Early last week my ON-line statement displayed 8 SWUs.

Checking in for my SFO-SYD trip last Thursday evening (18 Jan), the UAL agent told me that I could upgrade my Q-class ticket using paper SWU coupons.

I told him that I had no paper coupons because my "coupons" had been issued electronically.

He responded that there was no such thing as an electronic SWU, only paper; in any event, paper was all he would accept.

He also said that the only upgrades available in my account, as displayed on his screen, were 500 mi. domestic coupons. The electronic SWUs were gone!

The gate agent gave me the same story: no paper coupons, no upgrade.

I would like to know what good are electronic SWUs when you run up against the UAL stonewall at the airport late in the evening.

Are we supposed to carry around screen prints of the online statements?

I finally gave up and went to the new Red Carpet club where, of course, there was no coffee except decaff available (10:30PM).

Sometimes I wonder if the right hand knows what the right hand is doing at UAL.