If you fly often enough with a particular airline you will soon notice how different cabin crews can be. Sometimes it's a consequence of the Chief Purser's/CSD's/Number 1's own attitude. My wife is former CC and she told me that was the case in her days. They had a small number of Number 1s who made the rest of the crew miserable and consequently they just went through the motions.
To my great surprise I have even had the odd great experience with American carriers!
