So I will ask again, as a consumer what should I know?
Re-book travel to another airline would be your best bet.
Please write a letter to AA and complain. They may send you some sort of nifty voucher... maybe a meal coupon to Chili's or Red River BBQ. You never know...
What exactly do you expect us to say to you?
Oh yes, the "work only 60 hours" thing that simply never, ever dies. We are PAID only when the aircraft is in motion. Everything else we do, we do for free. The 60 hours (more normally 85 to 95) is a paycheck device, not an indication of our work level.
Most people consider work to equate to "How many hours am I away from home, being forced to do stuff I'd rather not?" By that standard, we work as hard (or harder) than other jobs considered full-time.