Originally Posted by
johnden
Is it? You mentioned that there are alternatives. There are also other alternatives out of SFO. Do you plan to switch airlines, or only consider it? How many SFO fliers will actually switch?
The reason it exists is because it sells. And if it didn't sell to you, it would have sold for a discount at check-in. I know a significant number of Y-fliers that will pay a few hundred for an upgrade on a long domestic flight.
If you pay $3000 RT for 5 hours in UA domestic F, someone is laughing when making the earnings report. UA is more than happy to sell that seat for 1/4 of that. We love to rave, myself included, about how UA needs to get with the competition. But on some routes, esp out of hubs like SFO, there really isn't a reason for them to spend the money.
Johnden: Be patient with me. I was stuck. I was flying out with my wife's sister and husband, for whom I splurged for F tickets with miles (I had 2 million to use, and indulged them). Couldn't get AS seats for them at the time.
Additionally, UA remains the dominant carrier to Hawaii, with flights and total seats, especially out of SFO. Despite that, I will be looking to go to the competition, and AS will likely be the consistent carrier. I prefer them over HA because we can do AA miles on AS, as well as DL. Hard for HA to match that. We go to Hawaii at least once a month, and have been doing so for years. One of the reasons I make EXP on AA and will be Diamond on Delta this year is the miles earned flying AS to these accounts. Because of UA's dominance out of SFO, I am stuck being 1K with them, but I am still going to be walking with my feet. Give me time. This year we will get the job done.
I remain critical of Smisek and UA for keeping these 737-900's flying around without any IFE for so long. Very presumptuous of the customers. Customers aren't that persistently stupid. We'll see if I'm right.