Originally Posted by
SJOGuy
We all replay disputes in our minds, wishing we’d said or done something we didn’t. I’m saying that during or after a disagreement with someone, it never occurs to me that I’d like to punch that person or to tell them to do something obscene that is physiologically impossible.
Really? I would consider both of these things normal human reactions to a stressful situation with someone who appears to be intentionally amplifying a problem (and then smirking about it). It's engaging in this form of fantasy retaliation inside your mind that keeps people from actually becoming violent or abusive. Reading through this entire thread, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the cool-headed demeanor the OP has maintained despite frequent personal attacks and condescending suggestions that he should somehow have prevented the situation from occurring in the first place.
I'm surprised that no one has noted the fact that the delay in getting to the gate is quite likely to have been the fault of AA and their prehistoric IT system, not Travelocity. I don't have children, but know many others who do and routinely have problems with lap infant ticketing even when booked directly with AA. If AA could actually fix their systems so that these problems did not occur as often, passengers like the OP and their family would be at the gate ahead of time, ready to board into their MCE seats (which are advertised as offering the opportunity to access overhead space ahead of other passengers--such that a family of 5 should safely assume that they will be able to carry on much more than just one bag) and we would not be having this discussion. But they haven't fixed their system, they cause passengers to spend hours at the airport just trying to check in to their flight, and then refuse to make any reasonable accommodation to solve the resulting problems. When the GA repeatedly asserts, "We only do that for First Class passengers," what they are saying is, "I could easily fix this problem that we have created, but I won't because you are seated in Coach." Rules are rules, but people are people. Which is more important?