Ok, thanks for the replies everyone. I appreciate the info. I'm going to ask really nicely and offer the incentive, it's not like an aisle seat in business buys you much anyway. If all fails, it is what it is.
thanks so much
Oh, and I'll be in the admirals club before so will go see if they can do anything about it. hopefully I'll befriend a fellow traveller in advance, buy them a beer and we can do the swap