A recent family experience illustrated to me some of UAL's secondary problems. Adult daughter got prices for 6 month trip, YVR to BKK. Equally price for UAL and EVA. She decided to go with EVA, whom she had never heard of.
Reasons,
1 "Why would I go thru the aggravation of paranoid US security and INS at the connecting airport?
2 US airline is more likely to attract terrorism and
3 Will they be in business for my return trip?"
Sad really!