I think that UGS customers probably are the most loyal customers that UA does have. The UGS member out there who got the UG on that flight is out there somewhere raving about how good UA and UGS really are.

As with many other things related to computers - they aren't good at handling "exceptions" such as a special note on the PNR. I simply wouldn't trust anything like that, and wouldn't expect it to clear automatically, or even if I constantly pushed and prodded an agent. I'd consider it dumb luck if it actually worked like that.

I'd just take the domestic u/g they offered you and pursue the recredit of the SWU like others have said.