Tafflyer

I get that, and sometimes sitting in an Economy exit row instead of an Economy seat, for which the airline charges 5 times as much, calls it business and then puts somebody in the middle seat anyway, is sometimes even preferred. Based on the routing you describe, I suspect business class may not have been much of a price uplift anyway, but I understand your logic. I still would not have asked, but that's probably the "Brit" in me, and if you can handle the probable refusal, then ask by all means.