Originally Posted by 110pgl

That is the most important point made here. This agreement actually is an encouragement for UA to stop the SEA-NRT flight. They closed the first class lounge in Seattle about 5 years ago. Also, old UA has shrunk operations significantly in Seattle; they used to have two IAD and two ORD redeyes + almost hourly flights to SFO and LAX. Even with the added CO flights, they are not what they used to be. Many of can remember old UA "owning" the N concourse. Now they are maybe 1/2.