American Airlines comes through ...sort of.

To our intense surprise, AA actually answered our letter,  as follows:

September 14, 2011 

Dear Mr. Bodner: 

Thank you for contacting Customer Relations.  We received your letter and were eager to send you a reply as quickly as possible. ( just two weeks later)

Accordingly, I obtained the email address you provided for your AAdvantage® membership profile and have taken the liberty of responding to you electronically.  After reading your comments, we are very disappointed to hear that we let you down. It must have been frustrating when your flight encountered mechanical problems resulting in multiple delays. (Our flight didn't have mechanical problems -- the previous one did.)

 There is no question that both of you were inconvenienced.  At the same time, we very much appreciate your honest feedback.  Your comments represent areas of our service that receive our continual review and we are renewing our focus on these very key service areas.  The details you provided give us an opportunity to improve and you have our pledge that we are working hard to make your next overall travel experience with us the best that it can be.  

While on-time performance is a top priority at American, the many uncontrollable factors associated with air travel make some delays and cancellations inevitable.  For this reason, and in keeping with airline industry practices, we cannot assume financial responsibility for our customers' personal time lost or for out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of operational difficulties. (According to the brochure we received, they are. At least for some of them.)

 Nevertheless, we should always do everything possible to make such situations a little less frustrating.  As a gesture of goodwill, we have added 15,000 bonus miles to each of your AAdvantage® accounts. (We asked for 25,000.) These adjustments will be reflected in your account very soon. 

Mr. Bodner, again, thank you for keeping us informed.  We look forward to the privilege of welcoming you and your wife aboard American Airlines very soon.  

Sincerely,

(Name Withheld)

Customer Relations

American Airlines

Good boilerplate, albeit it didn't answer our problem. But better than an unusable voucher.

It does help to write letters of complaint to the people who can do something, rather than just bitch to your friends and acquaintances.  And sometimes you even get some of what you you requested.