I booked an award ticket for a friend SFO-MSP-RDU. The seat selections were made for the RDU-MSP/MSP-RDU legs, but the SFO-MSP/MSP-SFO legs showed "unassigned" and would not give me the option of selecting a seat. Given that he has no status, I was worried that he might end up getting bumped without a seat assignment, so I pulled up the itinerary again, and this time had the opportunity to pick seats. Unfortunately, the only seats available were EC (for $59 each -- no thank you) or middle seats in the back. I picked the middle seats.

Now I am second-guessing that decision. If I had let the seat selection ride, is it possible that he could have been put into EC without paying? Or at least be put into a better seat if someone else were moved to EC? Or is it always better to have a seat assignment, even if it sucks (which has been my mantra)?