Aether is always still locked - Raiding in Party Finder Sucks everywhere else.

[Conroy]

Since you can bring your own better buffs to other servers as well and repair from other teammates during a fight, we really need to move the raiding scene from Aether. I have no idea why the community does this to themselves, and the raiding buffs aren't worth it. If you think they do, you're completely insane. SE should take action to resolve this, but in all honesty, the problem is a community problem in NA.