Originally Posted by
klakhav
For some reason, I thought the gates closed 10 minutes before the flight.
Also, is there not a flat tire rule that allows pax to be confirmed on the next flight without charge.
Wrong. Did you have a flat tire, or why did you cut it so close?
A good place to look for this kind of information is on aa.com, with the specific information you're looking for
here. The most important point (this is for domestic travel): "In addition to checking in 30 minutes before departure, you must be present at the departure gate and ready to board at least 15 minutes prior to scheduled departure time to retain your reservation and a seat."