Originally Posted by
Often1
Your son should simply say, "AA changed my schedule and I noticed that there is an earlier flight available. Because of the schedule change, would you please change me from my current flight to the earlier flight."
Indeed,
Often1, what you have said is spot on. One cannot over emphasize the importance of not initiating a conversation unless one knows what one wants to ask and what one wishes to receive. In doing this, one ought balance politeness (of request) with a bit of assumptiveness (that what one wishes is both specific and something which can be done). The moment one becomes rude or demanding is the moment that one can feel assured that nothing good will happen.