For any customer centric company, they would do anything to get customers engaged.

Yanking this feature will greatly decrease the engagement level of top customers, decrease the value of the website (hence direct traffic to competing website such as expedia and travelocity), greatly increase the (negative) contact rates as customers call with questions. Net net should be hugely $$ negative.

The only positive thing is that lack of transparency will reduce the chance of united being embarrassed for making stupid makes, and will provide cover to roll out sneaky "revenue enhancement" initiatives.

Great job for taking a giant leap backward.