Originally Posted by docbert

I have successfully used that trick more than once when boarding on a flight where E+ was very light but E was full. I was in the window, and the seat map showed 2 empty seats beside me. I knew that odds were someone would consider that too good a temptation and take the aisle seat, thus losing my hobo business class, so I plant myself in the middle seat instead. Works every time...

(Note that this is just while boarding - I'd never try it pre-boarding as there's just too big a chance someone will take the other seats and I'd get stuck in the middle)