Scumbag agents lie and charge extra fees! Do not fly AA
 

We were at Miami international and we got to the gate 10 minutes before departure and there was no staff there at all! An extremely rude agent finally emerged from the tunnel and refused to let us on the plane even though the bridge was STILL connected. We were right there, luggage already checked onto the plane but she insisted that we were too late even though we can see the plane. We argued with Her for a few minutes but by then they disconnected the bridge and the plane began to pull away.

She advised us our only option was to Rebook the flight as 'standby' passengers. Fortunately there was a flight later that day however the rebooking agent scammed us into 'confirming' our tickets by paying a $200 per person change fee. She was adamant that the plane was almost full and that we had a very good chance we wouldn't make the flight unless we confirmed. We payed the change fee but much to our dismay, when it came time to fly, I counted a least 7 open seats around me! I feel like I've been tricked and scammed into paying the change fee. The agent blatantly lied to my face and said there was only 1 seat available but she could 'request more'. What kind of business practice is that? No wonder these airline companies can't turn a profit. I for one am never flying American airlines again!

1.) Getting to the gate under 10 minutes before departure is not good. yes you can consider your flight as kissed goodbye.

2.) The AA gate crew may have been looking at the standby list and seen that there was a chance that your group really would not have made the flight based on were you were or only a couple of people in your group would have made it. Gate agents generally have to wait and see what they would have in the why of no shows before clearing their standby lists.
So you were given options to confirm for $200.00 per person (this fee varies airline to airline my airline charges up to $100.00 per person for missing a flight but will go up soon), or wait and see. You chose to confirm. So you paid for the service. :D

Forced Up-Grade Ticket Purchase at Checkin
 

I had purchased my ticket a month prior to flying. It was for a regular Cabin seat. I got to the check-in 3 hours early on my connecting flight, got my seat for that flight no problem. Asked for my seat assignment for connecting flight in Chicago 6 hours flight time from then. AA agent says all regular seats are taken. I said I am one of those seats, look at my ticket. She said no its taken without your ticket, you have to buy an up-graded seat. I said I can not I have no extra money, She said very snotty pay for the upgrade or forfeit your ticket. I could not forfeit the ticket as I was to appear in court an hour and a half after I got to California as an arresting officer in a murder case. I was retired and living in Michigan. She stated I do not care about all that, pay or get out of line forfeiting your ticket. I quickly called my spouse and had her transfer money to our debit account and purchased the upgrade. It is illegal to raise the price of a ticket once purchased. AA customer relations states you used the ticket with the upgrade so no refund for the upgrade cost. I had flown 9 times this year alone with AA, never again. So unprofessional and no illegal. Very very sad.