You assume bitter. I have known older stews to be charming, attractive and poised.
Me too, but the trend over the years is trending to bitter.
I do a lot of international flights and foreign airlines have nicer stews.
And my UPT class that jumped to fly with the majors, they are seeing the same thing.
The traveling public don’t help things when they are a bunch of entitled millennials wearing pajamas on the jet.
I wear a suite when I travel, and I have not flown coach since, I think it was 1997. As I explain to the stews that ask about my standard of dress, I tell them the jet is their office and I respect their job/office and dress and behave appropriately.