The Birmingham airport was clean and pleasant and offered some comfortable seats in the atrium. And my experience with Southwest was much better than any experience with Delta. Petty complaints about airline food are ridiculous. Those who remember when airline food was not a disaster also remember those planes were not cramped and air travel was a comparative luxury. Except for flights of six hours or more, stoke up your body before you fly.
Flight attendants are people, too.
You'll encounter varieties of friendliness, courtesy, rudeness and inattention, just as you do in shops, restaurants and at your workplace. The only value in writing a whining letter to the airline about this is some minor therapeutic benefit for you. Also, forget your complaints about the behavior of other passengers because it only upsets you, who is the paragon of passenger courtesy. Now getting that rental car doesn't have to involve a prolonged argument about rates or insurance if you've done your homework. When you reserve a car, by phone or computer, be sure to ask specifically about local applicable taxes.