Onefreeman,

Thanks for the trip report. Yes, United may be "rising," but you hit upon three of their weakest areas:

1. SFO. Delays, crowds, and everything else. Just avoid this airport if at all possible.

2. First-class meal choices in the last two rows. Forget it. Make sure you're up front when you reserve your seats.

3. Lounge access. This is bass-ackwards. Theu sell it to everybody and his brother for a few hundres bucks a year, and don't give it for free to first-class passengers and frequent flyers. And once you get in, they have the worst service in the industry.

Thanks and keep posting!