I think the answer to your question boils down to 1 very simple fact. ALL the airlines you mentioned in your comparison are or were predominantly international carriers. AA like UA and others are domestic carriers with expanding international routes. Unfortunately they have come from that background , where the service levels are vastly inferior, and dont really cater to people being in the air for 9, 10, or 14+ hours. Hell, you cant even get a decent cup of tea on a US carrier, probably because you cant get a decent cup of tea almost anywhere in the USA..