I don't think they block seats anymore on CX, so if you get an empty seat next to you, I think it's just luck (or the airport was holding the seat for another elite, but they missed the flight). I often get to the airport and then there are some good seats left but seem to be unavailable to most people, but once I ask they call someone, "Please release XX seat for DM." Anyways that's as far as I've seen in the new system.