Yea I get it. Service (and quality) are not an issue. Probably the same
argument GM, Ford, and Chrysler were making in the 80's when the Japanese were making heavy inroads into the US car market. I don't know whether you fly for a passenger airline, if so, do you ever objectively rate your own airlines service? Do you even know what the competition is providing regarding service? We are all well aware of the price pressure this industry has put on its self. Destructive price wars, changes in how it raises revenue, and other facets in a mature industry that has (allowed its self) to become a commodity.
The bean counters at HQ are only worried about poor product to the extent it affects the yield. They see the customer as mere lemming's, locked into a special relationship due to loyalty reward programs. With the market that doesn't respond to loyalty, you reduce costs by cutting out every conceivable perk that once upon a time was considered standard. Just like Detroit, big airlines see "their" market as locked in and as such, no need to worry about the quality of the product, the customer has no options.

In 1980, General Motors was by far the largest auto manufacture in the world. Today its Toyota. I guarantee it not because the world wanted to reward the Japanese for their bad luck 70 years ago. Its because their product was better than the rest. Our industry needs to read the history before we repeat the same mistakes.

Oh, my bad, Carl and company say its not about customer service, please excuse my thread drift.