we're not talking about exit rows. We're talking about extra legroom seats (it's in the title), and my point is that while they're no longer available for free on request at the airport, and have been paid prior to airport check-in previously, families with infants under 2 years have been assigned these seats without paying in the past and I expect that to continue (assigned prior to the 6h window so the payment was indeed waived) and if a flight is full naturally they will fill those seats rather than IDB (and pay the associated compensation and rebooking). To me that is obvious.

That being said, those seats suck and I wouldn't choose them even if they're free. Some extra legroom seats are exit rows (without bassinets, and thus not applicable to the families I referred to), but you fave an FA during taxi, take-off and landing, the seat is narrower and armrest doesn't go up, it's usually colder due to the door, people congregate during flight to use the lab or stretch, FAs encroach on the area from the adjoining galley to prepare meal service and there's no readily accessible seat back pocket. No thanks.