I have got to book many US award flights that AA wouldn't have had , even transatlantic J. The issue of food quality is moot to me. AA domestic first class meals sucked pre 9-1. Remember the dried out AA breakfast skillet that had beans in it and stuck to the plate? That thing is gone now making any breakfast flight better !! Also had some dinner flights with greasy inedible chicken. Greasy inedible bs sloppy inedible. It's all the same to me !! The frequent flyer program is gonna go downhill for sure and this probably would have happened either way . So things aren't as bad as they seem. I really don't think pre 9-1 AA was all that spectacular except on transcon routes in premium cabins. That's where the big downgrades hit