Originally Posted by
Widgets
Be at the gate about 65 minutes before departure and ask the gate agent. The blocked seats could be in the last two rows.
^^ good advice. Why the back rows? I guess I have noticed this before too, usually on more empty flights where the back few rows get blocked for crew use.. but I always thought they blocked seats primarily to accommodate last minute special requests (like families sitting together, bulkhead needed for bassinet, wheelchair access, service animal, etc)