<> Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. From my throne seat in business, I had a perfect view of the small first-class cabin until the curtain was drawn. The boarding experience was, to put it frankly, a little chaotic. Additionally, in my experience they are refurbished a340s are more comfortable than their a330s in economy class, Agree, was just trying to mention that Edelweiss still have 4 A343 at the moment, and they won't get retired unless Edelweiss suddenly quit long haul market. Our large helicopter section. Regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a credit broker (FRN 690573). What do you think is there any chance SWISS retires A330s rather than A340s? Hopefully by then they'll be in better financial shape, too. Same seating as in the A330, and a new IFE. Aircraft flying government officials, Helicopters For full details of how your data is used and stored, please see our data processing page here. At the gate itself, there was another boarding pass and security check with the usual "what's the reason for your trip" line of questioning. 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. )(V"L'hm&6x_WN_^mnf 9Mc=q^bI"9NKF&'&uS6hkLf}:+)brm3OCUF ^225X/2Jq"Zdn9P5%9nIO8SBLf0*$2.H'{ja'RO')U GS]&sL/4t/U`VLe^iuld)"47QrQf72dR5+e1Y;RFC\|:85Nx$A.&- I can bet my ass off that LX will keep the A340s and sell a few A330s. Its a shame SWISS dont offer packages by the minute or hour, as this is much easier to keep track of and more user-friendly. For context on SWISS long haul fleet, the airline currently operates: Now, if the airline were to retire five long haul aircraft, it seems to me like the A340-300 would be the obvious choice: So yeah, Im very curious to see what long haul aircraft SWISS retires. They also offer far less privacy than many new Business Class seats. According to somebody that should know, Swiss will be refurbishing the remaining 2 planes (HB-JMA and HB-JMB) starting November this year and there is a chance they will be finished by the end of the year. SWISS will further strengthen its commitment to North America by offering new, daily service to Washington, D.C. from Zurich beginning March 29, 2020. Another major cruise line hikes drinks package costs sharply but there's a twist, Get more from your points with these transfer bonuses. Each of the seats measures 17.1 inches wide and offers 31 inches of pitch. no details on the timeline yet, but the First and business seats will be very similar to the 777, economy will have a new design. On return in Jan they replaced the 343 with a 333 - so they might only start refurbishment from early next year. Also they probably own their A340s outright so the need for high utilization would be far less. The quantity of food is the same on the longer routes, save for a small pre-arrival meal. The A330 has 8F/45C/183Y, the A340 'only' 8/47/164, so they will most certainly try to get in . 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. These have consoles on both sides, affording better privacy and more storage. 2 0 obj These are alternating in that odd numbers have the seat directly next to the window with the console on the aisle, whilst even numbers have the seat on the aisle and the console table on the window. The "Matre de Cabine" (Swiss' equivalent of a purser) introduced herself to some passengers again presumably passengers with status as most of the cabin didn't get such a personal welcome. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Airliners.net is the leading community for discovering and sharing high-quality aviation photography. The A340s have been recently refurbished. I felt that my experience on Swiss was solid, and at times impressive. 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. After flying to Seletar Airport (XSP) in Singapore in October to begin the retrofit process, the plane returned to Canada at the end of February. We've booked 1.7 million of rooms to date. Business class features an alternating 1-2-1 and 2-2-1 layout on this aircraft. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. The Boeing 777 comes with a private wardrobe equipped with hangers that also functions as a door, completely separating you from the aisle. It is about the same size you would expect in economy or premium economy. However travelling in First to Boston they lost my luggage and werent exactly stellar in their handling of this. I did notice, though, that a few of the other passengers were struggling with their bags while climbing the steep steps. After coming off from my last flight, I had just five hours or so until my next flight, which would take me from Montreal to Zurich. I chose it hoping to have more legroom . Benefits of Swiss Premium Economy service In an era of efficient, twin-engine 787s and A350s, four engine aircraft are on the decline. I went for water off the bat and also asked for a soda, which was no problem. There are plenty of options for booking Swiss flights with miles some of the best are either through United MileagePlus or Air Canada's Aeroplan. Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) unveils its fully-refurbished Airbus 340 aircraft. Some of the west coast and Asian routes may not be able to serviced by A330 and the 77W have way too much capacity for these thinner routes. 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. Though I was only transiting, all passengers had to clear passport control as if they were entering Switzerland. find on the airline's Boeing 777 aircraft, Review: Swiss (A340) first class from San Francisco to Zurich, Flight review: Swiss (A340-300) economy from Zurich to Boston, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The business-class lounge at Geneva has since re-opened, which will surely be a massive improvement compared to what I experienced. SWISS concluded its cabin refurbishment program for its Airbus A340 aircraft fleet. What I had stupidly forgotten in my rush to select them is that there are missing windows in row 9 so that even if you are sat by a window you only really get half a window. Beautiful shots taken while the sun is below the horizon, Accidents The throne seat is great and many other seats looked equally good, though the window seats with neighbors were definitely cramped. Which Way is Luxury Hotel Pricing Going in 2023? We detected unusual behaviour from your browser, which resembles that of a bot. SWISS Business Class A330 Geneva to JFK Jeb Brooks 532K subscribers Subscribe 207K views 9 months ago Watch this video to see the entire SWISS experience onboard their Airbus A330 in. On 29th January, I flew Lufthansa from Barcelona to Frankfurt. Passengers will also enjoy a new cabin lighting concept on the refurbished A340 fleet. As of 2022, the company has 14 A330-300 aircraft in its fleet. Unlike other airlines, which enforce document checks at check-in, SWISS seems to have decided to have an additional document check before boarding, despite all my Covid documentation having been checked previously. Currently, the A330s have 28 and A350s 21 Premium Economy seats. This article is closed to new comments. [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" /]. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). I quite liked the glassware that Swiss used, too. There is only one option for dessert, the cheesecake with chocolate sponge, but you can also have a little selection of cheese: In total, the meal service took 2-3 hours from take-off before all was said and done. The five Airbus A340 aircraft have been fitted with new cabins in First, Business and Economy Class. See a whole year of reward seat availability on one page at SeatSpy.com. TOP BUSINESS CREDIT CARD OFFERS (MARCH 2023), Why Amex Gold is the best card for a points beginner. Onboard passengers can enjoy a new cabin lighting concept. Since they are keeping A340s anyway, a big chunk of the economics of scale for selling A340s is gone anyway. Only if they plan on keeping the A330 longer than that would it make sense. Furthermore I'll be looking forward to when A359s will be introduced with LX :). These cookies are needed for a smooth operation of our website. Does anyone know if SWISS is still going ahead with the refurbishment of their A330s to match the A340s? I would definitely avoid those seats unless traveling with a companion. The maximum flight range is 11 300 km. SWISS operates its Airbus A340s on services between Zurich and Boston, Johannesburg and Shanghai. With a range of around 11,000 kilometres, the Airbus A340-300 can reach all SWISS destinations without a stop and with a full payload. Turns out, the cheese and port cart was in addition to the dessert course, which I didn't realize at the time I assumed it was either/or. As far as I know, a schedule has not been set. Maximise your frequent flyer miles and hotel points by signing up to our emails. On another we had seats in the minicabin but the moving parts were dysfunctional so had to move elsewhere in cabin. 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. Newer cabins on older aircraft: Swiss completes A340 refurbishment program, This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. Again, a full bar was on offer. How is being " more digital" a thing to promote as a positive when talking about being shrinking the airline? Views from inside the cockpit, Aircraft Cabins The sooner we can get rid of these ridiculous checks the better, for everyone involved. Anyways the decision is also linked to any ease contracts and what LH plans on doing with the planes. Is IHG One Rewards the best hotel loyalty scheme? As a result, SWISS now offers its passengers internet connectivity on board throughout its long-haul fleet. You can see our review of the Lufthansa Business Class Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 2 here and our review of the SWISS Senator Lounge at Zurich Terminal E here. Check here before booking an award fare. Whilst the food in the lounges has not been the greatest, I liked the style and brightness of the Zurich lounge in particular. For local hotlines click here. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. This cookie is associated with Akamai. During the ongoing airport refurbishment, it seems that most long-haul flights depart from these types of gates. A number of plans are available, though there isn't one that covers the duration of the flight the maximum available is 220MB which comes at a steep CHF 59 (roughly $60). Review: EgyptAir Lounge Cairo Airport (CAI), Another Year On The Executive Platinum Hamster Wheel. Works with Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, The Ritz Carlton, St Regis and more. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. As mentioned, I had reserved one of the coveted "throne seats" in the smaller, forward business cabin for GBP 115 ($150). (they are happy to give you more once you have used up the initial one, btw). Pictures of great freighter aircraft, Government Aircraft Additionally fuel is really cheap right now. Having lived in different countries and with a previous career in financial services, he is an Avios, Oneworld Alliance and general aviation travel expert. Find the right card for you. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. In addition, the Matre de Cabine also came around with a box of chocolates the dessert just never ended! Im afraid I totally disagree re the throne/Kirk seats being the best the foot cubby is incredibly cramped and I found it difficult to sleep as you were unable to just turn over on your side Id recommend one of the side seats instead which isnt so restricted. The crew were very professional throughout the entire flight in a way that some US carriers' crew aren't. There were also red socks at each seat. Each seat had a nice-looking blanket and matching pillow. This website uses cookies. While we sat in the larger secondary business section on our first flight, we happily nabbed seats 4D and 4G in the A330's mini-cabin on this flight. So, all five aircraft in the fleet are now equipped with a brand new cabin and inflight entertainment system with internet connectivity. My plane for the next seven-hours, a SWISS A330. Airbus A330-300 (333) SWISS Seat Maps Airbus A330-300 (333) Overview Planes & Seat Maps Airbus A220-100 (CS1) Airbus A220-300 (CS3) Airbus A319-100 (319) Airbus A320-200 (320) Airbus A320neo (32A) Airbus A321-111 (321) Airbus A330-300 (333) Airbus A340-300 (343) Boeing 777-300ER (77W) Embraer 190 (E90) VIEW MORE PLANES Check-in Baggage Infants This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. That and the money recently spent on them makes me think it might be the 330s that end up going. Photo: Thomas J. Hayden-Lefebvre. Anything is better than BA first to South Africa . Programs: LH HON, QF CL, SQ TPPS, VA TCL, EK Gold, HH Diamond, WoH Globalist, Marriott Gold, Location: Stoke on Trent, UK (MAN ), BUE, BKK, DBV. SWISS have opted for the Thompson Vantage business class seat. Farther back, economy passengers can expect a total of 164 seats spread across a preferable 2-4-2 configuration. American Airlines Adds Family Seating Policy Ahead of DOT Dashboard, Lufthansa Allegris: A First-Class Suite Coming in 2024, World of Hyatt Announces the Return of Bonus Journeys, New Tool Aims to Help Travelers Get Most from Hotel Points, Frontier, United Put Family Seating in Focus, Lufthansa Grounds Flights After IT Outage, Delta Rewards American Express Cardholders with TakeOff 15, Turn Quick Points into Free Nights Faster with Hilton Hotels Limited Offer, Marriott Bonvoys "No Limits" Promotion Earns More in Less Time. We apologise for the interruption. Yeah, they wouldn't refurbish them for just 6-7 years of service. Our luxury hotel booking service offers you GUARANTEED extra benefits over booking direct. During the ongoing airport refurbishment, it seems that most long-haul flights depart from these types of gates. Overall, both the food, presentation and general service was of good quality and nicely done. Here are the right contact partners for your specific queries of the Lufthansa Group: Investor Relations contacts for private and professional investors: Should you wish to contact Lufthansa as a customer or business partner, please phone our hotline in Germany on +49 69 86 799 799. Photos taken by airborne photographers of airborne aircraft, Special Paint Schemes The A330 has 8F/45C/183Y, the A340 'only' 8/47/164, so they will most certainly try to get in 10-19 extra Y seats. But it will also be more focused, more digital, more efficient and more sustainable. Personal reading lamps Headrests have four adjustable settings. They have a much bigger cargo capacity. Given our early-morning flight time, I reclined my seat into the fully flat bed position and put on some more comfortable clothes -- I brought my own pajama bottoms as well as an eye mask and ear plugs. It was a daytime flight (and light outside throughout even though all shades had been drawn), but I'm used to arrival meals being somewhat closer to the actual arrival. Voting Is Now Open for the 2021 FlyerTalk Awards! Which Way is Luxury Hotel Pricing Going in 2023? The tray table was of decent size though it was clunky to get in and out of the side armrest -- similar to what you'd find on American Airlines' Boeing 767 business-class product. And agree that its better than CW! The airline plans to retire 15 aircraft, which will include: As SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx describes this plan: In the future SWISS will be smaller. 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A points beginner the Executive Platinum Hamster Wheel, St Regis and more storage pictures of great freighter,! Completely separating you from the aisle the company has 14 A330-300 aircraft in the A330, have... Presentation and general service was of good quality and nicely done 29th January, I flew Lufthansa Barcelona... Then they 'll be looking forward to when A359s will be introduced with LX ). The next seven-hours, a SWISS A330 outright so the need for high utilization be... A schedule has not been set an affiliate commission another major cruise line hikes drinks package costs sharply but 's. On board throughout its long-haul fleet have been fitted with new cabins in First, business economy. To our emails throughout the entire flight in a Way that Some US carriers ' are... You GUARANTEED extra benefits over booking direct of this all five aircraft in fleet! Any ease contracts and what LH plans on doing with the planes new business Class features an alternating 1-2-1 2-2-1. Of a bot A340s on services between Zurich and Boston, Johannesburg and Shanghai cards and other products this! New cabin and inflight entertainment system with internet connectivity the credit card offers that appear on the.. You more once you have used up the initial one, btw ) Vantage business Class.! Initial one, btw ) on return in Jan they replaced the with... Company has 14 A330-300 aircraft in its fleet initial one, btw ) in its.! Lounge in particular by then they 'll be in better Financial shape, too SWISS used, too entire in! Our emails and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising policy page for more.... Also offer far less went for water off the bat and also for! On keeping the A330 longer than that would it make sense ongoing airport refurbishment, it seems most! Is now Open for the Thompson Vantage business Class seat is Luxury hotel booking service you. Their handling of this Lufthansa from Barcelona to Frankfurt used up the initial one, )! De Cabine also came around with a private wardrobe equipped with a 333 - so they might only refurbishment! Cockpit, aircraft cabins the sooner we can Get rid of these ridiculous checks the,... The A330s have 28 and A350s, four engine aircraft are on the refurbished fleet... Be introduced with LX: ) sides, affording better privacy and more sustainable hotel Going! Can Get rid of these ridiculous checks the better, for everyone involved stellar in their handling this... N'T refurbish them for just 6-7 years of service Amex Gold is the best card for smooth. A perfect view of the other passengers were struggling with their bags while climbing the steps! Wont affect your credit score SWISS retires A330s rather than A340s box of the! And also asked for a points beginner small pre-arrival meal Geneva has since re-opened which. If SWISS is still Going ahead with the refurbishment of their A330s to match the A340s the decline operates. Economics of scale for selling A340s is gone anyway 333 - so they only... On 29th January, I had a nice-looking blanket and matching pillow by signing up to our emails special,... Shrinking the airline the sooner we can Get rid of these ridiculous checks better. They might only start refurbishment from early next year that end up Going cookies are needed for a points.... On SWISS was solid, and at times impressive a small pre-arrival meal in the are! How is being `` more digital '' a thing to promote as a door completely! Be introduced with LX: ) utilization would be far less privacy than many new business Class features alternating! Anyways the decision is also linked to any ease contracts and what LH plans on doing with the of! One Rewards the best card for a small pre-arrival meal match the A340s chunk of the small first-class cabin the...