Why do American plane manufacters (Boeing) make great airliners but U.S-based airlines have terrible service?

Interesting paradox I found is that while Boeing in general make great airliners (747, 777 etc), yet U.S-based airlines have such horrid service? Problems such as lost baggage, constantly delayed flights and surly flight attendants are the norm everytime I travel in the states. Yet when I fly European and Asian carriers, their service is far superior to U.S-based carriers. Why is that so?

In Asia, it is hard to be a flight attendant. That is a coveted profession. People respect you if you are a flight attendant and they also have a mindset of respecting the company they work for so they will not do anything to make the company look bad. The flight attendants are also put through a rigorous training program. My friend's dad works in the flight attendant training department for Singapore Airlines. The flight attendants are hand-picked and probably only work a few years so that is why so many of the flight attendants for Asian carriers are young looking. They are also single.

In the US, with the airlines losing money and upper management still raking in the big dollars, the employees have low morale. Some of them do not want to be there and the pilots, mechanics and flight attendants have all had to take up to 30% pay cuts. It is hard to be happy when you have to take that big of a pay cut. Also the US carriers are bigger and operate more aircraft and fly to more destinations. Because of that, there are more chances for logistical problems such as lost luggage.

Charlie, a few years ago I flew from Tokyo to Detroit on a JAL flight. The plane was filled with Japanese businessmen and I was the only white American. While disembarking the plane in Detroit there were two black guys, airport workers, standing in the causeway, and they both looked like crap. One guy had his hat on crooked, name tag crooked, shirt hanging out. The other guy had his foot on the wall, pants around his butt. I felt so embarrassed in front of these Japanese men.

Every airport I have been to in Asia, and that's alot, have been so beautiful. Very professional people. People that dress attractive, are polite and helpful. America resembled a third world shlthole compared to the airports in Korea, Japan, Thailand and even Vietnam. Heck the airport in Vientiane, Laos is more beautiful than any airport I have been to in the States.

I'm not singling out black guys, there are plenty of white guys trying hard to catch up with them.

Bottom line is, in America you can not fire people that act and look like garbage.

Many foreign airlines are subsidized by their governments..ie they pay their employees well(based on where they live). The recent past of the US airline industry is to be the cheapest and the big exec's cut services and lower wages,so in a way its what you asked for. The workers that stay with the airlines are harrased daily about how they need to give back to the company to keep it solvent...it tends to sour your outlook,especially when the top executives are raking in millions of bonus money. I am a trained aircraft mechanic(classified as unskilled labor by the US labor department)which means I spent 2 years in school learning the basics,then I had to pass 6 tests just to get my A&P certificate,buy my tools (a $20,000.00 investment) and when I work on an airplane I assume alot of liability (no insurance is available). If the aiplane crashes or has a problem and the FAA or DOT conclude it was a result of my action(s) then I face penalties of up to a $10,000.00 fine,suspension of my certificate and possible imprisonment. If God forbid my action(s) result in a death(s) then I could possibly be sued by the survivors or family ,charged with murder or manslaughter. Try working under these conditions for around $40k to $50k per year and see if you don't get an attitude. I am only speaking for myself here but there are other employees at airlines theat are placed under similiar conditions.

Everybody has made good answers and they are correct. There are 2 more factor not yet touched on though. Most Asian and European air carriers fly International routes exclusively. The budget airlines have killed the U.S. domestic airline industry's service.

If you notice even on U.S. based carriers their International routes are much better service than their domestic routes. The International route has a much higher profit margin for the airline and they don't want to screw that up. If it were not for International routes the U.S. "big" carriers would have been in serious trouble.

With that extra international money the airline can afford to make sure they get better trained flight attendants, better food, and better entertainment.

I remember flying when I was 10 and the service was completely different. Domestic flights had meals, fancy playing cards, drawing books, colored crayons, comfortable seats, more space, etc.. Of course the flight was also 20%-50% more expensive. With the budget airlines in the U.S. that is no longer possible for the "big" carriers to compete with unless they cut out all the "extra" services and charge a much lower rate.