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I just flew from San Jose to Fort Lauderdale. My trip involved a plan change in Dallas/Fort Worth. I was traveling alone with a 2 year old. I had a CRS strapped with a Traveling Toddler to my carryon bag. I had paid for two seats. My daughter had a tiny backpack on that was really just a bag attached to a monkey harness as I was worried about her running away while I managed luggage by myself. I had my purse. I had a very small bag that I kept all my liquids and food in so I could more easily get through security (only had to empty that one bag). And then I had a diaper bag and a very tiny bag with a spare diaper and wipes so when I had to go to the bathroom to change my daughter, I would not have to lug my whole diaper bag down the aisle along with a very active 2 year old. ALL of these bags were small and easily fit under the front seat. The Car seat occupied my daughter's seat and is NOT included in the carryon allowance. The carry one roller bag went in the bin overhead.

So. In San Jose outbound, I asked the gate desk if I could pre board. No problem. I was nicely allowed on first so I could strap my daughter's car seat in and get OUT of the aisle ASAP. I had a few problems getting off and the Pilot, Yes, the PILOT, actually helped me off the plane and carried my car seat into the terminal where I had to reassemble everything.

So when I went to check in to continue to Florida, I asked if I could pre-board. The woman said yes, in 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, I approached the loading area. I was standing near another ticketing woman and she asked if she could help me. I said I wanted to possibly pre-board. She said no problem.

But then, when it came to boarding, a third woman was calling the boarding. I went to her and asked about pre-boarding. She said, NO. In a very nasty way and that they don't do that. I said the other woman (the first woman), who was standing RIGHT there said I could. That other woman did NOT speak up which was Very lame of her. She just kept her head down. I told her that they allowed me to pre-board in San Jose. She said they do things differently in Dallas. And then in the MOST CONDESCENDING VOICE, VICKY told me that, "We are all adults here." Mind you, by now, this was happening in front of about 20 people.

So then I walked over to the second woman and said that the third woman told me I could not pre-board. She had been unaware of all that was transpiring so she looked up and got a disgusted look on her face and walked over to the second woman and told her something. She came back and told me I could board. So I was waiting and then Vicky told me that I had to wait until Group 1 boarded. So I just stood there. Then she looks over and told me I have to many bags. I told her I did not, that I was allowed them. My CRS did not count as a bag. She pointed to my 2 year old's TINY backpack and said that counted. I just looked at her stunned. I said I had my daughter in a harness, that happened to have a bag with it, so that I did not LOOSE her in the airport. I then asked her why she was giving me such a hard time. She ignored me. Then the nicest of all the women, number two, came up and Vicky goes to her and complains, "She has too many bags."

It was all quite stupid because I could have stuffed the smaller bag AND my daughter's pack in my roller carry on. She basically was just giving me a REALLY hard time and was being nasty and completely CLUELESS that it is people like me that pay her salary through the purchase of our tickets.

I was fuming and boarded the plane. A man behind me offered to help and I asked him why she was being so awful. He said he had seen the same thing the day before when he had flown.

I could also tell you what happened on the return. Another nasty comment about pre-boarding.

What is it with AA? How come your staff cannot see a woman traveling by herself with a child and baggage on a cross country flight and give someone a break? When I was able to pre-board from San Jose, I got me and my daughter on board in and my seat in record time. I held up no lines. When I was not allowed to, even going after Group 1, I held up all the lines, it was incredibly stressful and a very unpleasant experience for me and everyone else.

Vicky is absolutely a horrible customer service person and if I had a way to notify her supervisor, I would. I will think twice, no three times about flying AA again alone with a child.

It is clear AA has no across the board policy to make their airlines family friendly.