I'm surprised with how competitive the JFK-LAX/SFO route is and the premium service offered by competitors that Delta would remove a major reason for upgrading to EC. With UA's E+ minimum on a 3-class plane, AA with 3-class, B6 and VX with free Sat TV (and an excellent AVOD on VX), it seems Delta forgot that less than top-tier transcon flyers are often more selective and less brand loyal when choosing a flight... Since I know I'm no longer getting BE upgrades as a gold, I personally choose the airline with the more comfortable back-of-the-bus seat.