You had me until you got to the part about UA caring about passenger experience.
Making the customer experience as unfavorable as possible is basically the motto at UA. It's how they differentiate themselves from the competition. From the rampers to the agents to the overbooking to the crappy seats to the choice of most miserable planes with the most miserable interior configuration to the penny pinching with the apu to the snack/food options, UA is a legacy airline with a legacy route structure, and legacy overhead with the passenger experience of a startup ulcc.
UA: "you hate us, but you'll be back. either because we're the only option for your route or because you are a cheap sucker that can't resist taking the the 3% cheaper option"