Uh oh. The oxygen tanks should have been checked on the pre-flight safety inspection by the flight attendants. Or at least that is how we did it when I used to fly. Any inoperable safety equipment had to be replaced prior to flight. I flew with a different airline. Perhaps AA does it differently.
I suppose the gauge could have indicated full, and the tanks were actually empty, but with two tanks having the same problem, I am leaning toward a lax pre-flight check.
I was delayed one time when Eastern took two hours to find a replacement oxygen bottle at their Miami base. I could have driven to Orlando faster. The oxygen had been used on the flight's previous leg when a pro wrestler had a high blood pressure attack.
Don’t airlines routinely ban individuals who need oxygen from flying? I thought it was some sort of safety issue.