Rothrob--I totally understand what you are saying. Maybe it's not underhanded or anything like that. Maybe United isn't trying to trick anyone. All I am saying is that it's confusing for someone that doesn't fly often. An inexperienced traveler like my wife who has been involuntarily bumped from flights before that were oversold and didn't get volunteers to give up their seats could be easily confused in this situation into thinking that once again they didn't have a guaranteed seat on this flight and they'd offer to pay to take a better seat because all they want to do is get on the flight. The E+ seats are fantastic on United, but a person that flies 2-3 times a year doesn't know anything about them and I think it's asking a lot for someone that just wants to fly economy from one place to another a couple times a year to read up on all of the quirks that might arise as a result of this benefit. When my wife has to go somewhere she gets on orbitz, finds the cheapest fare for the times she wants to go and books the flight on whatever airline that is and as far as she knows, when she checks in, she should have a seat assignment. She would never have thought to go look at the United website to learn that there are actually differences in economy seats. (That said, since we got married a year ago, I now book all my wife's flights and check her in on-line so that she doesn't get tripped up by these things.)All I'm asking is that if you get in this situation where you check in and don't get a seat assignment, United should print something on that boarding pass that says you are guaranteed a seat and will not be bumped, but that your seat assignment will be given at the gate. All it says now is that you'll get your seat assignment at the gate, which is the same thing it says when the flight is oversold and you aren't on the list to get on.