Basically that is what I said: they have never been exclusively available to medallions. i did not comment on the timing when "anyone" may select/assign those seats.
I remember the outcry in '07. However, I think they were
deliberatly left for
anyone and even a strange online petition plus lots of complaints back in the days were unable to move DL's position by a single inch. That is something that still upsets me ...
Yeah, it bothers me too. A simple issue that would cost DL next to nothing to fix.
Flying MXP-JFK crammed into row 17 while watching teenagers on vacation with no status (saw their boarding passes) take the exit rows was an extremely frustrating experience.