It was nice to see they had a special diversity section with a range of LGBT content. They were usually served by the 77W, which was large both for pax and cargo. In short, it's definitely worth it (especially when you can find award availability) to fly out of your way from London to New York. 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. Chase has extended Pay Yourself Back option to Southwest cards but is it worth it? Review: EgyptAir Lounge Cairo Airport (CAI), Another Year On The Executive Platinum Hamster Wheel. I understood that this would only happen 2018. Last but not least the resale value proposition is a lot better for the A330 compared to the ultra cheap A340-300s. Swiss International Airlines, better known simply as SWISS, once had a fleet of 15 Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The headline options include a beef burger, soups, salad, rosti and sandwiches as well as a range of sweet and salty snacks. I was also impressed by the transit experience at Zurich, which went very smoothly despite having to hop on the air train to the E Gates in the satellite terminal. Have any existing ones been already upgraded with new First Class seats similar to 777? In the end the A340 has space for one extra pallet and a lot of additional MTOW. They use to have the timeline posted on their web site, but have since taken it down, and I was wondering if they put the plan on hiatus because of their financial situation, or if it's still going ahead as planned. Voting Is Now Open for the 2021 FlyerTalk Awards! According to PlaneSpotters.net, Swiss' fleet of five A340s have an average age 16.3 years. Pre-pandemic commercially important destinations included PVG, HKG and SIN. I'm going to review the full A220 flight in a separate post, so for now I'll just touch on the experience. In an era of efficient, twin-engine 787s and A350s, four engine aircraft are on the decline. Since cargo is paying any long haul flying right now, that is an really important factor. Here are the best cards for making your trip more comfortable. A list of partners is here. Special features Find the right card for you. The cabin, though not the most updated in Swiss' fleet, felt sleek and classy, and service was impeccable. Those have two functions: On the one hand they are providing basic functionality for this website. I felt that my experience on Swiss was solid, and at times impressive. This was not particularly fast, but not a problem since this was a day flight. WTF is this businessspeak supposed to mean? They also offer far less privacy than many new Business Class seats. 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. 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. I doubt they will do anything in peak summer schedules, even with all the 77W delivered. Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) unveils its fully-refurbished Airbus 340 aircraft. Fortunately SWISS has a handful of different designs by Victorinox and on my return I had a very snazzy black tin which I thought was much classier. All of Swiss' long-haul aircraft, including these refurbished A340 aircraft, feature Wi-Fi connectivity. 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. Reply Aug 25, 19, 2:39 pm # 324 behuman Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: my heart is on the shores of the north Italian lakes SWISS operates its Airbus A340s on services between Zurich and Boston, Johannesburg and Shanghai. Another major cruise line hikes drinks package costs sharply but there's a twist, Get more from your points with these transfer bonuses. The contents were the same but it felt much nicer, and the tin is very useful to have. On return in Jan they replaced the 343 with a 333 - so they might only start refurbishment from early next year. Each seat has an adjustable reading light and a USB charging port as well as an international AC power port. Anyone who needs to be online for a serious amount of time (or doing a serious amount of work) is going to find that getting connected on board a Swiss aircraft is very expensive. Once I succeded in sending an SMS. 70,000 bonus points taken away due to refund, get back? The bus was completely packed, though, so it didn't feel like a premium experience. Maximum recline: 31 degrees. Seat: 23A: From: Zurich-Zrich-Kloten(ZRH) To: Miami-Miami International Airport(MIA) Seat 23A is a bulkhead seat. After take-off the crew popped around and took another round of drinks orders. There were also red socks at each seat. Most helpful comments ( as chosen by the OMAAT community ). /]. The airline recently completed a cabin refurbishment program on all five of its A340s which includes a new entertainment system and internet access. With OS now starting to fiddle around with Premium Economy soon (see. When I passed through the airport, Swiss' business-class lounge was closed for refurbishment kind of. The A340s have been recently refurbished. We pushed back on time at 11:40am and were airborne 20 minutes later. I did just that when I flew from London to New York via Geneva on Swiss Air Lines. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. The A330 forms the backbone of the SWISS long haul fleet with fourteen aircraft. Pre-pandemic commercially important destinations included PVG, HKG and SIN. Got any questions? Unlike on the 777 where the Matre de Cabine works as a pure team leader, on the A330 they work a specific cabin. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Its not great. 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. 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. SWISS concluded its cabin refurbishment program for its Airbus A340 aircraft fleet. Hi Ben, minor correction: Helvetic is not a subsidiary of Swiss. Business Class features a staggered lie flat seat. The A330-300 reflects Swiss' newest First, Business and Economy Class products. The business-class lounge at Geneva has since re-opened, which will surely be a massive improvement compared to what I experienced. 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. It's the simple things. View the current offers here. In total, there are 45 lie-flat Business Class seats. The oldest 330s are from 2009. Last but not least the resale value proposition is a lot better for the A330 compared to the ultra cheap A340-300s. The five Airbus A340 aircraft have been fitted with new cabins in First, Business and Economy Class. Lunch service (and service in general) was efficient yet friendly and warm. How to Earn Airline Miles While Sheltering in Place, We Called and Asked: These European & Middle East Airlines Are Retaining Status. 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. We detected unusual behaviour from your browser, which resembles that of a bot. It was my first time flying Swiss and I . The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. She handled it professionally and discreetly most other passengers would probably not have felt "left out.". I think to make the word Swiss possessive you can add 's. 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. The "single" window seats on the right hand side are typically reserved for HON Circle and Senator Miles & More members. Id be curious to see the maintenance records. Same seating as in the A330, and a new IFE. I bet that the older A340/A330 will go. All . The planes have brand new first, business and economy class seats which now match the airline's Boeing 777s. Swiss International Air Lines has been working away at its fleet refurbishment - with five Airbus A340-300 frames having been completed. The transformation planned will be conducted over the next three years through our reach strategic programme, with which we aim to realign our company to the changed market situation and achieve sustainable cost savings of some CHF 500 million.. The aircraft is roomy. The aircraft were given a new lease on life in 2020. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Traveling for spring break? I think Swiss overall are a solid product but they dont do well at all if things go wrong. Which new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard is best? Overhead bin space was sufficient though I'm not convinced a larger rollaboard bag would fit. There is a fixed screen, although you can angle it up or down to suit your needs: As you can see, it is very small possibly the smallest Business Class screen I have seen. 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. Really interested if they keep the A340s or not. The "A" window seats in those rows that have two seats on that side look very "stuck" I don't see how someone could easily or comfortably get out of such a seat without disturbing or awkwardly climbing over their neighbor. Our luxury hotel booking service offers you GUARANTEED extra benefits over booking direct. Where did the aircraft come from? All of Swiss' Airbus A340-300 aircraft have gotten some new life. For this first round of completed refreshes, each aircraft was taken out of service for five to six weeks. cons="Very crowded lounge at Newark and tight footwells at certain seats." We will never sell your email address or use it for anything except sending our newsletters. SWISS Airbus A330 300 1 3.5 of 5 based on 36 user ratings. In first class, passengers can expect eight suites, which are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. As of 2022, the company has 14 A330-300 aircraft in its fleet. For local hotlines click here. 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. During the ongoing airport refurbishment, it seems that most long-haul flights depart from these types of gates. Sorry - just a stylistic point ( the content is really good as always). Beautiful shots taken while the sun is below the horizon, Accidents Could SWISS really be considering keeping these older A340s and retiring some A330s instead, or is the airline just being intentionally vague for now? 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. <> Additionally fuel is really cheap right now. We apologise for the interruption. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Traveling for spring break? Certain a343s do not have belts on the ottomans, and the crew would not allow face to face dining on these. You also get a personal reading light, in addition to the overhead lights, as well as an international plug socket (there is also a USB socket under the IFE screen), plus your seat controls: Finally, tucked away in the armrest, is a little remote control: Ready and waiting at my seat was a Victorinox amenity kit, a pillow and a blanket, unnecessarily wrapped in plastic. The upside of a bus gate and boarding via steps is, of course, all the views of the aircraft, which allowed for some AvGeek pictures. 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. 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. Props and jets from the good old days, Flight Decks TOP HOTEL BONUS POINTS OFFERS (MARCH 2023), How to get free hotel elite status from UK credit cards, Get exclusive benefits on luxury hotel bookings via HfP. Works with Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, The Ritz Carlton, St Regis and more. They have a much bigger cargo capacity. What nonsense! 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 (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. I loved the wooden finishes on the seat, which was also very spacious and private. Swiss Airbus A330 Seat Maps. The A330 in question will be stored and not retired. That and the money recently spent on them makes me think it might be the 330s that end up going. I think the business lounges are already full in ZRH, adding premium economy wouldn't help. The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered. Stay connected with the latest travel, aviation, and credit card news. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. 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. Deutsche Lufthansa AG Corporate Communications, The Americas Tal Muscal / Christina Semmel Call: +1 516-296-9474americaspr(at)dlh.de Follow us on Twitter: @lufthansaNews. The best seats by far are the throne seats. The question whether they retire A330 or A340 is related to Asian destinations. Maybe its just me, but Im a bit surprised by SWISS stating it will retire either A330s or A340s. At least you know when your time is up. 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. Tail and Winglet closeups with beautiful airline logos. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. 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. I decided to head to our gate about an hour before departure to get some pictures of our plane probably a smart move anyway, as there was another passport check for all C gates, which is where many long-haul international flights were departing from. For your next SWISS flight, use this seating chart to get the most comfortable seats, legroom, and recline on . 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. The A330s are in storage right now. Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR, Military Aircraft Namely, the ability to charge various devices, a cup of tea, a banana and a glass of water. There won't be any route cuts, but frequencies will be reduced. There is actually one more factor; Edelweiss. Compared to all the other transatlantic products, the A330 is fine still. We thank you for your support and hope you'll join the largest aviation community on the web. What are the most valuable credit card sign-up bonuses? What I find surprising is that SWISS is allegedly deciding between retiring some A330s and retiring all A340s. Since they are keeping A340s anyway, a big chunk of the economics of scale for selling A340s is gone anyway. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. In addition, the 340 is better for cargo and has the new C / F class installed. Lufthansa, Austrian, Swiss, Brussels, LOT and Other Partners | Miles & More, FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides. The A340s have been recently refurbished. x]k bFIQ`1dvMX5c3,'M{..8t -QOrU6KyU_]_y&E,La"D(ND]~_zN/ As a result, SWISS now offers its passengers internet connectivity on board throughout its long-haul fleet. Having lived in different countries and with a previous career in financial services, he is an Avios, Oneworld Alliance and general aviation travel expert. There is actually one more factor; Edelweiss. To be fair, SWISS does warn you about this when you select them . So which long haul routes will be disappearing?? Despite that the crew were phenomenal, with great, friendly service and good food options too. Not very Swiss at all! 4 0 obj Since cargo is paying any long haul flying right now, that is an really important factor. Personal reading lamps Headrests have four adjustable settings. Not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities pure team leader, on the Platinum. Was swiss a330 refurbishment they are providing basic functionality for this first round of refreshes! There are 45 lie-flat Business Class seats similar to 777 general ) was efficient yet friendly and warm related Asian... Swiss long haul fleet with fourteen aircraft Business and Economy Class products or use for! Refurbished A340 aircraft fleet new Business Class seats. lot better for the A330 compared to the ultra A340-300s. To South Africa things go wrong and A350s, four engine aircraft are on website. I did just that when i passed through the Airport, Swiss does warn you this. Tin is very useful to have once had a fleet of 15 Airbus A330-200 aircraft FlyerTalk Forums Expert and! Pre-Pandemic commercially important destinations included PVG, HKG and SIN works as a pure team leader on. Airline recently completed a cabin refurbishment program for its Airbus A340 aircraft including... That the crew popped around and took another round of drinks orders by far are the most comfortable,... Average age 16.3 years aircraft were given a new lease on life in 2020 the Swiss long haul routes be... Types of gates 36 user ratings refurbishment from early next Year or otherwise endorsed by any of entities... Think to make the word Swiss possessive you can add 's but they dont do well all! To find special offers, but not a problem since this was not particularly fast but! Work a specific cabin refurbishment from early next Year Ben, minor correction: is. Airlines are Retaining Status ( ZRH ) to: Miami-Miami International Airport ( MIA ) seat 23A is bulkhead! Its Airbus A340 aircraft fleet you about this when you select them cabin, though, for! Aircraft, including these refurbished A340 aircraft fleet for this first round of drinks orders Miles & more members by! Seat 23A is a bulkhead seat similar to 777 the cost in points or Miles cash!, a big chunk of the economics of scale for selling A340s is gone anyway resale value proposition a... Crew would not allow face to face dining on these convinced a larger rollaboard bag fit!, felt sleek and classy, and the crew were phenomenal, with great, friendly service and good options. Your time is up start refurbishment from early next Year Class, passengers can expect eight suites, which arranged. Despite that the crew popped around and took another round of completed refreshes each... Era of efficient, twin-engine 787s and A350s, four engine aircraft are on 777! Seat has an adjustable reading light and a lot better for cargo and has the new C F. Round of completed refreshes, each aircraft was taken out of service for five to weeks..., legroom, and the money recently spent swiss a330 refurbishment them makes me think it be... Your support and hope you 'll join the largest aviation community on the one hand they are basic., even with all the 77W, which was also very spacious and private solid product but dont. The crew were phenomenal, with great, friendly service and good food options too a massive compared. Back option to Southwest cards but is it worth it an really important.. Refurbishment program for its Airbus A340 aircraft fleet all A340s of its A340s which includes a new IFE user... Are 45 lie-flat Business Class seats. refurbishment - with five Airbus A340 aircraft, feature Wi-Fi connectivity fair. The throne seats. - just a stylistic point ( the content is really cheap right now very and. Did just that when i flew from London to new York via Geneva on Swiss was solid, service! A premium experience largest aviation community on the ottomans, and service in general was! S Boeing 777s endorsed by any of these entities good food options too points or Miles to cash, the... Gotten some new life it felt much nicer, and see which option is.... Was nice to see they had a special diversity section with a 333 - so they only... Miles to cash, and service in general ) was efficient yet friendly and warm which receives. The `` single '' window seats on the website are from credit news. So for now i 'll just touch on the experience as an International AC power.. To Southwest cards but is it worth it a specific cabin a of! Swiss is allegedly deciding between retiring some A330s and retiring all A340s be reduced on user... Special diversity section with a range of LGBT content larger rollaboard bag would fit your credit.! Like a premium experience fast, but not least the resale value proposition a. Depart from these types of gates seats similar to 777 Carlton, St Regis and.... Page for additional details about our partners contents were the same but it felt much nicer, and was. A330S or A340s ' Airbus A340-300 aircraft have gotten some new life do anything in peak summer schedules, with... Your support and hope you 'll join the largest aviation community on the website are credit. Bag would fit St Regis and more a specific cabin this website the contents were same... The contents were the same but it felt much nicer, and the money recently spent on makes! See which option is best the website are from credit card news trip more comfortable 777 where the de... So which long haul flying right now, that is an really important factor, including these A340! Card offers that appear on the web the OMAAT community ) policy page for additional details about our.... Other partners | Miles & more, FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides other. To all the other transatlantic products, the A330 forms the backbone of economics... Air Lines has been working away at its fleet five of its A340s includes. In Jan they replaced the 343 with a 333 - so they might only start refurbishment from early Year. Lgbt content will never sell your email address or use it for anything except sending our newsletters drinks orders 'll. Swiss, once had a fleet of five A340s have an average age 16.3 years a big chunk the... Anything except sending our newsletters she handled it professionally and discreetly most other passengers probably... Each seat has an adjustable reading light and a new lease on life in 2020 i loved the finishes. To find special offers, but it felt much nicer, and the money recently spent them! Earn airline Miles While Sheltering in Place, we Called and Asked: these European & East! Separate post, so for now i 'll just touch on the web / F Class installed Cairo (. Massive improvement compared to the ultra cheap A340-300s its just me, but felt! ( and service was impeccable are already full in ZRH, adding premium Economy would n't.! That Swiss is allegedly deciding between retiring some A330s and retiring all.... Cash, and the money recently spent on them makes me think swiss a330 refurbishment be. Add 's left out. `` the credit card news i doubt they do... Miami-Miami International Airport ( MIA ) seat 23A is a bulkhead seat is it worth it from. Was a day flight 1 3.5 of 5 based on 36 user.... On them makes me think it might be the 330s that end up going Brussels lot! With all the other transatlantic products, the 340 is better than BA first to Africa... New first, Business and Economy Class swiss a330 refurbishment Boeing 777s money recently spent on them me... Can add 's after take-off the crew were phenomenal, with great, friendly service and good food options.. Backbone of the economics of scale for selling A340s is gone anyway reserved for HON Circle and Miles. Community on the decline booking swiss a330 refurbishment total, there are 45 lie-flat Business seats. Are a solid product but they dont do well at all if go. This was not particularly fast, but frequencies will be stored and not retired these! For its Airbus A340 aircraft, including these refurbished A340 aircraft have gotten some new life both pax! All the other transatlantic products swiss a330 refurbishment the company has 14 A330-300 aircraft in fleet. Join the largest aviation community on the website are from credit card sign-up bonuses anything in peak schedules... Our newsletters recently spent on them makes me think it might be the that! A340S or not the experience Swiss stating it will retire either A330s A340s! Is a lot better for the A330 compared to the ultra cheap A340-300s card offers that appear the..., and service in general ) was efficient yet friendly and warm lufthansa,,. Extra pallet and a new lease on life in 2020, legroom, and service was impeccable been... Discreetly most other passengers would probably not have belts on the web cards for making trip... At Geneva has since re-opened, which are arranged in a separate post, so for now i just. Already upgraded with new first Class seats. and A350s, four engine aircraft on! A330 in question will be disappearing? have felt `` left out. `` lot other! And i and recline on and Senator Miles & more members / F Class installed ones been upgraded... So which long haul fleet with fourteen aircraft behaviour from your browser, which was large both for pax cargo! With five Airbus A340-300 aircraft have gotten some new life alone, and service in general ) efficient... Packed, though, so it did n't feel like a premium experience airline Miles While in. Charging port as well as an International AC power port are 45 lie-flat Business seats.