Dog_ears_up
I concurr with you the fairly atrocious - and that is being kind - you see on many US airlines both in the air and on the ground. It baffles me why a country that provides such excellant customer in almost every area seemed to have missed the airlines - and its been l,ike that for at least the last twenty or so years. i have seen some appalling service - indeed, defies belief - on US airlines. In any other indusrty they would have been fired. I am sorry but the Sep 11 and the downturn in the industry does not cut the mustard with me...sorry.
Mind you, on the other hand, Americans as a rule are exceptionally demanding customers. The sort of behaviour i have witnessed on my numerous trips to the US and the way americans interact with customer service staff is very rarely seen here in Australia.