Agree with many of the sentiments in this thread. As a San Francisco-based EXP for 4+yrs now who runs his own firm with need for both Asia and Europe business travel (generally once each a quarter), and usually cannot pass off cost of full fare F or J, pressure is inevitably towards maximizing dollar value of airfare spend. AA has been amazing the past four years to me personally, with only one SWU not clearing since becoming EXP -- happened to be last week out of PVG-ORD (were 26+ EVIP requests on a fully sold out flight).
With capacity cutbacks out of SFO have been closely watching UA and the temptation to switch, but with chaos in integration of their FFPs all anecdotal evidence I have is that unless you can justify the spend to become Global Services on UA (revenue basis), there is no way the reliability of using SWUs is comparable out of this hub.
In the end for international travel one kills a day plus as it is so it's worth the connection in LAX or DFW going either west or east. It's the domestic travel that becomes more frustrating when trying to make cities like DEN, WAS, BOS or SEA (although Alaska helps there). We do need one more morning and late evening LAX connection both directions, that would go a long way to easing the burden.
And by the way, for you SFO-haters out there, I second someone's comment earlier that it's tiring to hear the negativity from you all. This thread was clearly titled SFO, so if you don't want to listen in our conversation about painful changes to the airline we love and rely on, just don't click on the thread please. Recognize we are largely still trying to stay with AA and that in its own small way helps makes the airline better and viable for all of us, even those who don't live in the Bay Area.