Originally Posted by
newyorkgeorge
A preferred seat is not necessarily a MCE seat. Chances there were only preferred seats left so you lucked out.
I am aware of this. It wasn't an MCE seat it was a $24 "preferred" seat but there were other non-preferred and non-MCE seats to choose from on the seat map.
Curiously, I've just checked in for my return flight and have been assigned an MCE seat for free. *shrugs*
I give up trying to figure out the magic.