FT members (and particularly those flying on OPM) are also the ones that make flights profitable. The "young of age" and expats visiting family typically buy the cheap seats. That will fill the plane but won't generate profits. This is one reason often cited for the lack of BKK flights (which would be more popular with UA MP members than all of these destinations combined)

I don't fault UA for adding new routes, I think we all celebrate that. I fault them for adding routes that IMO are inferior to other options given that every airline has a limited # of birds. But I don't have access to the market research.