OP should understand that he can send the bill for a car service, train tickets or whatever to AA and he may also demand that AA force revenue space on another carrier and pay him IDB. But, that won't happen. It is unhelpful in the extreme for someone who is looking for a solution, not a way to bash AA for some other unstated reason.
I do agree that he should keep calling and simply start again. Try asking if seats have opened and then ask whether he can be moved to some specific alternative. At some point, an agent may add PNR notes and at that point the next agent won't likely budge. But, that may not happen at all and may not have happened yet.