Check here before booking an award fare. I was a bit surprised that two hours before arrival the crew turned on the mood lighting in the cabin and started serving the arrival meal. It's easy to come by miles in either of these programs, too, since United is a 1:1 transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Aeroplan is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards. I felt that my experience on Swiss was solid, and at times impressive. I went for water off the bat and also asked for a soda, which was no problem. Swiss Airbus A330 Seat Maps Swiss. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. The airline recently completed a cabin refurbishment program on all five of its A340s which includes a new entertainment system and internet access. Obviously they will replace the entertainment system Any "enhancement" to the coach experience expected? Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Related reading: Review: Swiss (A340) first class from San Francisco to Zurich. Oddly the airline isnt saying which aircraft it will retire, even though youd think the choice would be obvious. In first class, passengers can expect eight suites, which are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. Swiss chief commercial officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour said, "With the completion of our Airbus A340 cabin refurbishment programme we are further underlining our quality commitment, and now offer . It was nice to see they had a special diversity section with a range of LGBT content. Find the right card for you. the refurbishment of its aging A340-300 fleet. [flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Ground Experience" tpg-rating="4" tpg-rating-max="10" tail="HB-JHJ" age="8" departure="12" departure-2="12" duration="8" duration-2="44" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]. Beside getting a chance to fly long-haul in Swiss business class for the first time, this itinerary contained another treat a flight on board Swiss' new Airbus A220 aircraft from LHR to GVA. How is being " more digital" a thing to promote as a positive when talking about being shrinking the airline? On return in Jan they replaced the 343 with a 333 - so they might only start refurbishment from early next year. American Express Unveils Refreshed Centurion Lounge Experience in Seattle, Delta Air Lines Plans to Make Sky Clubs More Exclusive, Oneworld Partners American and British Airways Open JFK Terminal 8, United Airlines Opens Grab-and-Go Fly Club in Denver, United VIPs Get Escorts in Jaguar Electric SUVs, Experts Agree: Alcohol Should Stay Off Aircraft. Each seat had a nice-looking blanket and matching pillow. The A330s are in storage right now. B Airbus A330-300 (333) Airbus A340-300 (343) Boeing 777-300ER (77W) Embraer 190 (E90) Check-in; Baggage; Infants; Minors; Pets Do you know this plane? Throughout the flight, crew members were highly professional and efficient. Corporate responsibility, that is to say sustainable and responsible entrepreneurial practice, is an integral part of our corporate strategy. The aircraft is roomy. On another we had seats in the minicabin but the moving parts were dysfunctional so had to move elsewhere in cabin. Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, Brussels, LOT and Other Partners | Miles & More, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, https://www.swiss.com/corporate/en/m-20161007.html, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/28525359-post588.html. Veuillez nous excuser pour cette interruption momentane. In the refurbished business class, passengers can expect 47 lie-flat seats. What American Express bonuses are you still eligible for? Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Everytime I was in F and they gave me a voucher, it's nerver worked. I had to pay about $150 (expensive, yes, but arguably worth it) for my seat, but the airline reserves all the throne seats on the right side of the business-class cabins specifically for Miles & More HON Circle or Gold members. There is Wi-Fi on board most of Swiss' long-haul aircraft. SWISS Airbus A330 300 1 3.5 of 5 based on 36 user ratings. The new flight will bring service on the Zurich-Washington, D.C. route to 14 weekly frequencies provided by SWISS and its joint-venture . 3 0 obj As a result, SWISS now offers its passengers internet connectivity on board throughout its long-haul fleet. Swiss Business Class cabins feature a designer look with wood accents, logo branding, dark fabric seats, and attractive lighting. All the A330s have the same seat map: As you can see, there are 8 First Class seats in a 1-2-1 layout across two rows. They were usually served by the 77W, which was large both for pax and cargo. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Objectively, the 777-300ER is a newer, nicer aircraft. Looking at the industry bigger-picture youd think the A340 would definitely be retired, but Im curious if SWISS will be bucking the trend here. The next batch of reviews from this trip will look at a variety of Marriott Bonvoy hotels in Dubai. Photo: Thomas J. Hayden-Lefebvre. Could SWISS really be considering keeping these older A340s and retiring some A330s instead, or is the airline just being intentionally vague for now? [tpg_rating tpg-rating-score="82" ground-experience="7" cabin-seat="21" amens-ife="10" food-bev="21" service="23" pros="Soothing and stylish cabin, comfy seat, truly great food and exceptional service." It had all the usual items including an eye mask, toothpaste and toothbrush). So they may be coming up for major checks, but surprised the 77W can't give them the cargo lift they get with the 343s? Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. While most airlines have retired the A340, SWISS seems quite committed to the aircraft, having just spent so much money refreshing the planes. Every seat in the middle section has aisle access and they're in a staggered arrangement. These have consoles on both sides, affording better privacy and more storage. is the General Manager for The Points Guy UK, based in London. Swiss A330 Refurbishment Discussions about factual events happening in the airline and general aviation industries. The arrival meal consisted of couscous salad with pomegranate and oranges. Swiss A330 Business-Class Cabin. <>>> All of Swiss' Airbus A340-300 aircraft have gotten some new life. The reasons could be the following: You have a browser plugin installed that blocks JavaScript, you are using a VPN or privacy software often used by bots, or you are navigating through the website at an unusually high speed. SWISS will further strengthen its commitment to North America by offering new, daily service to Washington, D.C. from Zurich beginning March 29, 2020. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Chase has extended Pay Yourself Back option to Southwest cards but is it worth it? Transfers in Zurich were amongst the smoothest Ive ever experienced (and put Heathrow to shame!). Screen size: 15.6 inches. Same seating as in the A330, and a new IFE. Standard seats can be reserved free of charge, and the throne seats on the left side (being in every other row) can be reserved for the same fee that I paid. Pre-pandemic commercially important destinations included PVG, HKG and SIN. SWISS concluded its cabin refurbishment program for its Airbus A340 aircraft fleet. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. <> Last but not least the resale value proposition is a lot better for the A330 compared to the ultra cheap A340-300s. SWISS have opted for the Thompson Vantage business class seat. Which Way is Luxury Hotel Pricing Going in 2023? Swiss International Airlines, better known simply as SWISS, once had a fleet of 15 Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Does anyone know if SWISS is still going ahead with the refurbishment of their A330s to match the A340s? I quite liked the glassware that Swiss used, too. Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe. Refurbishment details Air Canada chose to work with ST Aerospace to refurbish its aircraft and bring them in line with its Boeing 777s and 787s. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). We paid a total of 60,000 miles, and taxes and fees came to a total of $292, which we put on the Platinum Card in order to earn 5x points on the purchase in this case a total of 1,460 points, worth about $28 according to TPG's current valuations. This probably explains why they refurbished the 340s although lets not forget that Delta retired all their 777s right after a massive overhaul. The 330s will also need a refresh soonits not cheap to refresh a cabin. The A330-300 reflects Swiss' newest First, Business and Economy Class products. Have any existing ones been already upgraded with new First Class seats similar to 777? 14 Airbus A330-300s, seating 236 people each Five Airbus A340-300s, seating 223 people each 12 Boeing 777-300ERs, seating 340 people each Lufthansa Group has ordered some A350-900s and 787-9s and some of those should go to SWISS, but we don't know how many The 777 is currently SWISS' flagship aircraft /], [tpg_rating tpg-rating-score="80" ground-experience="4" cabin-seat="22" amens-ife="8" food-bev="22" service="24" pros="Smart-looking cabin, comfortable throne seat and fantastic service." So all depends on if and when pax travel to Asia will recover. From 2023, the Lufthansa A350s will also get a new First Class product. As mentioned, I had reserved one of the coveted "throne seats" in the smaller, forward business cabin for GBP 115 ($150). For full details of how your data is used and stored, please see our data processing page here. Aircraft painted in beautiful and original liveries, Airport Overviews Welcome! You can see one on the far right here: Second best if you are a solo traveller are the single seats on the right hand side of the aircraft, ie. Swiss to retire all Airbus A340s in 2024-2025 The big four-engine jets are on the way out, and will be replaced by either the Airbus A350 or the Boeing 787. And, of course, the lines were quite long. I did notice, though, that a few of the other passengers were struggling with their bags while climbing the steep steps. 2 0 obj I made my own bed SWISS dont offer a bed making service as far as I can tell and there is no mattress pad or sheet like you find on other airlines, so you make do with your (fairly mediocre) pillow and blanket: At some point a bistro menu was handed out for the optional second on-demand meal service. Seriously, the concept of being plain spoken has been lost and that's sad. The aircraft were given a new lease on life in 2020. When I passed through the airport, Swiss' business-class lounge was closed for refurbishment kind of. With OS now starting to fiddle around with Premium Economy soon (see. Our luxury hotel booking service offers you GUARANTEED extra benefits over booking direct. SWISS operates two aircraft on long-haul international flights, the Airbus A330 which has long been the workhorse of the SWISS fleet and a sparkling new ensemble of Boeing 777-300ERs. 4 0 obj . Menus were handed out before takeoff as well I liked both the design, size and classiness of the menu, which was in English, German, French and Italian. TOP BUSINESS CREDIT CARD OFFERS (MARCH 2023), Why Amex Gold is the best card for a points beginner. Swiss will be more "focused" and "more digital"? Sister airline Lufthansa is in the process of retiring its entire A340 fleet, while the airline continues to fly all of its A330s. Based on the announcement by Swiss, I expect they are launching the world's first teleportation device to "digitally" transport us from one point to another. Each of the suites feature 22 inches of seat width, and each of the beds is 80 inches long when in its lie-flat position. But the plane will not be retired anytime soon. SWISS has a reputation for its meal service and I was excited to try it. Whilst waiting for boarding to complete the crew came round with the Business Class menu and a drink, either champagne or a non-alcoholic option: This is one thing where the SWISS Business Class seat really suffers: in flight entertainment. First, business and elite passengers were called to board just after 11am for our 11:40am departure and were bussed separately to our A330, which has registration HB-JHJ and was delivered new to Swiss eight years ago. The question whether they retire A330 or A340 is related to Asian destinations. It did get very warm at one point, though, so I asked the crew to turn down the temperature which they promptly did and the cabin was much more pleasant again. After the main course, there was a trolley pushed about the cabin with cheese and port. . Also they probably own their A340s outright so the need for high utilization would be far less. The airline plans to retire 10 short haul aircraft and five long haul aircraft. Photos taken by airborne photographers of airborne aircraft, Special Paint Schemes Any updated news on the refurbishment schedule? 2023 Head for Points. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. This A330-300 is used on long-haul routes and Swiss is one of the only airlines in the world to offer a First Class product on long-haul flights. As a result, business-class passengers received a measly 10 euro voucher for food and drink at one of the airport shops, which I thought was a pretty subpar compromise. On long-haul flights, the airline flies the Airbus A330-300 and A340-300 and the Boeing B777-300ER.The staggered, forward-facing 1-2-1 and 2-2-1 seating is a plus for many passengers, but it is wise to select the right seat for your needs in advance. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The UK's biggest frequent flyer website uses cookies, which you can block via your browser settings. Swiss International Airlines A330 Swiss Air Business Class NBO-ZRH (Jomo Kenyatta Nairobi - Zurich International Airport) LX293 - Business Class (I) 12:20 AM - 6:25 AM November 26, 2013 Booked: Airbus 330-200 Flown: Airbus 330-200 On Board Swiss Business Class Long Haul: On board, we turned left to the Swiss Mini Cabin. Therefore I strongly believe in the retirement of 5 SWISS A330-300. The sooner we can get rid of these ridiculous checks the better, for everyone involved. Since we are now firmly in Q4 2018, does any one have any updates on this process? This article is closed to new comments. The A330 forms the backbone of the SWISS long haul fleet with fourteen aircraft. 2014-09-13: 3.5 of 5. Traveler photos (1) . Since they are keeping A340s anyway, a big chunk of the economics of scale for selling A340s is gone anyway. Though I was only transiting, all passengers had to clear passport control as if they were entering Switzerland. SIA to acquire 25 per cent stake in Air India. Links on Head for Points may pay us an affiliate commission. First, business and elite passengers were called to board just after 11am for our 11:40am departure and were bussed separately to our A330, which has registration HB-JHJ and was delivered new to Swiss eight years ago. If you book through United, you'll spend 70,000 miles for a one-way business-class flight plus minimal taxes and fees for a flight between the US and Europe, while if you go the Aeroplan route, you can expect to pay 55,000 miles, but you'll have to shell out more in cash (usually between $250 and $300) for a similar flight. One of the issues are the crew rest containers - or rather the lack thereof on the A330 SWISS have had to block all first class seats on some A330 flights to Asia in order to accomodate the crew. I was delighted to find it was very tender and delicious: The polenta was an interesting choice and the root vegetables were a bit too small I would have liked something a bit more chunky but it tasted good. And, since it wasn't being utilized by Swiss, it wasn't crowded with both Priority Pass and Swiss business-class passengers there's always a silver lining. I think the business lounges are already full in ZRH, adding premium economy wouldn't help. I really couldn't fault them for anything. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. I probably would have halved the portion, though, and added a more straightforward carb dish, like regular old mashed potatoes. Since cargo is paying any long haul flying right now, that is an really important factor. The SWISS Business Class seat are not hugely private, and I was glad to have a window rather than aisle seat: The seat comes with a reading material pouch, coat hanger (although I dont think I saw anyone use this on my flight) and in flight entertainment screen: Under this is the foot cubby hole, which is common these days. All the A330s have the same seat map: As you can see, there are 8 First Class seats in a 1-2-1 layout across two rows. Maximum recline: 31 degrees. There is actually one more factor; Edelweiss. It's clear that Swiss doesn't go all out to "wow" its customers with blinged-out cabins, but it succeeds in providing a very good business-class experience. (Photo by Victoria Walker/The Points Guy) My seat, 27K, was in the forward economy cabin, with four lavatories separating this cabin from the larger rear one. Next to the 777, the A340 has proven to be a workhorse during the crisis. Overall it was a pleasant flight, made better by the brand-new, state-of-the-art aircraft. SWISS has announced plans to shrink its fleet, including retiring five long haul aircraft. Since they are keeping A340s anyway, a big chunk of the economics of scale for selling A340s is gone anyway. Which Way is Luxury Hotel Pricing Going in 2023? By logging into your account, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and the use of cookies as described therein. SWISS just spent tens of millions of dollars, While the A340-300 has worse fuel economy than the A330-300, the plane has greater range; that being said, there arent too many markets served by SWISS where that range should make a significant difference, The A340-300 has a higher maximum takeoff weight than the A330-300, so the plane can carry more cargo. Unlike on the 777 where the Matre de Cabine works as a pure team leader, on the A330 they work a specific cabin. A big chunk of the swiss long haul aircraft arrival meal consisted of couscous salad with and... Retire A330 or A340 is related to Asian destinations is gone anyway would have halved the portion though. Enhancement '' to the ultra cheap A340-300s Way is Luxury Hotel booking service offers GUARANTEED... Additional details about our partners refurbishment of their A330s to match the A340s internet connectivity board!, HKG and SIN to say sustainable and responsible entrepreneurial practice, is an integral part our! 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Replace the entertainment system any `` enhancement '' to the ultra cheap A340-300s Asian destinations products on this.! Based in London user ratings entertainment system any `` enhancement '' to the offers on. Were struggling with their bags while climbing the steep steps First, business and class! Sides, affording better privacy and more storage are arranged in a staggered arrangement all the usual items including eye. If and when pax travel to Asia will recover the usual items including an eye,! And oranges 2018, does any one have any existing ones been already upgraded with First... Service offers you GUARANTEED extra benefits over booking direct a specific cabin all depends on if and pax! Experience expected large both for pax and cargo at times impressive the 777-300ER is a newer, nicer.... A thing to promote as a positive when talking about being shrinking the airline F and gave. 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