Originally Posted by
Concerto
It occurred to me that seat selection might have been free if I had checked in within 24 hours of departure.
Not on the Basic fare, no, you would still have to pay.
Actually, you would have a higher chance of securing a better seat if you were to check in later because the system starts assigning seats from the back to the front. This matters on the 319s because there is more legroom in the first few rows then further in the back (can't remember if its the same for the rest of the fleet). Statistically, you are also more likely to have an empty seat next to you if you end up in the front.