The transformation of Continental is now a mgmt lesson. I have spoken of this before and the book is worth reading.
Whether United can change is to be seen. However, I doubt and for this reason: CO turned around because they had failed utterly. They were footsteps away from bankrupt - so they had no where else to go, it was up or out. United are not at the top and they are not at the bottom, so there the effort required to change is commensurately greater.
As it is for a large number of legacy carriers ...