As most of you will recall, E & SE members used to get automatic access to UA's extra five inches of seat space on their flights (Economy Plus). About a year go that perk to AC PAX ceased and for the ensuing months many kind UA agents continued to let us change our BP's in the Red Carpet Lounge or at the gate to E+.

As we near the end of 2007 my experience has shown that it's now pretty much impossible to get an E+ seat without paying for it. Aha, I thought, US$349/year isn't a bad price for those of us who fly a lot on UA so I decided to sign up. But as I read the T&C's I noted that all mileage on those flights must accrue to UA's Mileage Plus program. So now I'm back to looking forward to another year of being scrunched in the back of UA metal on routes not served by AC - unless, of course, I wish to pay cash for each sector which, in fact, is not a terribly bad deal.

Woe is me