Star Alliance - Preferred Seating on Star Alliance

All,
I'm a Platinum Premier member on United and I recently booked flights on united.com that are operated by US Airways. I got my US Airways confirmation numbers but is there a way to get preferred seating on the US Airways flights? Right now it's making me pay for it when I try and do a seat selection. Anyone know how to do this?

Thanks!

No preferred searing in US for UA elites. Have to wait until check in at airport.

True... but let's tell the whole story.. Preferred/Choice/E+/whatever it's called seating is not and never has been a published benefit of Star Alliance status.

If an airline offers it... it's a nice bonus...

(and there are many reports of US offering Preferred seating at check in to "foreign elites" , and many reports of UA offering E+ - but not, sadly, to me!! :D)

..but it is not an entitlement...

very similar discussion on this thread:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/united-mileageplus-consolidated/1324951-1k-usair-gold-seating-benefits.html