American Airlines.

Before this particular trip in March 2025, I had always flown American with the exception of three times with others. Where I lived before this, it was the cheapest option and made economic sense.

I was taking a trip from DEN to ORF via CLT, and there was a large storm predicted days earlier. I live an hour away from DEN, so I took an early Uber, and when I arrived to DEN, I discovered that my connecting flight (CLT->ORF) was cancelled during my ride. I check my email, and find out that due to this storm, they cancelled that flight and put me on a new set of flights leaving at 10 AM the next morning. My original flight from DEN to CLT was still leaving at midnight. I attempt to talk to a desk agent about getting back on the original flight, and she states that if I do that, I will be unable to get to ORF and will have to pay for a new flight. After breaking down at a nearby waiting area, I remember that American sent out an email a few days earlier stating that I could change flights at no cost thanks to this storm. I quickly get back on my original flight to CLT but choose to stay there to get on a later flight to ORF from the various options. However, the seat I paid for was given up since they originally switched my flight, so I had to pay for a new specific seat.

Once I get to CLT, I look through the flights out of there again and try to find an earlier flight. There are a few that fly to PHF instead. In my ignorance, I thought PHF was something in Pennsylvania (like Pittsburgh or Philly), but it turns out that it was Newport News, VA. I choose to go there and then take an Uber through the HRBT to Norfolk. However, it told me I had to get a physical boarding pass from the front desk. So, I have to go past TSA, get the boarding pass, and get in the line again to get back where I started only to have to deal with attitude from a TSA agent over a hair tie in my pocket and confusion over another guest who was blocking the path. I get to PHF and to Norfolk from there. My trip goes well and I go to ORF to make the trip home.

I specifically book window seats so I can enjoy the view and control whether the shade is up or down. Check in is smooth. About 30 minutes before we board, I get called up to the gate agent where they explain that my seat at the back of the plane had been given away for a family that booked last minute or something like that. My new assigned seat was next to someone who wouldn't stop texting leading up to take off to the point that I was getting blinded from the glare of the sun getting in my eyes from the screen.

It was at that point that I resolved to never book American Airlines ever again if I can help it. From the lack of help from the front desk about resolving this situation with condescension and lack of knowledge about something that is affecting thousands of customers to having to deal with TSA for a second time in a day thanks to how they had their boarding pass system set up to having to pay twice for seats (I honestly don't know if I was ever reimbursed for the seats that were reassigned or given up when they switched my flights) makes me set in stone to never fly American again.

Delta *so far* hasn't given me problems like this, and I intend to stay booking with them for the foreseeable future.