i was flying with my wife and 3 kids on a european vacation on wed 6/5. i purchased a travel package on travelocity that included tickets (one infant) and hotel. at check in (2 hrs prior) there was a huge issue where they couldn't get the infant ticket to work or something so check in took 1.5 hrs. we literally ran to the gate to catch our flight to CLT. we were the last ones there. the GA said all the overhead bins are full and that we would have to gate check our one roller bag. no problem. however he said we have to gate check it in to our final destination (MAD). i told him that was unacceptable since we had baby stuff on there that we needed for our layover and extra outfits for the kids. i had a feeling that our luggage wasn't going to make it since we checked in so close to departure (and sure enough 2 out of 3 bags arrived 3 days into our trip).

i told him to please simply gate check it to CLT. he insisted that he only does that for FC passengers. i couldnt believe it. i told him that he's wrong, that i've personally had this happen where the overhead space fills up and they simply gate check to your next destination. he got extremely rude and told me my only option was to check my carry on to MAD or to wait for the next flight (which would mean missing the only CLT to MAD flight). i asked for a manager and he said "i'm not going to delay all these people for you to ask something that i already told you". i insisted he call the manager, once he did she was there in 2 mins.

once she got there he rudely turned his back on me and told her "these people want to gate check their bag to CLT but i told them we only do that for FC passengers and he wont believe me". she immediately said "i have no problem with that" and grabbed my bag and gate checked it to CLT. i swear if i didnt think he would pull me off the flight i would have told him to go f*ck himself.

now this isnt' my first bad experience with AA gate agents... is this becoming normal? i'm still extremely pissed off. we had baby formula, clothes, diapers, etc on our ONLY carry on for a family of 5 on an international trip... had the manager not arrived and approved it i would havanyways just ranting since i'm still pissed; i wish i had gotten his name; but in all the rush i forgot..