If people have an email that they have not signed into in over a year ( say if this email is being used for a software login or Apple ID), the email name should still be available for the owner to reclaim by showing proof that they are in fact the account holder.
Many people have multiple emails and some don't get check as often but are still being used for software or other logins.
Having an AOL email for over 13 years and because there was no login within the past 12 months there should be something that an account holder can do.