Originally Posted by
bluedemon211
From the consumer/passenger perspective, the root cause is irrelevant. It is a bad look that allows customers to draw their own conclusions as to the cause. At a minimum, it makes UA look less than a premium carrier. This hurts the perception of the airlines. The casual traveler has to at least wonder if this image of "lower quality" extends to more than the paint job.
Doubt most casual travelers even look at the airplane. They sit at the gate (many which provide limited visibility to the jet) and simply board.