This thread really sums up my observations and feelings having flown in many international carriers such as JAL, Korean Air, Asiana, British Airways, SWISS, El Al, Air France and fine US carriers like Delta or Continental. AA really, really has some excellent employees that are capable of and would like to provide first rate service to all passengers however it seems lately some combination of irritable customers, deterioration of employee morale management cost cutting and pay concessions have placed this matter aside.
I had a lovely crew on an early AM LAX-JFK in 3-class First class that acknowledged every customer by his/her name, frequently checked to ensure glasses were full, passengers were well fed and happy. I spoke to the FA in the galley and presented her an AAplause card and she said "I'm serving as an ambassador to AA. My customers like you make my job possible and keep this company viable. Providing poor service not only reflects on me, but my colleagues and our company overall".
As a passenger this really, really is disturbing but I must say I'd prefer consistent, professional service from Continental or Delta as opposed to hit or miss superb service along with lackluster, disgruntled, surly service at other times. I'm not saying anyone individual or carrier is perfect (everyone can have bad days) but it seems AA is getting the reputation of UAL or NWA with APFAs vindictive, unprofessional buttons campaign and threat of striking. I'd like to support AA and AA flight attendants, but I'm not prepared to be stranded at an airport when I have work commitments or could be spending time withy my wife.
Labor is not entirely the one to blame. AA management seems to have allowed the company to be backed into a corner and is at a strategic disadvantage. In roughly three years AA has gone from #1 to #3 US carrier. The MD-80s have been on borrowed time and they are finally being replaced with 737-800s but not quickly enough. AA really needs to do capital improvements like new business class seats (NGBC product wasn't even competitive when it was launched in 2006), new First class (Flagship suite is from 1999!!!), AVOD in all international and transcon routes at least (I think 763/757 International config at the very, very least), new Admirals Club-BOS, JFK, DFW-D, MIA-D, etc are either new or recently renovated but others like LGA, SFO, STL are in desperate need of attention. The Flagship Lounge is nothing but a joke compared to foreign carrier lounges. Management has decided that AA only flies to a handful of European markets and has been unwilling to enter secondary markets like Edinburgh, Oslo, Valencia or resume destinations like Stockholm. AA has minimal presence in Asia and no presence in the Middle East or Africa. I'd really like to see JFK/MIA-TLV-Delta and Continental seem to be making money hand over fist on these routes. Another example-why doesn't AA fly to Dubai? Dubai has no direct link from O'Hare and AA could really land itself in a superior position before Emirates or UAL decide to launch the route. AA is killing many routes that customers like myself depend on, most notably BOS-SFO and ORD-FRA.
Josh