this is straight nonsense. United's intl. route network focuses primarily on large, tier one business cities and capitals, the ones that can and do fully support F inventory. They had Bermuda II at LHR and 5th freedom from NRT at the same time DL decided to do away with 3-cabin service, so the comparison is hardly the same. UA's intl. route network was large, higher yielding, and fare more enviable than Delta's was pre-merger. LHR, NRT, HKG, FRA, GRU, EZE, SIN, PEK, etc. The fact is, DL most definitely could support F inventory, especially on those flights to tier one markets. Whether they want to compete with UA and AA starting out, not to mention designing and deploying a suitable new product is another story.

The reality is, C is C, and F is F. DL B/E is a C product, and in no way represents what you receive from UA in a First Suite. It's not "half-way to First" no matter how you try and slice it. The Thompson coffins are definitely not anywhere close to F, and neither are the h/b layout on the 777. The comparison is entirely disingenuous.

Lastly, the notion from the DL/CO cheerleaders in this thread that any airline that has 3 cabin service with F inventory is wasting their time and money is preposterous and nothing more. More of "my airline can do nothing wrong and always does what's right" than anything else. UA implemented a fleet wide international premium product upgrade on all international widebodies, representing the only carrier in the world to have 3 cabin service on every single international route they serve. If F was "just a waste for NRSA/award/op up travel", UA would have dropped F. Instead, they INVESTED hundreds of millions to upgrade it, including those 763s. UaCo wouldn't have decided to KEEP PMUA's international layout - and guess what - the airline will have far more 3 cabin widebodies than 2 cabin ones. But I forgot - we have somebody making these conclusions based on "when i used to fly UA, I sometimes used to walk past F and see it empty".