That is the problem that I thought UA had learned its lesson about, and why they stopped having upgrades based on domestic certificates, upgrade requests required, etc. Enough high paying fliers were unaware of the contortions you had to do to get the not-clearly-stated benefits that they were registering unhappiness with the fares paid vs. benefits received. While in the meantime, those who happened to be in the know would request and succeed disproportionately.
Seems like they're losing focus again with having to ask for benefits they said would be there.
I would say that the goals were/are not the same. In the former, I think that the goal was to reward in proportion to spend. In the latter, I think that the goal is to cut costs.