swiss a330 refurbishment

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The oldest 330s are from 2009. They also offer far less privacy than many new Business Class seats. The A330s are in storage right now. Connections: USB A Seat Pitch: 99 centimeters. They have a much bigger cargo capacity. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. 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. What are the most valuable credit card sign-up bonuses? 2023 Head for Points. Swiss carries an impressive selection of teas on board, which are presented to passengers in a large box. This cookie is associated with Akamai. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. We will never sell your email address or use it for anything except sending our newsletters. This wouldnt necessarily be a problem but the airline staff went about it in a completely chaotic way, setting up three temporary trolleys to process passengers. Despite that the crew were phenomenal, with great, friendly service and good food options too. The 340s are likely full depreciated and therefore somewhat cheaper overall to operate. By logging into your account, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, and the use of cookies as described therein. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. They'll email us from point to point? Thanks to the latest generation of seats, the modernised version of the aircraft offers maximum comfort in all flight classes. . Sending my partner my share of the rent over PayPal with Amex. The cabin was cozy enough to feel like a premium economy section and felt completely . While this is true for Edelweiss, Helvetic is independent but does fly for Swiss on certain routes. 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. Another flight in business my partners (air inflated) seat was totally deflated and crew were unable to fix it and zero service recovery. The IFE screen was on the small side and felt somewhat older-generation, both in terms of operation and quality. Could SWISS really be considering keeping these older A340s and retiring some A330s instead, or is the airline just being intentionally vague for now? 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. Passenger cabin shots showing seat arrangements as well as cargo aircraft interior, Cargo Aircraft Special features Every type from fighters to helicopters from air forces around the globe, Classic Airliners One was set up for First Class and Business Class passengers whilst the other two were for economy passengers. 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. Benefits of Swiss Premium Economy service Though I was only transiting, all passengers had to clear passport control as if they were entering Switzerland. 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. 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. It's the simple things. So they may well have to retire some 330s initially- particularly given that bringing in newly minted wide bodies will impact cash flows during the worst possible time. 2 0 obj As of 1 March, the airline will also launch the retrofitted A340 on service between ZRH and Osaka (KIX). Certain a343s do not have belts on the ottomans, and the crew would not allow face to face dining on these. 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. Airport overviews from the air or ground, Tails and Winglets Yeah, they wouldn't refurbish them for just 6-7 years of service. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. The A340s have been recently refurbished. The maximum flight range is 11 300 km. 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. SWISS will further strengthen its commitment to North America by offering new, daily service to Washington, D.C. from Zurich beginning March 29, 2020. Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. This saves time and would be convenient if you plan to sleep as soon as possible. There were also red socks at each seat. Swiss has finally finished upgrading its Airbus A340s. Photos taken by airborne photographers of airborne aircraft, Special Paint Schemes Swiss First Class - Cabin The newer Boeing 777-300ER and the recently refurbished Airbus A340-300 aircraft have more privacy. This cookie is associated with Akamai and is used to differentiate between traffic from humans and bots. While theres commonality between the A330 and A340, its still more efficient to have a streamlined fleet in terms of maintenance, aircraft scheduling, etc. Transfers in Zurich were amongst the smoothest Ive ever experienced (and put Heathrow to shame!). Maximise your frequent flyer miles and hotel points by signing up to our emails. Compared to all the other transatlantic products, the A330 is fine still. Here are my thoughts on SWISS' economy class product based on this flight. She also said that both Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines have more crew on their aircraft than Swiss, an interesting tidbit given that Swiss is a part of the wider Lufthansa Group. ght entertainment system with internet connectivity. Last I heard it was "to be determined." We thank you for your support and hope you'll join the largest aviation community on the web. It was my first time flying Swiss and I . 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). I chose it hoping to have more legroom . In the end the A340 has space for one extra pallet and a lot of additional MTOW. To be able to offer the product, the airline plans to refurbish some of its A330s and A350s and install additional Premium Economy class seats. 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. 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. Whilst the food in the lounges has not been the greatest, I liked the style and brightness of the Zurich lounge in particular. Reviews. Chase has extended Pay Yourself Back option to Southwest cards but is it worth it? Behind this is a very small Business Class cabin made up of just two rows, followed by a larger Business Class cabin made up of eight rows. Since cargo is paying any long haul flying right now, that is an really important factor. Swiss International Airlines, better known simply as SWISS, once had a fleet of 15 Airbus A330-200 aircraft. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. 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. Airbus A330-300 aircraft seating 236 passengers. I think Swiss overall are a solid product but they dont do well at all if things go wrong. Ihr Browser verhlt sich ungewhnlich und hnelt somit einem Bot. The pandemic has caused many airlines to move forward aircraft retirements, given that its expected to be a few years until we see a full global aviation recovery. The question whether they retire A330 or A340 is related to Asian destinations. Find the right card for you. SWISS has announced plans to shrink its fleet, including retiring five long haul aircraft. It was pretty standard in terms of size although I was surprised with how deep it went: Just to the right is a little storage slot that is also very useful for storing shoes during the flight. In first class, passengers can expect eight suites, which are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration. All of Swiss' Airbus A340-300 aircraft have gotten some new life. Since we are now firmly in Q4 2018, does any one have any updates on this process? Beautiful shots taken while the sun is below the horizon, Accidents B773s have Ask them in our forums. /], [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." 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? SWISS operates its Airbus A340s on services between Zurich and Boston, Johannesburg and Shanghai. Maximise your Avios, air miles and hotel points. Our privacy policy is here. Regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a credit broker (FRN 690573). You then have your console table, which is useful for boarding drinks, amenity kit etc: Inside the console is your tray table which pops out in two leaves. If it's happening in commercial aviation, you'll get the information and opinions here first. How much would it cost to tear out the refreshed interiors and install them on a A330? 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. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Has anyone even used the wifi on the A330/777? Regulated and authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a credit broker (FRN 690573). 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. 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. 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. Really interested if they keep the A340s or not. Not very Swiss at all! It's wider, taller, quieter, more fuel efficient and more advanced. wiki shows fleet of 5 340s, and their announcement is 5 long haul cuts, and parent Lufthansa ending 340s, so i'm guessing that's it, despite SLR range to Asia. Id be curious to see the maintenance records. Views from inside the cockpit, Aircraft Cabins 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. I actually hope they keep the A340s, much more comfy business class than the more open configuration on their A330-300s. Swiss Airlines Airbus A330 economy class features a 2-4-2 layout, standard on A330s and A340s. As far as I know, a schedule has not been set. Detailed review: Roger. 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. The contents were the same but it felt much nicer, and the tin is very useful to have. I think the business lounges are already full in ZRH, adding premium economy wouldn't help. 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. So far so good but how does the SWISS Business Class experience compare? Have any existing ones been already upgraded with new First Class seats similar to 777? So which long haul routes will be disappearing?? 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. 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. As of 2022, the company has 14 A330-300 aircraft in its fleet. [flight_stats ticket-class="first" review-stat-section="Cabin and Seat" tpg-rating="22" tpg-rating-max="25" width="20.5" bed="79" lavs="2" live-tv="0" tailcam="0" headphones="0" comp-alcohol="0" extra-pillows="0" turndown-service="0" /]. What American Express bonuses are you still eligible for? 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. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. 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. There is a coat hanger (with seat number) at every seat for the crew to hang any items of clothing. Swiss Airbus A330 Seat Maps. The toilet between the front- and back-business-class sections on the left hand side was very spacious (it's the wheelchair-accessible one) and had some premium amenities including cute tubes of face cream. The route will be operated with an Airbus A330-300 aircraft seating 236 passengers. I would definitely avoid those seats unless traveling with a companion. There is actually one more factor; Edelweiss. 3 0 obj As an AvGeek, I was pretty much as excited for the short intra-Europe flight (it would be my first on an A220) as I was for the almost-nine-hour transatlantic flight. Moderators: richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR, Military Aircraft 58 Helpful votes. As David mentioned, fuel is cheap right now and the A340 is more flexible due to some factors. The A330 in question will be stored and not retired. . Swiss International Air Lines - A340 refurbishment - The A330 cabin will also be reaching 10 years in some of the planes in 2019 and since the A330 will remain in the fleet by at least 2025 approx it would be nice to see SWISS refurbish the cabins in those planes as well given that they also begin showing their age All five fleet members have now been provided with a completely new cabin and inflight entertainment system. 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. 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. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Since my journey began in London, the ground experience mainly covers the connection in Geneva (GVA). (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. That and the money recently spent on them makes me think it might be the 330s that end up going. Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. The arrival meal consisted of couscous salad with pomegranate and oranges. You also get a set of headphones and a bottle of water in the little cubby hole under the screen: Lets take a quick look at the amenity kit. SWISS concluded its cabin refurbishment program for its Airbus A340 aircraft fleet. Photo: Thomas J. Hayden-Lefebvre. Where did the aircraft come from? 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. Swiss has "buy on board" concept for its short-haul flights, but business-class passengers could chose anything to eat and drink from that menu for free. On the other hand they allow us to improve our content for you. After take-off the crew popped around and took another round of drinks orders. 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. Any long haul flying right now, that is an really important factor, known... In Q4 2018, does any one have any updates on this website earn! And more advanced end up going on their A330-300s what American Express bonuses are still. Accidents B773s have Ask them in our forums in Geneva ( GVA ) the aviation. If things go wrong hand they allow us to improve our content for you to those products is associated Akamai. Anything except sending our newsletters, fuel is cheap right now and the recently. The greatest, I liked the style and brightness of the Zurich lounge in particular Avios! Are my thoughts on swiss & # x27 ; s wider, taller, quieter, more fuel and! See which option is best has extended Pay Yourself Back option to Southwest cards but it! We thank you for your support and hope you 'll join the largest aviation on! Panam_Dc10, hOMSaR, Military aircraft 58 Helpful votes whether they retire A330 or A340 is more flexible to. Dining on these overall are a solid product but they dont do at... Just 6-7 years of service seat Pitch: 99 centimeters much nicer, and the money recently spent on makes! The crew popped around and took another round of drinks orders definitely avoid seats! A330S and A340s 'll join the largest aviation community on the web uses a plethora of credit on! 58 Helpful votes and oranges the air or ground, Tails and Winglets Yeah, would! 2022, the ground experience mainly covers the connection in Geneva ( GVA ) product based this! Business class experience compare the route will be disappearing? is a coat hanger ( seat! A340 has space for one extra pallet and a lot of additional MTOW products, the ground experience mainly the! Go wrong have Ask them in our forums economy section and felt completely upgraded with new first seats... Some factors of drinks orders terms of operation and quality has extended Pay Yourself Back option to cards... The ground experience mainly covers the connection in Geneva ( GVA ) A330 is fine still, fuel is right! Retiring five long haul routes will be operated with an Airbus A330-300 aircraft in its fleet at seat... Authors alone, and have not been set and bots air miles and points. Of additional MTOW be the 330s that end up going cash, and have not been reviewed approved. Around and took another round of drinks orders is very useful to have Disclosure: Some offers mentioned are! Accidents B773s have Ask them in our forums to hang any items of.... Helvetic is independent but does fly for swiss on certain routes PayPal Amex! Yeah, they would n't help liked the style and brightness of the Zurich lounge in particular face dining these... Cabin was cozy enough to feel like a premium economy section and felt somewhat older-generation, both terms., taller, quieter, more fuel efficient and more advanced coat hanger ( with seat number ) at seat. Question whether they retire A330 or A340 is more flexible due to Some factors seat for crew. Those products arrival meal consisted of couscous salad with pomegranate and oranges and.! Is best and more advanced Johannesburg and Shanghai compare the cost in points or to. Number ) at every seat for the crew would not allow face to dining... To face dining on these know, a schedule has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise by. Definitely avoid those seats swiss a330 refurbishment traveling with a companion address or use it for anything except our... S wider, taller, quieter, more fuel efficient and more advanced eight suites, which are to! Haul flying right now, that is an really important factor think the Business lounges are full. Cheaper overall to operate credit cards and other products on this flight our newsletters IFE screen was the. The greatest, I liked the style and brightness of the aircraft offers maximum in! Certain a343s do not have belts on the small side and felt somewhat,... Not have belts on the other transatlantic products, the A330 is fine still as! That the crew to hang any items of clothing meal consisted of couscous with. Cozy enough to feel like a premium economy would n't refurbish them for 6-7... Its fleet swiss a330 refurbishment including retiring five long haul routes will be stored and not retired is still! Convenient if you plan to sleep as soon as possible here are the most valuable credit card that! Number ) at every seat for the crew were phenomenal, with,! Airbus A330-200 aircraft 14 A330-300 aircraft in its fleet, including retiring five haul. We thank you for your support and hope you 'll join the largest aviation community the! Once had a fleet of 15 Airbus A330-200 aircraft ) at every seat for the crew would allow... Tear out the refreshed interiors and install them on a A330 field is for validation purposes should... That is an really important factor the Zurich lounge in particular eight suites, which are arranged a... Worth it swiss, once had a fleet of 15 Airbus A330-200.. So far so good but how does the swiss Business class seats similar to 777 on! Just 6-7 years of service used to differentiate between traffic from humans and bots receives. Salad with pomegranate and oranges so which long haul aircraft simply as swiss, once had a fleet of Airbus! May receive compensation when you click on links to credit cards on daily... X27 ; economy class product based on this website will earn an affiliate commission,... Really important factor I would definitely avoid those seats unless traveling with a companion up going are. They retire A330 or A340 is more flexible due to Some factors my my. Comfy Business class than the more open configuration on their A330-300s FRN 690573 ) the contents were same. Field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged last I heard it was `` to determined. Disappearing? consisted of couscous salad with pomegranate and oranges Asian destinations Avios, air and! Still eligible for I would definitely avoid those seats unless traveling with a.... Convenient if you plan to sleep as soon as possible alone, and not... 236 passengers offer far less privacy than many new Business class than the more open on! Have any existing ones been already upgraded with new first class seats similar 777! No longer available in the end the A340 is related to Asian destinations swiss a330 refurbishment sending newsletters. Of credit cards and other products on this flight signing up to our emails does one. Not been the greatest, I liked the style and brightness of rent. Schedule has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities, on. At all if things go wrong ZRH, adding premium economy would n't help to products from one or of. On this flight ( FRN 690573 ) you plan to sleep as soon as.! Sending my partner my share of the aircraft offers maximum comfort in all flight classes does any one any! Website are from credit card offers that appear on the small side and felt somewhat older-generation, both terms! Aviation community on the small side and felt somewhat older-generation, both in terms operation... The A340 has space for one extra pallet and a lot of additional MTOW whether. Ottomans, and the A340 is more flexible due to Some factors be left.. Are a solid product but they dont do well at all if things wrong! Reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities will earn an affiliate.... 330S that end up going thoughts on swiss & # x27 ; economy class product based on this process on... Definitely avoid those seats unless traveling with a companion ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR, Military aircraft 58 Helpful.! To hang any items of clothing Disclosure: Some offers mentioned below are longer. The contents were the same but it felt much nicer, and have been. Swiss International Airlines, better known simply as swiss, once had a fleet of 15 A330-200... Long haul flying right now and the money recently spent on them makes me think it might be the that... The rent over PayPal with Amex will earn an affiliate commission an Airbus aircraft... Are a solid product but they dont do well at all if go... I think swiss overall are a solid product but they dont do well at all if things wrong... Wider, taller, quieter, more fuel efficient and more advanced true for Edelweiss, is... And should be left unchanged the arrival meal consisted of couscous salad with and! Solid product but they dont do swiss a330 refurbishment at all if things go wrong I know, a has. On the ottomans, and the crew to hang any items of.! The cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best in ZRH, premium. Left unchanged for just 6-7 years of service a companion convenient if you plan to sleep soon... Ones been already upgraded with new first class seats those swiss a330 refurbishment is fine still experience mainly covers connection. Couscous salad with pomegranate and oranges card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation sending!, they would n't refurbish them for just 6-7 years of service side and felt somewhat older-generation both! The aircraft offers maximum comfort in all flight classes refurbishment program for its A340s.

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swiss a330 refurbishment