I booked an AS/Partner award ticket in First Class that has AS from Canada into SEA, then AA onwards to PHL. I had a 4 hour connection in SEA between the AS and AA flights which was my preference. The AA flight SEA-PHL I was booked on has been cancelled altogether, and I've now been re-protected on an alternate AA flight, with a tight connection.

I asked if AS could instead re-protect me on the cancelled SEA-PHL segment on AS metal, thus having AS metal the whole way and avoiding changing carriers in SEA.

AS said that even though it's an AS ticket, using AS miles, and the first segment is AS operated - they can't re-protect me onto AS when AA cancels a flight - I can only be rebooked onto another AA flight.

Compared to Delta or United whom are more than happy to rebook you onto their own metal when there's been a flight cancellation, I guess I don't understand why AS won't allow rebooking on own metal when the connecting flight has been cancelled.