Let’s keep this on topic, and flight banking is pretty far from the topic at hand.

~Moderator

They're plenty able, they're just not incentivized to, and they know that failure to serve PDBs doesn't hurt them in any way.


Or when incompetence or laziness leads invariably and quickly to termination.


Almost all of my travel is in international J, I do very little domestic flying. I like the AA hard product, but it stops there. Cabin crew is nicer, friendlier, more helpful on foreign carriers. IIRC the APFA contract prohibits AA cabin crew from helping put carryon bags in the overhead, while on foreign carriers it's part of the job. And food? Compare business class appetizer courses from AA (FCO to U.S.) and QR (DOH-JFK):


AA:





QR:




Even forgetting the caviar, which I don't expect from AA in business class, which of these would you rather see in front of you?

Unless the perspective is deceiving my eyes, it looks like you get more food with AA.

But no candle 😜

FWIW, on QR flights with caviar, I�ve never had a problem getting a second starter and/or soup, basically meaning I get up to three starter which ends up being a significantly larger portion that�s just coursed out than what AA serves as flagship starters. And ofc the food on QR tastes a million times better, but that�s a given.

Ahhhh, but is it edible food...

And AA is most certainly perceived by several, a few here in there, as a premium airline.
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And the flight attendants are professional and devoted to their basic job: serving.

Fine points made. I do think though if this is just standard practice among U.S. airlines with unionized FAs vs. AA-specific. I find it annoying how in comparison to foreign airlines, FAs aren't required to tidy up lavs at least on long-haul international flights. Ideally, American passengers would do their best to keep it clean, i.e. throw their trash away in the actual trash receptacle and not get piss all over the floor, but respect for public spaces is at an all-time low so I've lost hope of that happening.

The plating is something I'd say is standard for the legacy 3 though. In all honestly, with the push to increase J seats without adding additional FAs, I wouldn't be surprised if the quality of service on all of them takes a dip, thus individual plating is likely never going to happen.

Regarding the AA F/A's not able to assist with putting luggage in overhead bins, I suspect the reason is that this company policy decreases worker's comp insurance premiums.
(FWIW)

APFA bargained for it, claiming that FAs are regularly injured lifting carry-ons into the overhead bins. The FAs, themselves, claim that it is "dangerous". Amazing that these injuries don't seem to be as prevalent on other airlines, or on international routes (where most of my flying is). On QR, JL, and CX, for example, part of the cabin crew's responsibility is assisting passengers with getting their carry-ons into the overheads.

QR's plating and presentation is much better but to be quite honest I find caviar disgusting and smoked salmon only slightly less so. AA for the win here.

Now we are getting off-topic about meals.

(but FWIW, I wouldn't care about either option that much. Far too much on FT and bloggers has been said about airline food, IMHO. I have never been served a meal on an airline, domestic or international, that I couldn't eat, but I've also never not been grateful to have landed and be able to eat something else)

Wow! Is a Big Mac preferable?

Is serving a predeparture beverage also deemed as dangerous? Or wearing a uniform in a respectable manner? Or how about getting a more respectable job for these highly-qualified individuals?

Yes, I would prefer to eat a Big Mac any day over caviar or smoked salmon.