The question isn't whether or not it's an award ticket. The question is...did AA 'cause' the problem? If AA caused the problem then they will try to get the passenger out on the next flight that gets there the earliest, whether it's on AA/DL/UA or whomever. However, at this point in time, AA doesn't control air traffic, the FAA does
, and contrary to popular opinion God is still in charge of the weather. We are powerful, just not that powerful. When I went through AAdvantage training we were trained that passengers traveling on award tickets are to be treated just as though they are paying passengers.