Flight Delay: Science Fiction

Her flight was delayed. She saw the numbers tick over on the display, and collapsed back to her seat with a sigh/. Then she saw *all* the numbers rolling over to delayed, every single flight, from Minneapolis to Houston to New York. She sat bolt upright. That wasn't right, couldn't be. She wondered if it was a computer glitch in the display, but when she glanced over to the boarding ramp, she saw the stewardess abruptly turn green and walk away more quickly than was decorous. When she was around the corner, she took off her hat and jacket and sprinted toward the exit sign. Lily became more than slightly worried then. She pulled out her cellphone, but whenever she tried to call, *whoever* she tried to call--

Inspiration: News article about computer problems causing flight delays: http://www.abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=5660212&page=1
Story Potential: High.
Notes: One of the first things an alien invasion, or peacekeeping force, or even a negotiating-from-power force would do is shut down all air traffic. And wouldn't a shut-down airport be an interesting setting? Could also use it to resonate--people know what airport delays are like. Give them flashbacks the next time they're in an airport, even.