No, no, no. That should be put in the FAQs.

Can't do it. One or the other is already taken on both flights, so we're trying for 5EF (4EF is already taken on both flights). If/when my upgrade clears, I'll see about changing seats if 1AJ opens up. Our only experience up front on a 747 was in 5EF IAD-SFO last year, and we had no problem there, so we'll be happy anywhere.

You will, because those seats are the ones effected by the galley light/noise on a 747 overnight to SYD. Much better than biz regardless (unlike what was said by that INSANE poster in the other thread about refusing OpUps to F ex-SYD), but I'd sit separately over sitting together in row 5.

If my wife and I can both sleep through my snoring, we can sleep through anything... That's actually the one advantage to the C seat - I only snore when lying flat.

Good for you. In F the light isn't so bad, it's the noise. So if you can sleep through it, or like using earplugs, you're set. The seat is superb for this flight (I'm actually kinda unhappy that they're changing it, because I fear it may get worse). The 777 F seat is marginally more comfortable, but I love the 747 F cabin.

I moved my seating to 15G and 15H for the LAX-SYD leg. I'm happy to see that the likelihood of being bumped from these appears to be low.

I called the Premier Exec line and talked to a CSR tonight. I was trying to find out if two SWUs would get me off of the waitlist and into confirmed First. She said that SWUs and Miles are equal (which I think is contrary to something I have read somewhere here). Therefore, there would be no advantage.

She also said that there are 5 revenue seats still available in First. I got a trial account on ExpertFlyer.com to check seating. It shows 1A, 2A and 2J as being occupied and everything else empty. I know that 2A and 2J are my friend's upgraded seats. Can someone explain the math here? If there are 14 seats - 3 occupied = 11 seats remaining. If 5 are revenue seats, what are the other 6? Or is ExpertFlyer wrong? Or is she wrong?

Occupied =! available. Plenty of people own seats without owning specific seats, if you follow. SWUs would give you higher priority for the waitlist, but would not clear you right away, nor would they give you higher priority if you are unfortunate enough to make it to the DM list.

So you are saying that SWUs give higher priority on the waitlist which contradicts the United CSR with whom I spoke. How the heck is a rookie supposed to know what to believe?!

What is the "DM list"?

There are two waitlists - PA and PB. All 1K upgrades and all SWU upgrade requests go on PA. Mileage requests by sub-1Ks go on PB (unless the agent is particularly nice). Nobody clears off PB unless PA is empty.

Trust FT. We have better training...

The Departure Management list. When the flight opens for check-in, all upgrade requests get moved to the DM list, and the DM list is ordered by status, fare paid, and finally time on the DM list.

I'm the insane poster and yes I shouldn't be striving for an upgrade out of row 15 into those dubious F seats.

Study the UA FAQs, especially the Glossary

It's nothing personal, mate, just a consensus.