Follow up: I just booked for next Friday night, with a Sunday night return. The return was a problem. Any evening flight, other than the last which gets in at midnight was, minimum, $366. I decided to bite the bullet and get in late and got a $233 fare, which wasn't bad at all, though still more than VX.

Just sent my email. This affects me too as I fly a lot of BUR-SFO to connect onto other UA flights.

I just got this response which I like.
Dear Mr. BDLORD,

I regret to learn from your email about your dissatisfaction with our
new Mileage Plus accrual policy for flights less than 500 miles.

Mr. BDLORD, I am aware from your correspondence that Continental and
American Airlines have offered the 500 mile minimum while United has
not. I understand your disappointment. As a 1K customer, your comments
are duly taken into consideration. Rest assured I have shared your
constructive comments and suggestions with our Mileage Plus Department
for internal review. Please know that we want to understand how policy
change feels from your point of view.

Mr. BDLORD, as a 1K Member of our Mileage Plus program, we appreciate
your support and look forward to delivering quality service when you
travel with us to destinations around the world. I hope you give us an
opportunity to provide you the service you expect from United Airlines.

Regards,

XXXXXX XXXXXXXX
United Airlines Customer Relations

Well, at least (whether true or not) it shows that they are 'reviewing' this situation. Let's hope UA decides to restore this for it's Elites.
And this is all the more reason to write your letters folks if you haven't done so today. Each and every one of your fellow flyer talkers appreciates and thanks you for it. :)

I agree with ExCrew, write, write, write

I got a different response
 

At least it appears we're not getting canned responses. I like the part about entering all of our comments into a report for internal use. Maybe it will actually be viewed by somebody.


Dear Mr. Frekwentflier,

I regret to learn from your email about your dissatisfaction with our Mileage Plus accrual policy for flights less than 500 miles.

Your feedback about Continental and American Airlines reinstating its 500-mile minimum policy for elite members is important to us and in fact, helps us analyze our decisions that impact your travel experience. Please be assured that your comments will be included in a report to the Mileage plus Marketing Management team for internal use.

Please know that all of us at United are firmly committed to our most important asset - you. Thank you for taking the time to let us know your thoughts. As a 1K member, we appreciate your support and look forward to meeting your travel needs in the future.

Regards,

Joe/Jane in another country
United Airlines Customer Relations

I've just e-mailed 1K Voice with the same polite request.

The impact on us this year has been minimal - we've lost less than 1/2 of 1% of our EQMs and bonus miles - but our flying habits might change. Besides, even the loss of a couple of hundred EQMs could prove significant in qualifying for status or upgrade instruments. @:-)

Cheers,
Fredd

Right. Mine was different from the ones posted. For instance, it didn't reference AA (I hadn't referred to them in my original email either, since I don't think they ever changed anything).

Guess I'll send another one on behalf of my wife ;)

AA has made no changes to its 500 mile minimum policy (it never followed US or UA or CO on that issue), so the references to AA "reinstating" the minimum are odd.

I have the weirdest reply ever:

actually, that's my bad. In my original email to 1KVoice, I said AA and CO had both reinstaed 500 mile mins. So this proves something else, that they're actually reading the emails!!

... or that they have a somewhat sophisticated version of ELIZA responding to our emails.

I got a similar response, BDLORD.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! All you of who have written. :)

Sent my complaint in yesterday.

I griped about UA being hypocritical... I LOVED the new INTL F seat when I flew IAD-FRA earlier this month. I was even impressed with the food service (as compared to other UA flights, not other carriers). At the same time, these ridiculous nickel and diming changes indicate a race to the bottom... so how can UA want to lead the industry with a great INTL C / F product yet no 500mi minimums, for example.