Alright peeps, it’s that time of the month again, time for a review and this time it’s some Swiss chocolates, croissants and charm. Today we are flying from New York to Zurich, on board Swiss Airlines.
Yes, for the nosy parkers, I am visiting family and managed to score some Business Class seats on board this wonderful airline at a great price and with a fairly reasonable travel time.
From Newark to Zurich we are flying on board the butter landing machine that is the Airbus A330.
Personally, I love these aircraft and always look forward to an A330 flight. That plane was built for comfort even in Economy, don’t ask me what it is, it’s some element I will never quite be able to put my finger on but it really is just that good!
Also, we are going to get a few sneak peaks of the beautiful Zurich airport and Business class lounge where we will take a mandatory shower of course!😂
Pre-Flight Elegance:
Check-in: Checking in at Newark airport was a breeze, the staff were friendly and somewhat helpful, I asked the staff member who was checking me in where the Business class lounge was and to my surprise he did not know, I thought that was rather shocking however he did call the Swiss Airlines gate manager to check with him who kindly directed me to the Lufthansa Business Lounge.
Maybe he was a newbie, who knows, I think it is still a fair expectation for him to know where the facilities are for the company he works for, plus, I don’t think airlines should be putting the newbies on a Business Class check in counter.
That’s not the way to provide premium service?
Security: Unfortunately there is no fast track provided for Business Class passengers and so 30 minutes later, after some unsurprising sour faces and shouting from the TSA, I made it to the lounge.
Lounge: So Swiss Airlines partners up with Austrian air and Lufthansa and piggybacks off of Lufthansa for First and Business Class lounges.
Now, I am a computer science student so I think it’s fair to say my Math’s skills have to be somewhat up to scratch and I am no expert…….B-U-T, if your aircrafts cabin has 45 seats and you are codesharing lounges, I think you should cater for at least half of those passengers at the minimum…..the MINIMUM.
That picture right there, that’s the lounge for all Business Class passengers in Austrian, Lufthansa and Swiss. Now I know some will come to me and say that flights run at different times and traffic is moving through the lounge, but I am pretty certain none of those flights have less than 30 passengers flying with them at a time.
30 seats, that’s how many a single lounge caters for. For me that is way past the point of ridiculous and I think this is a serious downfall on a high demand route, I mean this is New York after all, it’s a daily flight into Europe and this is the best they can offer? Come on Swiss, Lufthansa and Austria, we can do a lot better than this.
There is a good selection of snacks, desserts and there is always someone offering drinks while you’re sitting. I mean they’re catering with all the necessities but it doesn’t feel very premium when snacks are running out because the lounge has 40 passengers and not enough seats for everyone.
Overall it was not the worst and just needs some rethinking from the Swiss Airlines side.
Cabin Comfort & Design
Cabin Design: Okay, the ground experience may be a bit on the negative side, however the cabin side does make up for it, I promise. So upon entry, you are greeted by a flight attendant who greets you with a smile and offers guidance to the aisle for your seat. The design scheme follows a white on warm subdued shades of color such as Bordeaux, anthracite and beige and I must say it gives a feeling of warmth. It’s relaxing and has a classy but homey feel to it.
I personally like it, it’s homey but still classy and you really feel a sense of premiumness, some airlines go overboard with the gold trims and sparkly glamour that it doesn’t feel comfortable anymore, I think Swiss is leaning more towards that comfort feeling and I like it, after all these are used on long haul flights where you need to be comfortable in your little space and it’s comfort over looks when it comes to the seat so this seat ticks most of the boxes for me.
Seat: The seat is average. It’s the same seat you will see on 10 other airlines with no distinctive comfort designs or features.
The bedding was also very plain and blasé, it’s a big and very soft pillow, with a thin blanket. I would say the blanket is probably the same in Economy. No mattress or cover to line the seat either, I definitely was not pleased with this but I cannot deny the fact that I did sleep comfortably, the seat is soft, well supported and I did sleep very well.
However I still think that Swiss Airlines is capable of better, at least a thicker and warmer blanket for starters.
Seat Features: (Secret tip: When checking in online, try to preselect one of the “throne” seats in the even numbered A-seats). Each seat is equipped with a universal power outlet with easy reach as well as a USB-A and S-video port.
The seat controls are conveniently located near the armrest and are in a button control fashion. The seat also includes a massage function and cushion firmness setting. Very comfort orientated as I mentioned!
The “throne” seats are very private, however the aisle seats lack privacy and are tighter in the footwell, still comfortable though.
Overall, like the cabin theme, it’s a seat orientated towards comfort and I sure do appreciate that……minus the poor bedding.
In-Flight Dining Delights
Welcome Drinks: Upon boarding the friendly flight attendants offer you a welcome drink of sparkling wine or Elderberry Juice, being a non alcoholic, I enjoyed a refreshing glass of Elderberry Juice which was delightful.
Menu: Menus were actually waiting for us at our seats before we arrived. It included a food list as well as a separate wine list. A separate card was given for passengers to mark off which items they would like to order for breakfast prior to landing.
Meal Service: Promptly after takeoff, the meal service began, drinks arrived first, I enjoyed a glass of coke with a slice of lemon as well as a glass of water. Meals are served on a single tray, appetizer, bread, cheese and main courses are all placed together.
I did not order a First course as I was not super hungry and was really keen to try the Main Courses Pan-fried salmon with ponzu sauce, garlic-fried rice, braised lettuce and green peas.
The meal was great, flavorful and hearty is the word I would use for the rice. Really enjoyable and I mean it does lack a little presentation but it was tasty. I do find the entire delivery and presentation of the meals to be rather plain and economy-like, this is mostly due to the fact that it’s all served on one tray. They do prepare your trays in the galley and deliver each one individually so at least there isn’t a cart coming down the aisle.
I concluded with some Swiss chocolates and a piping hot cup of tea.
Breakfast: No hearty selections like eggs were offered, but the pain au chocolat was admittedly hot and delicious. The mango juice was sweet and refreshing after waking, but ultimately my favourite item was the Chobani Greek yoghurt (unfortunately I had devoured it before taking the photo. I also ordered a hot cappuccino which was good. All in all, it was a good meal service, nothing to complain about, and my tummy was satisfied so it checked all the boxes for me.
Entertainment & Connectivity
The screen on the A330 is a little on the smaller side. The IFE system has an easy-to-use interface and contains a plentiful amount of movies, TV shows, games and music.
There is also a moving flight map, which was really interactive. It felt as though the moving map was taken from a much more updated aircraft IFE and fitted to this retro A330. I can’t complain as an Avgeek. I loved it!
There is also a page dedicated to gate info on connections at Zurich airport.
Noise cancelling headphones in Swiss branding are at your seat upon arrival. They are comfortable, not too heavy and work perfectly.
Attentive Service
Despite the overall cabin and meal being on the underwhelming side, the Swiss Airlines cabin crew’s service was spectacular.
The crew working the cabin were dedicated, attentive and you could sense these were people who love their job. They are always keen to chat to you, ask about your travels and learn a little about you. I know some travelers do not enjoy the small talk but I appreciate it when the crew can show a little interest in who is flying and who knows, maybe some stories will come about or memories will be made. Adventure awaits!
I must also point out that this crew was extremely efficient, this was a full cabin and it took some serious hustle to serve everyone and have time to spare however they pulled it off perfectly. Another standout was the fact that they let passengers sleep as long as they liked. Some passengers were enjoying breakfast an hour before landing!
Arrival & Beyond
After a smooth touchdown into Zurich, we taxi’d into our gate and priority disembarking was given to Business Class passengers.
Conclusion
I can say that SWISS offers a rather average product in business class when its seat is dated, bedding is not much more different than economy and food taste being a 10/10 but lacking presentation.
Even so, the service saved this flight. Flight attendants were outstanding and that made the flight a joy. Despite the seat, I would not hesitate to fly SWISS again on the A330.