The author makes some points. By reducing capacity, UA can raise fares. We've already seen advance purchase SFO/LAX-JFK fares rise from the $200 R/T when they had a dozen 767s on the route every day. They need to sell less seats, they can charge more for them, and as "cheap" as many of us FTers are, we are getting a much better product for our extra money now then when we had C on the 762.

Lie-flat First and the improved Business actually makes the redeyes desirable for business travellers, since they can sleep on the flight to JFK, hit their hotel for breakfast, shower, and change of clothes and then do their meeting. At just under five hours, it's silly to serve a hot breakfast in First / Business since you'd need to three hours into the flight, and nobody would get any sleep.

Something UA really needs to consider is give p.s. paid First and Business customers access to the Arrivals Lounge in JFK and serve a breakfast. That way, you board your flight in the evening, sleep on the flight across, land at JFK and have a quick basic hot meal (eggs and breakfast meat with some toast, milk and juice) and shower, change and head off to your meeting. Head back to JFK that evening, catch the evening flight back to the West Coast, have a nice onboard dinner, and relax and finish up your paperwork. p.s. could be the perfect "business commuter" flight.