There are no free seats available for assignment on my flight – does this mean I have to pay to get a seat assignment?

“For many years the airlines have limited the number of seats available for pre-assignment and held the rest to give out at the airport on the day of departure, or more recently, if checking in online 24 hours in advance. We were all accustomed to seeing “seating under airport control” on our itineraries. What’s different today is that the airlines are now charging for many seat assignments, whether they are roomier, at the front of the plane, or even just for the comfort of having any seat number. This leaves fewer free seats available for pre-assignment.  The good news is that there will always be a free seat assignment for you on the day of departure. Because seats are juggled until the very last
minute as other passengers cancel or upgrade, it might even be the seat of your dreams!”