On August 3, 2007, I was a passenger on American Airlines flight number 1282 out of Tampa, Fl to LaGuardia, NY with an arrival time scheduled for 10:00 PM. The flight was diverted to Philadelphia, PA due to thunderstorms. Upon landing in Philadelphia at 11:45 PM, the passengers were told that no accommodations could be made in regards to chartering a bus, train, or hotel stay. We were advised that the earliest Amtrak train to New York would be available at 5:45 AM and that we were welcome to take a blanket from the plane and stay in the airport until the next morning when possible flight arrangements may be made. We were also informed that we were welcome to make our own hotel or travel arrangements and WOULD BE REIMBURSED by American Airlines. Each passenger was given a card with an American Airlines customer service phone number on it. As a result of this delay, and because i could not stay in Philadelphia indefinitely, I was forced to rent a car and drive into New York City. It was 3:00 AM when I reached New York City. The next day I called the customer service number to inquire about compensation for my expenses and was given a fax/mail address that I could send a letter to detailing my experience. I mailed a letter detailing the events requesting reimbursement for my costs and included copies of all my receipts. American Airlines responded with a letter stating that it is not our policy to reimburse our customers' out-of-pocket expenses or make up for lost time when we don't operate our flights as planned. Because I needed to be in New York and could not stay in Philadelphia indefinitely, I rented a car from Avis. The Car rental, gas, and parking overnight fee that I incurred totaled $164.28. American Airlines responded with a letter denying compensation for any of my costs.