I think I can trace the inception UAL's problem back to 1994 when they failed to grant me an interview when I had 2,000 hours heavyjet PIC, and another 500 instructor hours. They hired a female colleague I had tried to train with 600 hours who never would learn to fly. I went elsewhere. They lost my contribution (thank God), and I suspect this type of logic led to other missteps company-wide.