United Airlines told federal regulators in 2014 all ticketed passengers were guaranteed seats on flights, International Business Times reports.
United in comments to federal officials in 2014 said every ticket "guarantees a passenger a seat on the plane, with no additional mandatory seat-assignment charges."
"Importantly, every passenger who buys a ticket on a United flight or a flight on any of United's partners or competitors in the United States will be assigned a seat at no additional charge (though in some cases this will still happen at the gate)," the airline wrote.
"Therefore, the rule does not need to prescribe how carriers must disclose charges concerning advance seat assignments because passengers need not purchase this service to receive a seat assignment."