Originally Posted by
newyorkgeorge
Not on AA with BE. If you don't choose to pay for a seat you will play seat roulette. Chances are you'd have to speak with the GA when he/she came on duty but don't get your hopes up. Reports are sometimes GAs ask for payment to change a BE seat, sometimes not. However, with packed flights by T-1 more than likely all windows and aisles are gone. Possibly if someone is upgraded at the gate the GA might give you their original seat. But that's doubtful.
Does UA actually allow you seat preference on a BE fare? That would seem to defeat the purpose of a BE fare.
best bet is to wait until all stand by and upgraded are processed and group 9 starts boarding. Have a seat map ready (you have to do search in aa app and see available seats on the seat map) and ask GA to change to a specific seat you want. They may or may not give it to you