Admittedly this is pretty niche, but as an avgeek and as someone who grew up in Tampa (and still has family there), I can’t help but cover that Tampa Airport will see a SWISS Boeing 777 flying there during the month of July… even though SWISS doesn’t ordinarily fly to Tampa.
In this post:
SWISS takes over Edelweiss Air route to Tampa
Tampa Airport has regularly scheduled service from two Lufthansa Group airlines:
- Lufthansa’s leisure subsidiary, Eurowings Discover, flies from Frankfurt to Tampa, ordinarily with an Airbus A330 (read my review of this flight)
- SWISS’ leisure subsidiary, Edelweiss Air, flies from Zurich to Tampa, ordinarily with an Airbus A340
For the month of July 2023, SWISS will begin operating on behalf of Edelweiss Air between Zurich and Tampa (thanks to @hammmmmmmmmmer for flagging this). Not only that, but SWISS will be flying its largest plane, the Boeing 777-300ER, in this market. It’s noted that this will be the biggest regularly scheduled passenger aircraft flying to Tampa in over two decades (now I’m curious… did an airline used to fly a 747 to Tampa, or…?).
For the month of July, this flight will operate on Wednesdays and Fridays with the following schedule:
LX8004 Zurich to Tampa departing 1:20PM arriving 5:40PM
LX8005 Tampa to Zurich departing 7:35PM arriving 10:40AM (+1 day)
The 4,879-mile flight is blocked at 10hr20min westbound and 9hr5min eastbound.
How seats on this flight are being sold
Edelweiss and SWISS have very different aircraft configurations, so how are these flights being sold? Interestingly this aircraft swap only represents a small boost in capacity, but a massive increase in premium seats:
- Edelweiss A340s feature 314 seats in a two cabin configuration, with 27 business class seats and 287 economy seats
- Swiss 777s feature 320 seats in a four cabin configuration, including eight first class seats, 62 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 226 economy seats
Edelweiss is continuing to just sell its standard two classes of service on these flights, so first class and premium economy aren’t for sale. I’m curious to see how seating arrangements work, though:
- Will some lucky business class passengers be able to assign first class seats?
- Will some lucky economy class passengers be able to assign premium economy seats?
You’d think that award availability on these flights would be through the roof, given that the number of business class seats is more than doubling. However, I’m only seeing award availability on some flights as of now. It seems to be bookable through United MileagePlus, though I’m not seeing it through Air Canada Aeroplan.
What surprises me about this aircraft swap
Presumably this aircraft swap is because Edelweiss doesn’t have sufficient aircraft or crew to operate this service during the month of July. After all, airlines are being pushed to their limits with summer scheduling, given the amount of demand.
That’s also what surprises me:
- I’m surprised that SWISS has a spare Boeing 777 for the single busiest summer travel month, when all airlines are trying to maximize revenue
- Even if an aircraft were available, I’m surprised SWISS decided the best use of the aircraft was to fly it on an Edelweiss route, with limited premium traffic, and where you definitely can’t maximize revenue
I suppose it’s only a single frame two days per week, so maybe the airline decided this was still the best option. This is just unconventional, because typically you’ll find that leisure and low cost subsidiaries are used to swap a flight operated by the mainline carrier, rather than the other way around.
Bottom line
A SWISS Boeing 777 will be taking over Edelweiss’ route between Zurich and Tampa for the month of July 2023. It seems that Edelweiss doesn’t have the capacity to operate this route, while (somehow) SWISS has a spare 777 to use twice a week.
I never thought I’d see the day where a SWISS 777 flew to Tampa (aside from a diversion). Now, if only there were a practical way to redeem miles on this flight.
What do you make of this SWISS 777 deployment to Tampa?
flying on this flight on 6/30 and just got an offer email to upgrade to first class seat with business class service for 599 CHF. already in business so doesn't seem worth it
I can remember in the days before airports had security, waiting a few hours for my Air Florida flight to Pensacola. There was a Pan Am 747 at a gate, not leaving anytime soon and no crew on board. I asked someone if I could check it out and was allowed to go down the jet bridge and board the plane for a few minutes. I'm guessing this was around 1981-1983.
Stephen again. Those airlines I mentioned previously were all 747’s. I flew all of them.
The last 747 I saw land at TPA was Airforce One. Antnov 124 flies in too from time to time.
Here’s the facts. I grew up in aviation at TPA.
National, Air Canada, Wardair Canada, Pan Am, Northwest, British Airways all flew regularly into TIA. On occasion TWA, United flew them in too. Atlas Air shows up once in a while still.
Another fact. Aside from the Concorde making a stop in Tampa , which was British Airways, Concorde flew 4 times a year from Tampa to London. Summer time. They were charter...
Here’s the facts. I grew up in aviation at TPA.
National, Air Canada, Wardair Canada, Pan Am, Northwest, British Airways all flew regularly into TIA. On occasion TWA, United flew them in too. Atlas Air shows up once in a while still.
Another fact. Aside from the Concorde making a stop in Tampa , which was British Airways, Concorde flew 4 times a year from Tampa to London. Summer time. They were charter flights over and you would return on the QE2.
Yes, I too would like to see Swiss rather than Edelweiss. I’ll be on the roof top parking to see Swiss land.
I live about 20 minutes from TPA and try to catch the Edelweiss A340 whenever it flies over (saw it last night). I will definitely keep an eye out for the Swiss Triple. BA flies a Triple into here daily from Gatwixk.
Yes, 747s regularly visited Tampa before Disney.
Edelweiss oftentimes uses Swiss aircraft on its routes. We often see Swiss A321 / A321neo replacing Edelweiss own A320s, and Swiss B77Ws, A333s, and A343s instead of the scheduled Edelweiss A343s on their flights to Larnaca.
You can see such changes in their timetable (where B77W is marked A77W, and Swiss A333/A343 are marked A3P)...
I used to fly there in a 747 with BA in the 80's
Beware: The LX8xxx flights, regardless by which aircraft they are operated, only earn in the LH, UA, NH and AC programs, since they are not StarAlliance!
Northwest Orient used to fly a 747 MSP-ORD-TPA back around 1979-1980. More commonly they flew DC-10-40's nonstop between MSP & TPA in the 80's.
Also remember WardAir Canada bringing 747's into TPA in the 80's.
Huh? So the cheaper lower end airline has no premium economy but more business seats and Swiss has premium economy and fewer business seats?
That means some people will be pushed own to premium economy. I would not want to be one of those.
Edelweiss A340s feature 314 seats in a two cabin configuration, with 27 business class seats and 287 economy seats
Swiss 777s feature 320 seats in a four cabin configuration,...
Huh? So the cheaper lower end airline has no premium economy but more business seats and Swiss has premium economy and fewer business seats?
That means some people will be pushed own to premium economy. I would not want to be one of those.
Edelweiss A340s feature 314 seats in a two cabin configuration, with 27 business class seats and 287 economy seats
Swiss 777s feature 320 seats in a four cabin configuration, including eight first class seats, 62 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 226 economy seats
What? You are contradicting your semtence above immediately below when you are listing the aircrafts seat allocations.
Swiss has more First (+8), more Business (+35), more Prem Economy (+24) but less regular Economy (-61).
So noone will be pushed down.
...besides that LX and WK Business class are actually (almost) the same?
The Concorde used to fly to Miami and Tampa
The Concorde made at least one visit as a promotion for BA, but there were never regular Concorde flights to TPA.
I wish Swiss would be permanent move. Edelweiss business class is terrible
National and Northwest Orient both had 747s in TPA.
I would be shocked if neither BA or Virgin hadn't operated 747's to Tampa in the last 20 yeras. The bucket and spade business to Florida is particularly strong from the UK
Air Canada landed a 747 in Tampa seasonally in the early 90s
No idea why you don't think Tampa to Zurich is not a premium market. It can very well fill those premium seats and needs the capacity.
BA flew the 747 to TPA back in the 80’s
This is cool. I fondly remember the DL TriStars in and out of TPA and I flew on the last DL L10 flt out of TPA.
Will definitely brave rush hour on the Howard Frankland to check this out !
I also remember flying Air Canada's L-1011 fom Tampa to Toronto.
Reason for the swap is a late A340 delivery for edelweiss.
ZRH-TPA is a VERY premium market.
First Class will be Crew Rest on this Flight.
Same for ZRH-YVRx which will be operated by LX A330.
Cheers
And YUL gets the WK 343...
Northwest Orient also flew a 747 to Tampa seasonally in the 1980’s. (And possibly even the 1970’s)
I'm surprised Swiss don't use a A343 to serve Edelweiss, which would be more similar to the WK's A343 (as WK's A343's are ex-LX's) and just put that B777 in a service where you have more Premium demand.
No, as LX 343 simply has MUCH lower overall seating capacity as a WK 343.
WK has 314 seats, while Swiss has 223 seats. Impossible to use a LX343 to replace a WK343.
You can access Edelweiss awards via UA, right now there is I availability on 7Jul (other days may exist just the first I found) on TPA-ZRH
@ Brad B -- Great catch, thank you! I'll update the post to reflect that.
That wouldn't be an Edelweiss award, it would be a Swiss award, no? I was under the impression Edelweiss never releases award space, at least to partners. I believe Lucky even made a blog post on it some years back.
Probably some China routes they used to fly at higher frequency are still not back up to that level?
I remember Pan Am had 747 to Tampa.
Martinair also flew 747-200 on occasional in the late 90s. Typically, it was 767-300 or MD-11 to Amsterdam every Wednesday and Sunday.
Wow, Martinair, haven't heard that word in a while. I flew with them DTWAMS on a charter back in the late 70s.