On longer flights - transatlantic, transpacific, etc. $30 is a bit much - $20 is somewhat easier to expense. The hotels all do this (business hotels), so most biz travelers can expense it. I would comp this to F flyers (no need to hit up the really high dollar flyers) but charge everyone else. Include a couple free vouchers with 1K to make people feel good and promote the product.

I think this product can be a moneymaker for United if it picks the right planes. Long flights, business flyers, large planes.

One thing you should factor in - the availablity of Internet access may help you sell C seats with power plugs. I would, however, block VoIP traffic - it wont work well anyway on Boeing Conxion and it will annoy everyone on the plane.

http://www.nanog.org/mtg-0405/pdf/abarbanel.pdf has more information on how Boeing's product works.