Wouldn't this situation be considered "refusal to transport" and thus fall under the "Involuntary Refunds" section of the CoC? If so, all AA would be required to do is provide a full refund of the miles and taxes/fees.
http://www.aa.com/i18n/customerServi...ge.jsp#Refunds
Involuntary Refunds
In the event the refund is required because of American's failure to operate on schedule or refusal to transport, the following refund will be made directly to you -
If the ticket is totally unused, the full amount paid (with no service charge or refund penalty), or
If the ticket is partially used, the applicable fare for the unused segment(s).
American shall not be obligated to refund any portion(s) of a ticket which does not reflect a confirmed reservation on an American flight involved in a schedule irregularity, unless such ticket was issued by American.
Whether the refund is voluntary or involuntary, American reserves the right to refuse to make any refund in a currency other than the currency of purchase or in a country other than country of purchase.