[msbtw]

They should have assigned seating when we told them that we had to change our flight. This was four days before departure. Also, the jerk in Chicago could have been at least civil to me in my time of distress. Doesn't American Airlines even believe in customer service? In contrast, the people at Hampton Inn where we stayed lowered our room rate and found us the quietest room in the hotel when we informed them that my mom had passed away. American Airlines treated both me and my wife like we were trying to pull something on them, like it was our fault that we were in the situation we were in. American should establish a compassion fare customer service line that deals especially with people in these situations and work with them to get the best fare possible, not charge the highest fare possible, plus a change fee. This, in the long run would create more business for the airline, and more satisfied customers. The man at the desk in Chicago should be fired or at least given a position where his stony-faced smirk is not revealed to the general public.