So, the agent accommodated you? Sounds like a good story.

Nobody wants to sit in middle seats on any airline. Someone has to. Virtually every airline is moving to a modified first come first served. If you book early enough on virtually every airline you can get windows and aisles. If you don't, the airlines have modified FCFS to give their elites or those willing to pay more a better chance to avoid middles.

Maybe HA and AS are holdouts. They probably won't be for very long.