I agree with this one 100% and have pressed UA on the topic several times. The party line reply: "Forcing pax to buy on the spot is a marketing decision. Without this feature we would not be able to offer the deep discounts they have come to value from our online product." Of course, I find this logic a bit puzzling because: 1) other carriers have no problem holding reservations, 2) web fares are rarely that impressive, and 3) the majority of fares available online are identical to those sold through other channels. The one saving grace in this policy though, is the provision that allows you to cancel within 24 hours of booking (I have no problem with the extra paperwork this creates for them).