If I cannot even trust the united.com website to show the correct allowance, how much faith should I have that some check-in counter on the other side of the world will get it right?

Not saying you are wrong, just uneasy about it. As a United Platinum, I can take three 70lb bags for free, when flying economy. Plus my no-status partner on my reservation shares my allowance.

So, when the two of us show up with six 70lb bags at Austrian airline counter in Europe, for example. What is really going to happen?