If I was AA I'd try to communicate how OFTEN Golds and Plats get upgraded WHEN THEY WANT TO GET UPGRADED on FREE stickers. In many markets, GOLDS can actually get upgraded by using free stickers. Try THAT on CO or DL or US! It just doesn't happen.
UA has the market over a barrel. With Economy Plus seating (an extra 5 inches) for most status-holders most of the time, getting upgraded isn't such a big deal. If UA plays this card and then touts Economy Plus (which it did in the other thread), then everyone else looks VERY BAD, and AA looks worse than everyone.
While I also opposed the change I disagree here. While GOLDs on AA can get upgrades (and certainly more than CO Silvers or UA Premiers) your comparison to DL and US is poor. Granted, my experience is a couple years dated with US but I ran 85% as a Silver. On DL THIS year I am 4/4 as a Silver with 3 clearing at windows. The routes are business heavy: LGA-BOS, BOS-DCA, RDU-ATL and ATL-BNA. Not a huge sampling but lower level elites on other carriers do get upgrades. I would rank CO and UA as least likely on most routes. Toss up then between AA, DL and US. Hugely route depndent.
UA does not have the market over a barrel. UA is a disastrous airline that is falling apart. E+ is great but just about everything else about that airline has deteriorated.