Worst travel nightmare

I was hoping to spend the weekend with my parents visiting family, but I never made it, thank you American Airlines.

Here is the rundown of what happened:

1) May 7 flight 5214 scheduled to leave from Chattanooga to Charlotte then to Scranton/WilkesBarre. I had a rental car reserved in Scranton to drive to Binghamton.  Got up at 2:00 am, left Sewanee late (3:20am, add +1 hr for time zone change, Sewanee is Central, Airport - Eastern).  I traveled 75 minutes to airport, speeding up to 95mph in the rain to get the 6:00 am flight.  Flight was delayed 2.5 hrs! ... so because I would miss my connection, I rebooked the same flight next day because I didn't want a day long layover in the airport.  Drove 75 min back home.  Cost approx $30 in gas and airport parking to make the trip. 

2) May 8, flight 5214 I started this trip for the second time, getting up at 2:00am in Sewanee, leaving at 3:00 am with a 75 min drive to the airport  (+ the 1hr time zone change). Flight 5214 May 8th was boarded on time 6:00 am, but sat on the runway in Chattanooga for 90+ min due to "computer error" we were told, flight arrived in Charlotte 9:06 am, connection missed by just a few minutes. I sort of ran or scuffled through the airport to try and make it.   AA refused to take responsibility for this failure and didn't enter a 'reason code' for their failure to leave on time, which may hinder my appeal for a refund.   

Was rebooked on AA423 to Philadelphia with an 8+ hr layover and a 2.5 hour bus ride from Phil to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Seat became open on a 8:30 pm direct flight to Scranton without the bus ride, so I took that.  Flight was delayed numerous times then canceled due to weather.  I booked a hotel room but their airport shuttle stopped running at 10 pm and Uber quoted $70 for a ride, so I spent the next 30min trying to cancel and get refunded for that, which I did.  By that time it was after midnight and all airport hotels were sold out and I was forced to sleep on the Charlotte airport floor on the evening of May 8 after being up all night the previous 2 nights to catch 2 previous morning's 6:00 am flights. Two consecutive flights delayed and missed connections.   I doubt I slept more than 20 min on the marble floor.  

3) May 9 - Was rebooked on a ridiculous itinerary, with a stop in Phil and a 12 hr layover (9am to 9pm) then a 2.5 hr bus ride! Unacceptable. By this time, after being in the airport for 24 hrs, I was exhausted so I opted to return home to Chattanooga on the 11:47am flight, without ever reaching my planned destination.  After having waited 27 hrs in the Charlotte airport for the 11:47pm flight, it was canceled without explanation on short notice!  Later that day, I was lucky to have gotten the last seat on standby on a 1:30 pm flight.  As I was getting clearance to get on the plane, a passenger riot was breaking out behind me.  Apparently I got ahead of passengers with legit tickets who simply didn't hear the boarding call, and ahead of a couple traveling together because there was only one seat left.  I hear this redneck behind me begin to threaten the young black gate agent who got in his face and said, "what you gonna do?  what you gonna do!!?"  I got outta there and down the gangway as quick as possible, fearing they would pluck me off the flight.   

By this time, I had been in Charlotte airport 28+ consecutive hours.  I landed in Chattanooga about 2:30 pm and spent 30 min in bumper to bumper traffic on the highway.  Took me 90+ min to get home.

Worst travel experience in my life.

It's going to take days to recover from this. I could have easily driven from TN to NY and back in this amount of time. I never reached my destination and returned home, feeling sick and exhausted.  

I fell asleep about 5 pm and woke up in the dark disoriented.  It was only 11pm.  I went back to sleep for another 6 hrs and woke up at 5 am.  I literally walked MILES in that airport and my knee wasn't feeling great and I had gotten a foot blister, but after 12 hrs sleep, the knee feels better today that it ever has.  So, at least that's good.  

Rainy cold shitty weather in TN, raining and 57º right now.  Will probably take the day off from working out and do something tomorrow.  At least I lost some weight during the trip despite eating poorly.  Was just under 145 lbs this morning.  

My "bed" at the airport: