Originally Posted by
JMN57
In reality, unless the entire flight is full, there will probably be at least one middle empty. Why not try to maximize the chance that it is your three seats? If the flight is full, then nobody is out anything.
Because chances are that by doing so I am forcing three strangers to share a row, and honestly air travel in Y is bad enough that I think if I am part of a couple I should be willing to take one middle seat.
It sounds as though the OP is not really willing to sit anywhere but aisle and middle, so I think he ought to reserve aisle and middle. Why try to game the system to someone else's disadvantage?