Most of my travel is on DL, as I know they have the best overall customer service, especially as a Diamond Medallion, but I still travel on AA enough to keep Platinum status. But this happened to me the other day, and I have kind of hit a brick wall with AA.

On New Year's day night I was traveling from GRB to PHX via ORD in the evening in paid F. We left GRB on time and landed in ORD about 15 minutes early, but did not actually pull up to our gate for another hour, which caused me to miss my connection to PHX. As we were sitting on the tarmac waiting, we were given a couple different reasons for not having agate...we were early...weather (which there was no weather issues in ORD that night)...mechanical problems and finally there was a medical emergency. After getting my valet checked bag I went up to the GA at our arrival gate and said that I had missed my connection and could she help. The agent said "no you have 10-minutes yet before departure and you can make it" I said no, that I had looked at the app and my assignment had been removed and given to another traveler as my seat had dash in place of the seat number. The agent just said go to the departure gate and they will "deal with you there". My arrival gate was G9 and my departure gate was K11. I elected to call in to AA reservations and the agent who answered said that all they could do was put me on stand-by for the next flight to PHX, because I was a no-show on my first flight. I said yes, I know I was a no-show...because I was stuck on a plane sitting on the tarmac waiting to get to the gate. I was told by the agent that because there were no first class seats available, she could not get me a confirmed seat because my class was not available...that was a new one to me. Yes F was sold out, but AA still had seats for sale on the app in main cabin...just needed to see an agent to purchase because it was with in 3-hours of departure or whatever their rules are. I asked if she could put me on a United flight leaving in about 45-minutes...and I was told no because I could be put on stand-by for the later AA flight. The phone agent said if I wanted a confirmed seat in main cabin on the later AA flight, I would have to purchase a new ticket. By that time I had had it with AA's incompetence and I actually ended up buying a ticket on United, as I needed to get home that night. So $534 later I was on my way home. Next day I called back in to AA to ask for a partial refund on my ticket as they could not get me home that night and was told that the remaining portion of my ticket was cancelled because I was a no-show. I went through the whole ordeal with that agent and even hung up and called back to no avail. I actually don't even want money back...a simple e-credit for the remaining value would be fine. I am not looking for additional compensation, or reimbursement for the United ticket. Based on the EQD for the segment of the trip that posted, the remaining value should be about $475-ish...The total ticket was $538, and $34 EQD posted.

Am I off base here...asking for an e-credit for the remaining value? Although I think my days of having AA as a back-up to fly when Delta is not available may be over...I just hate to make the move to United...but that is my only other choice.