American Airlines: Unfriendly

First time I've encountered this scam: Our 6:30 am flight was involuntarily rebooked to 5 am. During online checkin, I was offered my ORIGINAL itinerary, with different flight numbers, for a 50 percent upcharge. Infuriating! 

I paid to rebook rather than attempt to get to EWR by 4 am on a Sunday, but I'm steamed. Please suggest the most effective way to complain. (I've filed an online complaint and sent a direct tweet.)

I'd call them to attempt to reverse the rebooking fee. 

Update: Resolution via DM on Twitter took 37 minutes. 

I don't think there is any such thing as a "friendly" airline any more.   

If an airline switches your flight time, they will almost always re- book you on any other flight and waive change fees and fare difference. You should have just called. The on-line system didn't "know" you had originally been booked on another flight.

Yes, I've had that happen a few times. Not always rebooked at original time, but I always got the rebooking adjusted to another flight I preferred on the same day with no extra fee.