Tucson to IAH/Houston to Boston and sort of back on Continental. 645am Dep TUS on CO MD80, second row coach - good chocolate donut and coffee. Nice airplane in every way-boy I wish it was the 'standard' iso the B737. Arr IAH 15 min late and just made my 55min connection to B737 to Boston. Strange meatload sandwich for lunch - odd but...at least something to play with. Flights so much better than last months Delta trip in every way. But now the fun begins...30 min delay at BOS on return flight and 5hr plus flight to IAH (150 mph headwinds they said) longest time in a B737 ever (got another donut). Arr IAH 2 hours late and missed my 1 hr connection to TUS. Fabulous job from CO again-had all new info ready when got off plane at nearby checkin desk. They had already written a "hard copy tkt" for me with boarding pass on flight to Phoenix and boarding pass on HP/America west commuter PHX to TUC. (plus lunch coupon for my 2 hour wait in Houston for the PHX flt. On checkin the agent put me in 2A-first class-just because I begged and said I wouldnt fit in the center seat they had planned for me. Very nice snack and another fine frip on a rather short MD80 model. Arr PHX 15 min late and now the **** hits the fan. Five of us run from last gate on one concourse, down a long hall and then to last gate on the next concourse. Get to flight just 10 min before departure . Americawest agent locks us out of glassed in gate area when sees us comming. We wave and he says "He is going to board the standbys now-will talk to us later?????" Spends 10 min calling standbys and boarding them, then stays in locked glass room until plane leaves (RJ). Comes our and just says we missed the 10 min deadline and he had already announced that the standbys were going-even thou we all had cfmd tkts and boarding passes with seat numbers and the reason we were late was becuase of the arrival fight delays. Just says not his problems-go to the service center. (NO America west supervisers avail and no other agents would talk to us at all) At service center, 1 girl working and line of 50 people waiting (group of about 10 to Chicago from oversold flight ahead of us). Finally get help-she says sorry and rebooks on UAL PHX TUS with 930pm arr (original arr time 141pm) Eight hours later than original flights. UAL flight great, like new A300 goes IAD(washington dulles airport to PHX then to TUS almost empty every night. Flew at 11,000 ft and very slow and trip took about 20 min-fun watching all they city lights below-beautiful aircraft but wow does that AIRBUSS make noise on landing/rattles thumps bangs etc. America west is still a mess-avoid them at all costs I must advise you. Their ground staff in PHX is incompetant and mostly usless. PLUS-and youll love this one, they gave me a $10.00 voucher for dinner at the airport-girl said valid every resturant in UAL terminal etc etc. When I tried to use it was told "we dont accept Americanwest vouchers-they owe us to much money" by 3 diff places. Since I arrived 8 hours late is anyone responsible? CO or HP? What do you think I should ask for - voucher? and from whom? Dennis