All the whining about poor service on airline flights just validates the fact that air travel has become a commodity.
There are no, or anyway not enough, people willing to pay even a little bit more for a less stressful travel experience. With rare exceptions, when they’re spending their own money for a flight people take the lowest available price. This has resulted in air travel declining in price by around 40% in constant dollars since 1978, despite massive increases in the cost of fuel, the airlines’ second greatest expense.
In such a business environment, the entire cost of any amenities at all comes directly out of the profits of the airline, which means all airlines are eventually forced down to the lowest common or regulated service denominator.
IOW, travelers are getting exactly what they, as a group, are demanding from the market by their buying behavior. What they will NOT get is a low-stress, high-amenity experience when they insist on paying the lowest possible price.
Given the fact that within the US most flights are only a few hours in length, IMO it doesn’t make sense to pay for a bunch of frills. If you want a nice meal, bring it with you.
BTW, many foreign airlines have much higher levels of service. AFAIK every one of them is heavily subsidized by tax dollars, as are the “wonderful” train services in Europe, Japan and China.
You speak the truth. For a short hop, I usually suck it up and take Southwest and pay the hundred extra to board first and grab one of the slightly roomier exit rows. However, we found ourselves flying from Portland, OR, to Philly (on US Airways) for business in October and November. That’s an all-day trek and totally worth the upgrade to first class. The stress level was noticeably eased. So, new rule - short hops, Southwest. Cross-country never-ending days - upgrade. And we never seem to get any snarkiness from FA’s. Guess I’m just cool like that. ;^)