Using Reward Miles - Disaster

Ever notice you usually can't use your EARNED reward miles when you need them? AND when/if you can use them, it'll cost you double miles even to get in coach? 4X miles to get in first class?!?!?!?
Well in December I actually made a first class reservation for my wife and I to Hawaii in April. US Air did not have the flights we wanted but United did, so we made the reservations on United. First class all the way! Well, not exactly.
Since we are going to the big island and have to fly Hawaiian Air from Honolulu to Kona, US Air could not get us in first class on Hawaiian Air. I then called Hawaiian Air and they had no problem booking me in first class - first class was wide open. However, since I made the reservation through US Air, US Air has to book the flight and issue the ticket. Long story short - computers do not talk to each other and neither airline could make this work, so....we're in coach even though both airlines had no problem booking me in first class. This is not customer friendly and just not right. Someone in one of their IT departments should be able to figure this out.
THEN......a few days ago (first week of March) I received a call from US Air stating there was a flight change. United had changed the outboound flight departure times. Still all worked.
HOWEVER...I found out later that US Air cancelled my original reservation and booked me on a different outbound flight. I called US Air and told them I still wanted my original itinerary. After about 45 minutes, mostly on hold or explaining the dilemma, I was assured it was all back in order. However....when I checked with United Airlines, they still did not have me on their outbound flight!!!
SHORT STORY LONG - after 4 US Air agents, 2 supervisors, 3 calls to United (WELL over 4 hours of calls), still no resolution.
I'm currently on hold with Deborah with US Air. She said she found the problem - US Air did not reissue the ticket to United - just changed the original ticket. Thusly United only had my cancellation, not the ticket reissue.
This doen't seem like rocket science. Should be in their P&P that a ticket reissue is required if a change occurs. Should not be out of the ordinary. Also seems like a supervisor could resolve the issue.
Side note - no United Airlines agent could speak english very well nor understood thoroughly my issue.
Deborah - actually found another problem and said she would follow this issue till resloved and call me back instead of keeping me on a hold. A first for me!! She did call me back. The problem was that because of the schedule change, there was not enough time scheduled between flights (Hololulu to Kona - there is a required 75 minute minimum). As a result United could not issue the ticket. Deborah found the problem, resolved the problem. Thank you Deborah!! I got her name and employee ID. I will send a letter to US Air regarding the issue and commend Deborah's great service.