OK JUST GOT THIS EMAIL from AA customer relations via travel agent.
It's unedited.
You actually can book an award and revenue ticket in the same reservation when you book through our Reservations department. However, one of the exceptions to the separate baggage policy is our award tickets and revenue tickets. When they are booked separately online, you will need to contact our Reservations department so they can place the appropriate documentation to make sure they are linked. Our system will see that they are linked and are the correct type of ticket to link and will make sure that your luggage is checked all the way through. If it is a revenue and revenue ticket linked, our system will see the type of ticket it is and will not allow for the through checked luggage to be processed.