I have no issue with airlines offering reserved seats for money. Let people buy their aisle seats and window seats and exit rows.

Most people don't give a shit where they sit, so most seats are not reserved. Traditionally, airlines tried to just put people close together when they booked together. When we check in, we just get random seats that are close together. That's okay. I'm fine with taking whatever seats no-one else wants.

If I understand United marketing correctly, they will actively sit you apart from others in your group unless you buy an upgrade. That is, instead of assigning you some of the free spots close together, you get put as far apart as possible, and they hope that you will buy an upgrade to sit close together.

Other airlines don't do that.

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tatersolid 7 hours ago | parent [-]

Is this a per-market thing?I’m from Chicago and therefore fly United with my family all the time. The website/app lets me pick all our seats at booking time in Economy class without any up charges.

	▲	jjcob 7 hours ago \| parent [-]
		It's a benefit of "Economy" vs "Basic Economy". I saw it on an international flight. You pay 20% more and are allowed to sit with your family. At least that's how I understood their marketing. There also seem to be some exceptions for kids under 12, but I'm not sure how they work.