Argh! I booked flights on American Airlines a few weeks ago and booked a later afternoon/evening flight so that I'd have time to get some work done during the day before flying out. As if!
It seems that American Airlines has been taken over by SouthWest Airlines, or so it would appear from the the service that I've gotten from American thus far. When I went online to check-in for my flight I find that I can't check-in because I don't have assigned/selected seats yet. Ok, no problem, I'll just click on the select seats button, pick a couple of seats and be all set. Ooops, not so fast buddy... can't select seats there was a problem, blah blah. Or so was the issue about a half day ago. This a.m. I went to select seats, saw 3 open seats, selected one of them, continued to select a seat for the second individual (my mother) who is flying with me, continued on to be told that there was a problem selecting seats as one of the seat wasn't available. Oh, really?! The seat that is shown on my screen as available isn't available?!! I refresh a few times, still see seats available, but the ones that I see available are exit row seating (middle seats, but exit row). I acknowledged that I understand the responsibility of sitting in the exit seat (I prefer those seats, even if they are middle seats), and try to select those seats but can't no matter what I do. Double argh.
I called up customer service last night and again this morning and got absolutely no assistance from them. Bleh.
So, it would appear that until I get to the airport I can't get seats assigned and can't check-in early.
Why, oh why didn't I just get my tickets with SouthWest Airlines?! They would have been cheaper and the seat selection process (non-existent for the most part on SouthWest Airlines as they still use the cattlecar boarding methods...) would have been easier.
I can guarantee which airline has moved to the bottom of my preferred airlines list, regardless of the many miles and preferential status I'm supposed to have with them. 
