American Airlines Might Be The Worst Airline In The Country After Nightmare Experience

It was the best of times. It was the worst of times.

As OutKick readers know, I'm heading up to Madison in September to watch the Badgers play Alabama. I couldn't be more excited. Watching the Crimson Tide play in Camp Randall against my beloved Badgers is definitely a bucket list moment for me and many other fans.

The trip is going to cost me nearly $5,000 when it's all said and done, but it's worth every single penny in my book. However, I've already encountered some serious issues months before I'm even scheduled to leave.

Welcome to my nightmare with American Airlines.

Being waterboarded would be more fun than dealing with American Airlines

A few days back, I got a notification that my direct return flight to Washington D.C. had been bumped to a later flight with a connection through Chicago. Frustrating? Yes. End of the world? No.

I even went to AA's website to see if the original flight was still available, and I didn't see it. Okay, we get to sleep in a little bit more and have time for an extra beer at the airport. If the direct return flight no longer exists, then I figured biting the bullet with a short connection wouldn't be a huge deal.

Things took an unexpected twist when my buddy, who is also attending the game, told me he'd been switched back to the original direct flight. I had not. I was somehow still on the later flight with a connection. This is where my nightmare Sunday began to unfold.

I figured I'd just contact AA and ask to be put back on the original flight that I paid for *AND PAID EXTRA FOR A VERY SPECIFIC SEAT.* This is important. It plays a big role very soon.

American Airlines customer service is a disaster. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)

Instead of hanging out with a buddy at Union Pub - a nice place in D.C. - for a few beers, I find myself on the phone with AA having the most braindead conversation you can imagine. I'm simply asking to be put back on the original flight in my original seat that I paid a premium for. The flight, once again, exists and it shouldn't be that hard to put me back on it.

The phone conversation was less pleasant than what I imagine getting waterboarded is like, but after a long time, the AA customer service rep says I've been put back on the direct flight and while there's some confusion about seating, I'm going to take this little victory.

Little did I know disaster was looming.

It's often the moments when you think you've won that you're actually on the brink of utter collapse. I got an email notification about my updated itinerary. No sweat. Just what I was expecting……until I opened it and read the message.

American Airlines had changed my September 13th outgoing flight to June 15th leaving from Madison. As in this Saturday! Yes, American Airlines thinks I need to fly to Madison months before the game….while also switching where I'm leaving from.

I'm officially pissed.

American Airlines customer service was a disaster. (Credit: David Hookstead)

I spent a bunch of time on the phone instead of talking with my buddies only to find out AA had somehow ruined my trip even worse. What should have been a dream situation has turned into a nightmare.

I immediately contacted AA customer support again, and to say I was shocked by what happened next would be an understatement. Remember when I said I paid extra for specific seats on both legs of the trip?

You're going to want to be sitting down for what comes next. I was informed by AA that because flights had been changed - due to their own errors and stupidity - I would now have to pay extra again and then submit a refund.

Yes, American Airlines made me pay again for my seats, and I'm now hoping I get my original money back, which isn't a guarantee. I was ready to throw my phone through a wall, and as OutKick readers know, I'm a peaceful man. I can't even remember the last time I was legit angry. It's been a very long time.

Yet, I found myself very unhappy Sunday night. Let's run down the sequence of events:

• American Airlines changes my direct flight to one with a connection.
• American Airlines then for no reason at all changes my September 13th flight to June 15th leaving from Madison.
• American Airlines then makes me pay again for seats I'd already paid for once because it switched flights on me without asking.

Am I being punked? Is Ashton Kutcher going to hop out of a closet and tell me this disaster is all a huge prank? I have never had a more miserable time with an airline in my life. The good news is I thrive in adversity, and I'm not going to let my entire Sunday - and possibly the trip - being ruined stop me from having a good time. Onward and upward from here. Definitely reach out to David.Hookstead@outkick.com with your thoughts.