Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
I am not apologizing for AA, but this is exactly the misery that can happen with air travel today - worse if the route is "long and thin" - on practically any airline. The only answer, though I would suggest putting in to AA for some compensation for sure, is to fly as defensively as you can.
Have your alternate flights on hand, the OSO / IRROPS (800-446-7834) and status telephone numbers programmed in your cell phone so you can jump queues and call preemptively for better assigned on alternate flights, etc. (I'd probably have called BA to assure I had a seat before jumping terminals, as well.)
Some things you can't do anything about - a hotel room during Sandy repairs and work is just as it is.