Issue with extra legroom seat
 

I recently convinced a friend to shell out the extra money ~$150 USD IIRC for seat 81K on the A380 for a YYZ-DXB flight. It looks like there are 2 configurations of the 388 one where Row 80 HJK is the exit and one where 80HJ and 81K is the exit, the latter of which was showing up for this flight at the time of booking. Friend boarded the flight and she said 81K was a regular seat. She sent a picture of what she said was 80K (which was missing a seat in front). She said that Emirates first said that she is mistaken and didn't purchase an extra legroom seat (despite having email proof) but later in the flight someone came up to her and said that there was an aircraft change which is why her seat was changed.

Is there an aircraft in which 80K is a seat with no seat directly in front of it?
I am assuming/hoping EK will refund the fairly steep seat fee - has this happened to anyone else? Was EK able to re-accommodate you in the "correct" extra legroom seat if there was an aircraft change?

Thanks!

According to https://www.aerolopa.com/ek 4 of the 7 variants have an 80K

ULR frames from A6-EEU onwards and LR from A6-EEW on have these two extra seats.