Theoretical seating for gold is alive and well. Returning from JTR last week, Mrs F. (Gold) kept a free aisle ET exit seat next to her, enabling us to get a quasi CE experience. There was one other available seat in ET so the block held well. What I don't know is if the booking showing group 0 for both of us also had a part to play. Certainly I've found an empty exit row seat next to me a lot more frequently than I used to.