Originally Posted by
GourmetFlyer
Looks like there will be no musical chairs but a waitlist:
... and if it becomes available up to 12 hours before departure and you're next in line, the airline will automatically move you to a new seat and send you a notification about it.
What's "next in line"? First to request or status? If I was a GS, I'd be peeved if were the former.
1) A GS who bought his ticket 3 days before the flight and is stuck in a middle seat in back because F is sold out, or
2) Jed Clampett, who bought his cheap ticket 3 months prior and wants to move from his aisle seat to the newly alerted opened window seat.
I hope UA thinks this out before making a lot of people angry.
I'm not sure this will end up being helpful to people who currently check the seat map fairly frequently for better seats.