I'm sure UA management benchmarked the bumps of US-HP, NW-DL, AA-TW, DL-PA Atlantic, etc long ago. They probably more than a year ago presented the data to the board to be out in front of it and make sure the BoD was aware despite management's best efforts, these things never going as smoothly as management would hope. Even look at BA T5 in LHR or UA and the opening in BA. The recent internal memo about reserve aircraft, more time blocked for flights will improve performance. Like DL, perhaps UA should have waited to impose some of the less popular changes until after they got through the bumpy part of the road, but then again, maybe they saw DL didn't see any mass exodus despite its changes to SM, etc. As long as the profits keep coming, this will be a bump in the road for Smi/J.