> when it was the preferred option over sticking seats in Crew-8
It was the preferred option before it failed. Between first failure and return it was not the preferred option as it was. It was preferred assuming it worked. But the assumption couldn’t be proven, in part due to Boeing’s shoddy ground sims.
Not when it was the preferred option over sticking seats in Crew-8, right up until Starliner's software changes for uncrewed return started.