Traveller's response after passenger asks him 'very nicely' to switch seats so he could sit with his fiancé: 'Is this guy kidding?'
Taskmaster Australia co-host Tom Cashman was on his second leg of his journey between Singapore and London when a passenger asked if they could swap seats so he could be next to his fiancé.
While both men were seated on opposite sides of the aisle, the Aussie comedian declined to move because he had paid an additional $180 for extra leg room.
The plane had a three-four-three configuration. Tom was sitting on the aisle seat of a three-seat row next to the window, while the other passenger was seated in the centre section, in one of the four-seat rows.
'I was boarding a flight and I was taking my seat... when the guy asked me very nicely... He asked a favour, "Can I switch seats with you so I can sit with my fiancé?". He said, "Feel free to say no" and I felt very free to say no,' Tom said in his video.
'I've got to say, it's disheartening being a comedy performer on the way to a comedy festival, knowing for a fact that they will never elicit a laugh as true and as guttural as the one I got from a man's face on the trip over.
'Because is this guy kidding? Get real mate. This is the best seat... this is a seat sent from God. Why does this seat even exist? I paid $180 for it as well.'
Tom said he was impressed with the amount of leg room he got for the price he paid for the 'best' economy seat on the plane.
'This is unbelievable, I've never seen anything like it,' he explained.
'It's better than business class.'
The stand-up comedian said he had so much room that the passenger next to him decided to leave their belongings, including a pillow, in his space.
'I didn't even care, there was so much room. He can have all that bit there and I don't give a s***,' Tom said.
However, it wasn't the seat swap request that got Tom riled up.
'What also p*ssed me off about this guy is first of all, he's in a relationship, he's got a fiancé. Congratulations to the beautiful couple. I don't have a fiancé so he's rubbing my face in that,' Tom joked.
'Not only that, he wasn't even tall. He was way less tall than I am. Basically this guy is asking for something he doesn't need to enjoy something in front of me that I don't have.
'It'd be like if I found an old guy on the flight and asked to borrow his cane and then use the cane to scroll YouTube Shorts.'
However, Tom said he doesn't 'begrudge' the man for asking in the first place.
'He's done me a big favour because now when people ask me if I've seen Happy Gilmore 2, I get to say, "Yes I have",' he explained.
'And in my opinion, it's best enjoyed 30,000 feet in the air, feet outstretched, flanked by two furious fiancés.'
Tom said he was impressed with the amount of leg room he got for the price he paid for the 'best' economy seat on the plane
His video has been viewed more than 600,000 - with many agreeing with Tom's decision to refuse swapping seats.
'Funny how they always ask to swap into the better seat, and never offer to downgrade themselves to get what they want,' one pointed out.
'He has a whole life ahead of him with his fiancé, you had limited time with this perfect seat. The nerve,' another shared.
'I would protect that seat with my LIFE,' one said.
'Their poor planning is not your problem,' another revealed.
One traveller recalled: 'I was once asked to swap so a newly married couple could sit together. I said no and she cried the whole way to Hong Kong from London.'
'I had that seat once and the guy behind (middle seat) asked me to switch so he could sit with his girlfriend. HAHAHAHAHAHA. No,' another shared.
Many suggested the couple may have skimped on paying extra for additional leg room, hoping instead that a 'nice' person would be happy to swap.
'He didn't buy that seat in hopes some nice person who did pay would switch. Good for you for not switching,' one said.
'He knows that and they planned that... ask for $200 cash and you will swap, otherwise no deal,' another suggested.
'100 per cent they didn't book that seat because of the price, booked the two they did, and hoped they could just get the switch done when they asked,' one added.
Others suggested the man should have asked the person to his left to swap with his fiancé so they would just be switching middle seats, making it fair for both parties.
'He should have asked the person on the other side of him to switch. They had a middle middle seat,' one said.
'I'm sure the person on the other side of the fiancé stuck in the middle would have happily swapped for his aisle seat,' another suggested.
Meanwhile, many were confused with the gap in front of Tom's seat.
But a seasoned traveller explained: 'Fun fact for those curious, that gap covers the emergency hatch down to the cabin crew bunks, hence why it's randomly in the middle of the cabin.'
'There's an emergency escape hatch under the carpet,' another shared.
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