United Airlines' sorry recent history gets cover story treatment from Bloomberg Businessweek (Video) - Chicago Business Journal
"Per Bennett's assessment — one that few probably would dispute — former United CEO Smisek instituted an elitist management structure at the airline that favored many of his buddies at Continental (which Smisek ran previous to the merger) who came with him to take control of the merged carriers. It was an elitist management culture that quickly — and tragically — began to destroy much of what remained of whatever goodwill United had worked to build over many decades."
Pretty much says it all.