Very good points... I should have mentioned that my buddy and I do not sit "together" on flights... we spend the rest of the 2/3 weeks trips "in company" so don't feel the need to sit next to each other in the air!
Given we read/watch movies/sleep/whatever it doesn't seem to be necessary to us... even on the longest longhauls..
..so you can imagine just how sympathetic I am to folks wanting my (carefully chosen) seat on a short flight.."So we can sit together"... (HA!!!)