Ummm...speaking of benefit. NRSA as a whole aren't there for the service to paying customers. They aren't on the job. The service to paying customers comes while they are working. NRSA IS a benefit for the employees, so I could see why they think that when they are customers of UA as a NRSA, that the program IS there for their benefit.

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51557,00.html (Public united.com site)

Benefits

You have chosen to explore employment opportunities with one of the largest global air carriers in the world. We invite you to review this overview, which highlights some important features of United's comprehensive portfolio of benefits. We realize that career decisions are based on many factors. Our goal is to emphasize the value these benefits add to United's total rewards strategy.

Pleasure Travel Benefits are available to all employees (temporary, seasonal, part-time and full-time).

Full-time and part-time employees are additionally eligible for the following benefits:

Medical, Dental and Vision Coverage
Disability
Life and Accident Insurance
Sick leave
Flexible Spending Program
Employee Assistance Program
401(k)
Credit Union Membership Privilege
Vacation
Worldwide travel privileges for you and your eligible family members, travel companions and domestic partners
Qualified Domestic Partner Benefits
Long-Term Care
Online Compensation and Benefits Statements

Seems pretty clear that NRSA programs, of which this thread is about IS there for the employees benefit, not to provide a service to the paying customers or to provide shareholder return. What is DOESN'T say is this benefit comes at the expense of shareholder return or revenue customer's service, but is listed in the same area as my vacation (reduced), sick time (reduced), and the unmentioned pay (also reduced.)

And as a point of history, this published benefit to UA employees existed decades prior to the invention of any reward program, and has remained basiclly unchanged in the major aspects (except for companion passes and domestic partnership) since before there ever was such a thing as an upgrade. Employees got to fly (even in premium cabins) before a revenue passenger could get up there any way except for paid full fare first (there were no discounted premium cabin fares back then) so in effect, the MP program of free tickets and upgrades is infringing on my pre-existing benefits (that one's gonna be a tough sell, but in reality is the truth.)