Many years ago - long before the current security malarkey, I did sit transatlantic in business class next to a guy who was all sweaty, dirty and in filthy overalls, for which he apologised. Two thirds of the way through his shift on a North sea oil rig, there was a message that his young son in the US had been seriously injured in an accident. Helicoptered to Aberdeen with no time to change, the London flight held while he dashed across and he just made the BA flight from Heathrow T3 (that's how long ago it was) to the US by the skin of his teeth - he was the last PAX.
Under the circumstances, no one could justifiably complain......The company must have pulled some stops out to fix the tickets in that short a time, though. But in those days, things could be done.....