[jimworcs]

when will people start taking responsibility for themselves

I have no problem with your statement that they were taking a chance turning up so late.. but I have a problem with your statement above. The real question is "when will airlines accept responsibility for the actions of their employees?".

Airlines are sticklers for the rules and enforce them rigorously regardless of any extenuating circumstances and often without compassion. Here we have the opposite. AA refused to enforce their own rules at the cost of the passenger. When the passenger complained, instead of apologising and reimbursing the extra $50 the passenger had to pay, AA have sought to bamboozle the passengers with a series of emails which "fog" the issue. The bottom line is this... the passenger met the requirements set by AA and AA refused to meet the terms of their contract. You are wrong to defend the airline in this situation Cortney, no matter how ill-advised you think the passenger was.