the PROBLEM is that neither UA nor Continental are (outside the North-American-Hemisphere) really big global "players" - and Delta partners in Europe (Swissair/Austrian) are qualitywise high & nice but small (that's why Delta is flirting with Air France). And UA doesn't need DL as partner to cover other continents - UA do this with their StarAlliance partners: very good coverage of Europe with LH and SAS, great coverage of Downunder with Air NewZealand and Ansett Australia, reasonable coverage of Asia with Thai (Singapore?) and ANA, good coverage of Sout America with VARIG - they need still better coverage of Africa (just some LH and one Varig-flight).