Arline Responsibility

HI
This is a question about the airline responsibility to help their passengers. My mom had a knee replacement few months ago. She also has a lot of other health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure. I have reserved a 5hr flight from California to New York with American Airline. When I bought the tickets I requested a front row seat so my mom can extend here leg to minimize the pain in here knee, and a wheel chair to help here when she gets to New York. When I got to the counter AA refused to give here front row seats. The lady on the counter was rude and inconsiderate. She also charged my mom a $110 for here medication bag that she took on the airplane, because she clamed it to be an extra bag. The wheel chair was provided when she got there. This caused my mom lot of pain and inconvenience during the flight. I have called the airlines to complain about this treatment. And their comments were just as bad as their service. What are the airlines responsibility in assisting people how need help specially since my mom at that time is considered a semi handicapped.
thanks

As a person who has endured many rude airline employees, this is what I've started doing:

You need to write a letter to the customer complaint/customer service department of AA. Go to their website & find an address or call the 1-800 # and ask for it. Detail EXACTLY what you did and how you were treated. Names of the airline employees, if you have them, should be included in your letter. Point out that you requested the front row behind first class during the reservation process. As for the bag, if she already was carrying on 2 bags, then you are out of luck for the $110. If she wasn't, demand they refund this money & enclose a copy of the receipt for this charge. Enclose copies of the boarding passes so they can track the flights - this helps sometimes. CC the letter to the president of the airline & the local BBB.

There's also an airline complaint website out there somewhere - I don't remember how I found it when I had a complaint against an airline.