By now, you've heard the news.

An estimated quarter million travelers have been affected by American Airlines' flight cancellations — about 3,100 of them since Tuesday, to be exact — across the country.

The cancellations have led to displaced travelers, ruined leisure and business trips, shouting matches and a host of other headaches.

Read on for a selection of stories of msnbc.com readers being hit by the mess ...

Unhappy return

My wife and I were returning from vacation in Cabo San Lucas when our flight was canceled and we learned all the MD-80s had been grounded. American did an outstanding job regardless of what has been reported. They arranged lodging, transportation, meals and amentities at a resort close to the airport and then went to work to get us home as quickly as they could under the circumstances. Eventually, we were booked on a Contintental flight to Houston with a connection to DFW, our destination. The reason I fly American and will continue to do so is they know how to act in a professional manner when adversity strikes and provide their customer with courtesey and prompt attention. --Anonymous , Hickory Creek, TX (submitted on April 11, 2008)

Maid of honor in distress

On a much-anticipated trip to Miami, I ended up finding that my flight had been canceled in Atlanta, and no other connecting flights could be made to get me there. I was the maid of honor for my sister's wedding, and so everyone (but me) had arrived in Miami ... without their host of the bachelorette weekend. When I asked to speak to the AA mananger, the woman at the counter told me no one was on duty. I did not fly out that night, and so the next flight out was the next day. I was in Miami for less than 24 hours that weekend as a result. I learned that, according to a phone rep for AA, a manager must be available (on site), so what they told me initially, was apparently false. I asked to be accomodated for this inconvenience/ cancellation, an instead, I was told that no one could process my request, since no one was on duty. I will not fly American Airlines again. --Anonymous , Athens, GA (submitted on April 11, 2008)

Memphis blues

I was scheduled to fly Dallas to Memphis on Tuesday afternoon returning from a business trip. I arrived at the airport a few hours early, checked in, and proceeded to do work on my laptop. I checked AA's site to see if there was a gate change and found out my flight was canceled with no explanation. I went to the nearest AA Gate and was placed on a Continental Flight to Memphis via Houston. After proceeding to the opposite end of the airport (travelers to DFW know how large it is), Continental told me they were oversold and didn't know why American was confirming people on their flights. I then proceeded to the Northwest gate nearby and could have gotten on a nonstop flight back to Memphis but the AA gate agent failed to print out my ticket, and Northwest had no way to board me without a ticket. Frustrated, I returned back to AA's terminal and discovered absolute chaos, incredible lines everywhere. I finally founded a relatively short line (10-15 people) and spoke with a friendly gate agent who wanted to put me on a flight the next morning to Memphis. Knowing that AA only flies MD-80s to Memphis, I asked to be placed on a Northwest flight the next morning. (Thankfully I did, as all AA flight to Memphis were canceled Wednesday and Thursday). When I arrived to DFW Wednesday morning about 4:45 a.m. for a 6:25 flight, the lines were packed. Only two security lines were open and the lines must of had several hundred people in them. Because many AA rebooked customers are other airlines on one-way tickets, there were several secondary security checks that slowed the lines to a near halt. I was one of many people who had to go through "secondary screening". After spending 1 hour and 15 minutes in a security line and a 15 minute "secondary screening", I ran to my gate and barely made it on my Northwest flight at 6:15. I fault both AA and DFW for not having a sufficient plan in place. While the employees I encountered were competent, it just seems that airlines and the government are so reactive to a problem instead of being proactive. People hate incompetence, and the entire aviation system falls in that category. --Anonymous , Memphis, TN (submitted on April 11, 2008)

Praying for mom

My mother came to visit from Wisconsin and she was supposed to fly back home on Wednesday the 9th out of El Paso on American Airlines. Her flight was canceled and she was told there was no way to get her all the way home that day. American Airlines booked her for the next day and again, her flight was canceled. As she was on the phone with AA I was on the Internet searching for a way for her to get home. We found a flight on the Internet but AA said they couldn't see that one. They told us to book it and she would be reimbursed, we asked them repeatedly if they were sure she would be reimbursed and told them the flight was over $800. They said yes you will over and over. Not one minute after she hit "book my flight" they changed their mind on the reimbursement and now said she has to call AA (she was on the phone with them already but apparently the wrong department) and work out a reimbursement with them. The flight was over $800. Then to top it all off, her newly booked flight was delayed three hours and she missed her connecting flight in Phoenix where she was then put in a hotel for the night. She is currently in the air as I type and I just pray she makes it home after three days of airport and airline hell! --Nancy Rozzo, El Paso, TX (submitted on April 11, 2008)

Fortunate travels

I am one of the lucky ones. Lucky because my AA cancellation was early in the first wave, when other airlines still had room to accommodate. And lucky because I moved like heck when my Chicago-to-Phoenix flight cancellation was announced, knowing what was to follow. And so I got home that night, much later than expected, after a grueling international journey. But I looked at all those people lined up behind me, many coming from Europe, and felt for them and for the miserable adventure some would go through. Once again, I shake my head and wonder what it will take to finally get some form of a Passenger Bill of Rights. If you change your travel plans, you are charged a hefty change fee. Why don’t the airlines to do the same? And what of he inconsistent treatment from airport to airport? While AA is appropriately apologizing, as well they should, that doesn’t make up for the tremendous losses to the passengers. It is ironic to see Congress getting involved now after failing to pass any useful legislation to protect us. --Anonymous , Glendale, AZ (submitted on April 11, 2008)

Late, but we made it

Well, I guess we were some of the lucky ones. Our AA flights were canceled on Tuesday, April 8 in El Paso, Texas. However, AA put us on a Frontier flight from El Paso to Denver and on a United flight from Denver to Birmingham, Ala. We made it although we didn't get in until 1:45 a.m. --Buddy Jensen, Virden, NM (submitted on April 11, 2008)

Thanks call center girl!

I traveled from LaGuardia to St. Louis yesterday. My 3:55 p.m. American Airlines flight was canceled very early. I called the American Airlines 800 number and had to wait on hold two hours before I got to speak to someone. She said she had been working for 12 hours already and was not planning on going home for 12 more. Quickly, easily and with a great sense of humor she re-booked me on a Delta Airlines flight that got me home 2 1/2 hours earlier than my original flight. To the American Airlines call center girl; I did not get your name but thanks for being there!!! You made a seemingly bad day a lot brighter!! P.S.: To the American Airlines employees who thought that taking a shortcut on FAA required repairs would save you money ... nice job!!!!!! --William Wright, St. Louis, MO (submitted on April 11, 2008)

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