Great report, QuietLion...

You confirm my suspicion that LAX is the WORST station for ground handling in the Alaska Airlines empire... I have had check-in experiences similar to yours, though my cold stares and brush-offs have been mostly down at the Gates 31A-B-C mob scene. One time as we pushed back the lead FA on board our flight actually apologized over the P.A. for the behavior of the LAX gate agents.

As for your rhetorical question, "What has happened to my two favorite airlines, Alaska and United?"....

... nothing good, lately, and as I commute SEA-LAX and back two or three times a month it's a serious issue. There's no good option anymore on this route. I'm trying to talk work colleagues into trying Southwest and changing in San Jose.