"They couldn't rent the seat beside him" - Jacques Rougeau on what flying with Andre The Giant was like [Exclusive]
Former WWE Superstar Jacques Rougeau was a close friend of the legendary Andre The Giant.
Rougeau met Andre when he was just 10 years old and later went on to share locker rooms with him after starting off as a wrestler himself. Rougeau recently opened up about his experience traveling alongside Andre The Giant.
On the latest edition of SK Wrestling's Inside SKoop, former WWE Superstar "The Mountie" Jacques Rougeau opened up about what it was like flying with Andre The Giant.
Rougeau revealed how Andre The Giant always had an empty first-class seat next to him because he was too big to fit in one seat. Andre would then get the attendant to send Rouget up front to sit with him after the flight had taken off.
"I always appreciated the way he treated me, even in the territory. When for 10 years in the WWF when we travelled around the world, every time it was amazing, picked up a little heat there but as soon as we'd take off in the aeroplanes - Andre The Giant was so big in first class that they couldn't rent the seat beside him - so he always had an empty first class seat and every time we took off, six-hour flight seven-hour flight, the flight attendant would come in the back and say 'Jacques Rougeau' and I'd say 'yeah, that's me'. She's say 'you're needed up front' in first class so yeah, that was fun. I always had a great time."
Jacques Rougeau also discussed his experience play cards with Andre The Giant backstage. You can check that out HERE.
A quick look at Andre The Giant's career
Andre The Giant started his pro-wrestling career in his native France, before making a name for himself elsewhere in Europe and then Japan. Andre moved to Canada in 1971 and immediately became a big attraction. He went on to sign with the WWF in 1973.
Andre is one of the biggest stars in WWF/WWE history and his match against Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 3 will be remembered for the "bodyslam heard around the world." During his WWF career, Andre won one world title and the Tag Team Championships once.
After Andre The Giant's death in 1993, he became the first-ever inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame.