In Chicago's O'Hare airport, advertising executive Buddy Amaral (Ben Affleck) is delayed by a snow storm for a return flight to Los Angeles, on the same airline he has just signed as a big client. He meets writer Greg Janello (Tony Goldwyn), and when his flight resumes boarding, Buddy gives his ticket to Greg so he can get home to his sons, 8-year-old Scott (Alex D. Linz) and 4-year-old Joey (David Dorfman). Buddy convinces his friend and airline employee Janice Guerrero (Jennifer Grey) to allow Greg to take his place on the flight. While spending the night with fellow stranded passenger Mimi (Natasha Henstridge), Buddy sees on television that the flight crashed. He has Janice check into the computer system to remove his name from the passenger manifest and add Greg's name.