I think the point here was that they were originally in another jumpseat at the back but were moved because they were in the way! It’s not occupying a jumpseat per se that is the issue, it’s that they were sat in the double jumpseat by D1L during cruise, and facing business class customers in 1A and C that was the issue - that’s the way I read the OP’s issue. The jumpseat at D1L would be occupied by the SCCM and another crew member for takeoff and landing - ie it’s not spare.

Can this be factually right though? Does an A320 have jumpseat space in the cabin for 6? IE is there seating for 4 at the back? The 320 would have had a minimum of 4 operating cabin crew. Are there not 2 spare seats on the flight deck? I wonder whether they were sat there for takeoff and landing.

Just because a captain says so does not mean it is right and, whilst it may happen at the time, the individual still has to face the consequences.

At LHR, we have 6 cabin jumpseats versus a normal crew complement of 4. The two spare are at the rear. I presume LGW would be the same, though obviously can’t be sure. There’s also one spare jumpseat in the flight deck, but only staff travel passengers who are crew (either flight or cabin) can use these.

Its not always a sense of entitlement. Some people (and I would include myself) are extremely shy and don’t want to have to sit facing someone in such close proximity. Look how many people dislike the CW situation with the screen down. Buying a business class ticket should provide a greater sense of personal space which in the above circumstances has in my opinion been breached.

I just think they should put a bulkhead (and wardrobe) in. From a crew’s perspective, some sectors from LGW can be quite long. Presumably crew might want to take a break / have a meal and they either have to go to the back (and be interrupted by ET using the toilet) or sit at the front staring at the cabin. Try taking a break in plain view of customers. It doesn’t make for a happy combination. Might be ok for a LCC but CE is a premium cabin. I don’t blame the operating crew on the day - they have to make do with what they’ve got.

I actually agree with the OP. I rather suspect that they were moved up the front so they were watered if not fed from the CE galley. I suspect that CE was full. Whether ET was remains to be seen. The CSM clearly was being defensive until she realised that you were hopping mad. I suspect that I know who it might have been. Was she blond and East European? I say this because I had an issue with her as she couldn’t understand why her handbag up in the overhead lockers was a problem. That apart, she was lovely I have to say. Naturally, all the storage space in the bulkhead has gone as well, so I do have some sympathy.

Those non-bulkhead seats cause problems with people queuing for the toilet. What makes me maddest 😡 of all are crew bags in the forward compartments as I have said. If she had said that to me, I’d have said that there’s space down the back where she must have spent take-off, just because there’s no room for you to put her, don’t dump her on us. Her role and ours is different, we pay full whack. She most likely doesn’t. When I flew I never went stand-by even in the last years when I commuted from Nice. I always paid HI and my fares for own travel as neither of us would travel Space Available.

Complain away. It’s not good enough.