And it can be very hard to tell "employee" from passenger -- I have a United jacket (Christmas present from my wife to make up for my not being able to fly as much as I'd like in 2020; apparently they were selling them in Newark), am lucky enough to be friends with employees throughout the system so often will have casual conversations when our paths cross and their duties allow and am almost always "non-rev business casual" when flying -- by many accounts I may look like an employee, even without the branded jacket -- but I've never worked for any airline much less UA*. Nor [with one possible exception each way] have I been the beneficiary or victim of upgrade shenanigans] I think there is a proportion of the audience that is looking for an easy target to hang disappointment with their own upgrade odds.

*- Had 9/11 not happened as I was thinking of entering the workforce/career trajectories it's entirely possible I would have followed a different path. I've always loved/been intrigued by the workings of the industry from my days as a toddler seeing my dad off at FAT on Sunday Evenings and welcoming him home Friday evenings, like my first flight, all brought to you by WestAir Communter Airlines, a United Express carrier -- where you didn't have to worry about upgrades, let alone shenanigans