To the OP. There are clues....when the announcement a plane part was being taken off another aircraft for this one....this is when your rebooking process might have begun....

There is a pattern of not anticipating or not being prepared right now at United.

Sure you might say..."very creative" in getting parts from another plane. I agree. Yet this is a crisis mentality. A shoestring approach.

With this experience you have posted....do you think you will buy 1st class on UA again? [ assuming you or your sponsor did]