Originally Posted by rocketzo

That's an interesting explanation, though it doesn't make sense based on what I'm seeing as a GM trying to book a flight. (Though perhaps the agent meant seats are only blocked after your initial purchase in a particular cabin?) For me, looking at several coach flights around the holidays from WAS airports to DTW all exit row seats are blocked off on every flight I search, but C+ is available for purchase. Exit row seats are free to me as a GM, but at this stage I'd have to pay for C+. So in my case the "good" free seats are blocked off, and the ones I have to pay for are available for purchase... Seems like they want me to just buy C+ and make me believe all the exit rows are full?

I wonder if the blocking is based on Medallion level and a Plat or Diamond would see the exit seats as open since they get C+ for free anyway, so there is no use in trying to keep them out of the exit row since DL earns no additional revenue if they select a C+ seat. If any Plat or Diamonds feel like testing that theory, I see no exit row seats open on any of the direct DCA-DTW flights for 12/19 - 12/26 RT. I also can see all FC first class seat maps with seats open on just about every flight.