A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
I think I could understand AA changing people to an earlier flight when a schedule change resulted in the "connection" now being more than four hours for a domestic itinerary, assuming that the original ticket wasn't a broken fare.
OTOH, if someone purchased a somewhat longer connection than necessary, the flight is still operating, and it's still a legal connection, I don't see how AA could insist on the rebooked tight connection. I suspect that DOT would disapprove even if it's not used as a way to avoid VDBs/IDBs.