Shame if true, but not a surprise. Pax figures have been inconsistent, sometimes respectable while well below 50 on other occasions. Pricing has been high to accommodate the low loads, although there have been bargains to be had with £400 returns.
As someone mentioned before, it would take an awful lot to entice business/frequent travellers to use UA and abandon the air miles with other carriers and nobody is going to commit to this route as it only runs for 3 months and isn't daily...and is always delayed 2 hours. I've been in a position to use it 3 times since it started and on all 3 occasions have ended up using an alternative. The first time was due to price, the other 2 I could get one way but not the other (Wednesday/end of service)
I think if they're going to do it then do it, as EK did, don't waste time with a half @rsed effort. Run it year round, doesn't have to be daily, just try to get people to be confident using it, not a small window of opportunity.