United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - Seat assignment allowing me (Silver) access to E+ at booking?

OK. This is a new one.

I just booked a flight on a 737-800 series.

When the seat map opened up, only the EXIT rows and bulkhead seats were noted as E+

The first 5 rows of Y cabin seats, the seats are in WHITE (meaning open and I could select my seat there), and the message that appeared as I "moused" over them was that this section was "RESERVED SEATING", not "ECONOMY PLUS" with a $ amount attached.

needless to say, I selected one of these, and the reservation seems to hold my seat

Bug? New feature?

Anyone run across this before?

OK. I just thought of something. Perhaps this is a non-E+ configured aircraft that was a pre-merger CO plane (?)

It does seem odd though - I thought that I had flown on one of these before and all the seats towards the front were E+

OK. I just thought of something. Perhaps this is a non-E+ configured aircraft that was a pre-merger CO plane (?)

It does seem odd though - I thought that I had flown on one of these before and all the seats towards the front were E+

I don't think the retrofit is finished.

I don't think the retrofit is finished.

+1 The rows between the bulkhead and the exit rows on pmCO planes w/o E+ were "reserved" for Elites up until T-24. In this case the plane hasn't had the E+ retrofit yet so as a Silver you are allowed to book in the "Reserved" area, you may get lucky and your plane will get converted to E+ though.

+2..that is exactly what it is. Been there, done that.