There are even more confused situations happening with the new system: I was traveling with family in September on SPU-ATH-CHQ. At SPU check-in we were given row 5 seats for the second leg. At boarding in ATH the ground crew tried to force us to seat in the back since we didn't pay for the seats. As the situation was really embarrassing (the crew was almost yelling at us in front of the crowd) I gladly complained and after 2 minutes they "arranged the same seats for us".