As a multi-year PM on Delta the transition to AA has been a mixed (but improving) experience. I can't count how many times DL protected me and automatically rebooked flights due to delays or cancellations - regardless of cause. They would even track me down on the road to spare me an unneccessary trip to the airport when there was no way I could get out. This occurred even as a GM.

I am now PLT a bit shy of EXP on AA. Earlier this week on a trip from LGA to IND via ORD, a 45 minute delay prompted a quick trek to the AC where I asked to be protected on the later ORD to IND leg. The agent seemed a bit confused by the request but did (her wording) book me on both the earlier and later flights. She reminded me to cancel the later flight if I didn't use it to avoid having the remainder of my itinerary cancelled. I would have thought this would be automatic.

I ended up spending nearly 5 hours stuck on a taxiway at LGA and almost missed the later flight. In the interim I had my assistant call the PLT desk to protect me on the morning flight - just in case. I had to cancel the morning flight twice - the first PLT desk agent didn't know what he was doing when I checked online later that night.

The difference between DL and AA was revealing and AA really disappointed. Is this typical of AA and something I have to expect? More importantly does it get better once you make EXP?