FlyLots

Am really just trying to figure out what happened to me yesterday. First comment, DFW was a mess on Sunday afternoon (4/7) as thunderstorms were rolling through and there was a ramp hold for a couple of hours.

I and a companion checked in at PHX for flights PHX-DFW-EWR. Was told that we hadn't been upgraded DFW-EWR, but we were the first PLT's on the list. On landing at DFW went to the gate and asked as to the upgrade. Was told, "wasn't going to happen". When I got into the office this morning I see that I got an email confirming both my and my companion's upgrade on the DFW-EWR flight sent while we were in the air from PHX-DFW (ie well before I asked at the gate).

When we tried to board the DFW-EWR flight with our printed boarding cards for 16A/B, we were rejected and told to check at the gate. We were hopeful that the upgrades had come through. We were then told that our seats had been given away and the agent had no explanation beyond "you were on the upgrade list". When I began to question her about it she told me to step aside so she could work on it as "I know what I am doing". After a whole lot of typing and questions back and forth between the gate agent and what I assume to have been a supervisor (young woman in a business suit with a walkie-talkie), was finally handed boarding cards for 27D/E. I immediately complained about the fact that our original A/B (window and aisle on the two-seat side) had now been switched for an aisle and middle on the three side. The agent then told me that she would do what she could for my companion but I had to board right now or "we'll have to security screen you and you'll miss the flight". Needless to say I didn't board and the best they could do was to move my companion to 27F and keep me in 27E.

The only way that I can piece together what happened is that we got the upgrade and then before we could claim the seats at DFW, paying First Class passengers were moved onto our flight (there were flights to LGA and JFK that were cancelled because of weather), thereby downgrading us again, but without seats. I am livid about how this was handled by AA and the rudeness of the gate agent. In retrospect I should have gone to the Aadmiral's Club right from the start and had the agents there deal with it.

Is my explanation plausible (we were upgraded, then downgrade without seats)? Could I have done anything differently? Do I have a valid complaint either regarding the situation or how the agent handled/threatened me? Unfortunately I didn't get her name.