Integrating reservations systems is a complex and enormous task for airlines, partly because they have to take the systems temporarily offline, even though flight operations must continue.

WSJ: Delays Hit 1,300 American Airlines Flights

And even though Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey rejected the chance to temporarily end his retirement from international football, the Bolton captain said it was hard to take the call-up seriously at first.

BBC: England boss Fabio Capello calls up Kevin Davies