. Flight attendant asks again. No response. Flight attendant approaches aforementioned woman in A seat and asks her if she is the person she is looking for. No apparent response. Asks a couple more times before response in the affirmative.
Flight attendant asks woman to follow her, with all her belongings, which she does. Male companion also marched off plane. Flight attendant returns to go through seat back pocket, overhead compartment, and under seats confirming with other pax that nothing was left on board.
Sit on plane some more. Captain gets on PA - has bad news, in fact, very bad news. Curfew can no longer be extended, AA has cancelled the flight, please don't be mean to the cabin crew, it's not their fault. Cue much grumbling and profanity. Entire plane debarks, passing the male passenger who had been taken off, stood outside the door with the ICE official, hands behind his back. AA rebooking desk looked like the seventh circle of hell with 10 minutes.