Here’s a small example of the continuing computer problems at United Airlines since the company completed its merger with Continental.

In early March, Meda received a package in the mail. It was a small box from United Airlines, nicely decorated. It looked like a box of candy, with a little Mileage Plus logo. Printed at the center, the magic words–“Million Miler”. Click on the picture for a larger version, and you’ll be able to read it.

Meda joined the “million mile” category a couple of years ago after logging more than 1,000,000 lifetime miles on United. Inside the box was a booklet describing Million Miler perks in the newly reorganized Mileage Plus frequent flyer program.

And one of the centerpieces was a nicely printed announcement that beginning immediately, spouses of Million Milers will get all the same privileges, including various kinds of priority seating, etc. All you have to do, the card said, is go to the United web site and register. A special URL was provided.

Well, as the spouse, it didn’t take me long to jump online and go to register. Ooops. Up came an error message saying that the site was not yet working and inviting me to come back “in early April.”

Okay. It’s now mid-April, so I tried again. This time it’s worse.

Million Miler companion enrollment is temporarily unavailable. An updated version of this site will be available later this sprint–please check back soon.

Here’s the actual message.

Apparently United dumped its computer system, which worked great, and is consolidating all of the merged airlines activities on the old Continental computer, which seems to be inferior.

Scuttlebutt among employees is that the change was made because the Continental computer is owned outright, while the more modern United computers were not.

Being unable to deliver a featured perk to its best customers is apparently just a small symptom of the larger woes.

Since United carries a big share of travelers to Hawaii, these problems take on additional public importance.

And so it goes.