That I feel empathy and solidarity with UA's in-house labor force. That if I was one of them, I'd be looking over my shoulder constantly as the core operation continues to be outsourced. It used to be parody to suggest that mainline flying will be reduced to hub-hub and overwater, but that sure seems to be the way things are headed.

Sure, there are a few reports elsewhere on FT, but here's a quick summary of my experiences with them. I hope this is helpful to would-be Kayakers.

Booking: All fares are o/w based, and either on o/w or r/t SY is usually very competitive for MSP routes. Great calender view on their site. No mobile app, unfortunately (though they do have a mobile site). Seat selection is fee-based until T-24. Bulkheads available at the airport, exit rows for a fee. Domestic change fee is $100.

Schedules: Competitive in the SFO-MSP market (2x-3x daily depending on season), which is all I care about. On-time performance stats aren't available via BTS, but I've never had a problem with them. FlightStats has OTP at 97% overall.

FFP: uFly is spend-based, a straightforward rebate program useful only on SY. Points accrue at 10 for every $1 spent, redeem at roughly 100/$1, and don't expire for three years after any activity. Elites ($5,000/year spend) get comped upgrades at the gate and fee waivers. One great benefit: Just being a member allows for use of priority check-in and security lanes, at least per practice at SFO.

TSA Pre: Not yet, but there's a field to submit one's KTN. Pre hopefully coming soon.

Upgrades: Transparent ToD scheme available at T-24. $119 for SFO-MSP.

Staff: Everyone, from the phone agents to the GAs (outsourced here at SFO) to the FAs, are uniformly friendly. Minnesota cheer all around.

Facilities: MSP T2 is modern and functional. General security line can be long at peak times. At SFO they use the Int'l. A concourse.

Equipment: 737s and 738s. Not the newest aircraft, but consistently clean. Comfortable cloth non-slim Y seats. F pitch is more restrictive on the 737s than the 738s, but the seats are comfier.

In-flight service: Robust BoB program in Y, including rental of digEplayers, which are complimentary in F. Food in F consists of meals at mealtime (or a snack tray on late flights). Sparkling wine is available. Dinner is three courses and starts with a cheese plate, followed by the main tray with salad and entree, and finally a slice of cake. There's usually just one entree, but the last time I faced an entree I couldn't eat, the FA was happy to comp a snack box (as evidenced by the below plate with jerky on it).