Having to wait twice for my transfer at Toronto’s airport for six hours each time, I noticed a pattern of how rows of seats at lounges at the departure gates are being filled up. Seats are arranged parallel to the window in groups of eight seats with a small table attached in between 4 seats. I was one of the first to arrive and went to sit close to the window. More people came and picked seats either at the far end of the seat row or like me, at the window. Once most of these seats were taken people took the seats in between, making sure to keep a distance of two to three seats open. If possible people avoided sitting directly in front of each other, making sure they sit diagonal from each other. The seats are arranged in sucha way that people are not facing each other anayway. The last open seats would then be picked up by those arriving last.
Interestingly, as I had 6 hours to kill I tried, as an experiment I went to sit at lounges where few people were sitting, and the same pattern occurred every time.

A perfect example of the Prospect Refuge law.