If you're UA Gold, won't you have the opportunity to use the ETC sometime in the next year? I assume that it's the kind that can be used by any passenger as long as you know the original passenger's name. If so, have you considered just leaving it as it is? If you use the ETC, you won't be out any money. I know it shouldn't have happened the way it did, but consider how much time you've already put into this, and how much more time you'll spend to get it resolves, for what amounts to be the float on $140 for a few months (which with today's interest rates is essentially $0). Save your time and frustration for a situation where it really matters.