United/Continental Seat Snafu 2: The Wrath of Khan

I finally received a reply to my email to United/Continental re the Seat Snafu on May 18.

As one might expect, it was empty, impersonal, and non-committal:

11:46 PM (9 hours ago)

 

to me

Dear Mr. Gordon:

Thank you for contacting United Airlines. 

I am sorry we were unable to respond to your request sooner.  The merger
of United and Continental Airlines has been a successful one, but there
have certainly been challenges.

  An airline merger of this size has never been accomplished before now. 
Some facets of our airline may be different, but our fundamental
commitment to our valued customers has not wavered.  As a MileagePlus
member, your business has never been more important.  Please be assured
we do understand your concerns, and they have been documented for review
and appropriate internal action. 

Please visit us online at www.united.com as additional travel needs
arise.  Many inquiries about our MileagePlus program can be answered
through our online FAQ. 

While my reply is brief and not as detailed as I would like, I want you
to know I very much appreciate your business.  To thank you for your
patience and loyalty, I have added bonus MileagePlus miles to your
account.  You will see the miles added to your account within three
business days. 

We are building an airline that will earn your confidence and approval,
and we look forward to welcoming you on board your next United Airlines
flight.

Sincerely,

 Dan Thompson
Senior Manager

What is United thinking will happen as a result of a message like this?  What does any corporation hope for?  The only audience who would be pleased with a message like this is the Office of the General Counsel at United/Continental.  It certainly shows no cognizance of the much-touted effect of authenticity, intimacy, and a real conversation that is one of the best things to come out of Web 2.0

Your thoughts?