SWISS Business Class “Throne” Seats, And How To Select Them For Free

I have a reservation for Zurich-Toronto-SLC, with Air Canada being the second leg. When I look at my reservation on the AC site (not Swiss), I see the throne seats available. I didn't try to change my seat (I prefer the single seat closer to the window).

But I think I could easily change to a throne seat for no charge, if using the AC site.

I have done that and the system moved me to another seat after a few days

The primary point of charging to assign seats in J for BA (and now other carriers like AF and KLM) where there aren't throne seats is not to generate revenues from fliers but to keep better seats available for elite fliers, which makes total sense for the airline. Let's not continually whine about that and pretend like that's somehow hard to understand.

Thanks for clarifying. I won't be changing my seat anyways, but good to know!

Got one for free without hassle GVA-NYC return.

Traveled JFK-ZRH-SIN (330 > 777) last year. As Star Gold - I had access to the mini cabin - which I prefer.

Throne seats were blocked, and some of the aisle seats (of 2) which have a table at the aisle were also blocked. But as it gets closer to flight time (month) they start opening the blocked seats, except throne..

Throne seats opened as you say at checkin time. But for two I preferred the center seats (2) each having aisle access in the mini cabin.

On 777, the bulk head in mini cabin is good. It is 1-2-2. Bulk head has bigger foot wells.

Frankly, the Swiss (LX as well WK) business class product is appalling. It‘s either 2-2 with small footwell or 1 with extra small footwell at extra charge (free 23 hours out).

Generally their 23 hour check-in window is the worst of any airline (including ULCC provide 24 hours, at least). And yes, it does matter, e.g. for flights departing around midnigh, the check-in opens around 1am …

I booked and paid for the thrown seats for my wife and I. Had to cancel because of covid. I did not get my money back for the thrown seats.

I don't mind sitting next to someone so doesn't make much of a difference.

Does this work 23 hours prior to the first leg? Eg if leg 1 is intra Europe, overnight in Zurich, leg 2 is long haul the following morning, will the throne seat on leg 2 be available to assign as of check in which will open 23 hours prior to leg 1 (24-48 hours before leg 2)?

Good article! Regarding "just don’t tell British Airways": Or Finnair. Or Air France + KLM. It's a plague.

I'm flying Zipair in a few weeks just for fun. They call themselves a LCC. These other airlines are just becoming LCCs and pretending otherwise.

Thanks for sharing. Exactly had the same experience you mentioned: I lost my original seat assignment after chosing these seats when I saw they were open for selection for free right 48 hours before my original flight. The hotline also failed to put me to the original seat. While check in I was able to choose these seats for free.

As noted below, the point of charging a seat assignment fee in J is so that the preferred seats are more available for status holders that have spent lots of money with the airline. If you're paying the seat assignment fee, it means that you don't spend lots of money with the airline, and they are naturally prioritizing the big spenders just like other airlines do (UA GS and 1K board before regular business class passengers, as another example). For those big spenders, the introduction of seat assignment fees in J is actually a positive, because those better seats will more likely remain available for them.

The one time I sat in the Swiss throne seat I felt very conspicuous. Solo traveler here, so prefer one of the center pairs w the armrest closer to the aisle. And as a point of reference, current offer for my Zurich to LAX flight next week is $339 CAD/$252 USD. Not worth it.

In the paired seats, it appears that one side has much more storage space. Is this correct, or just an illusion?

I'm writing this from the west wing of the Adani Lounge in Bombay Airport ahead of my BOM-ZRH flight later tonight. Had to tell you how fortuitous it was that I went through the daily OMAAT email newsletter earlier this evening and saw this post. Thanks to your tip, I checked in online and was able to bag the throne seat for free on my next sector- ZRH-JFK. Couldn't get it for BOM-ZRH as it's clearly a packed flight. Anyway, being a regular reader of your blog has always paid off, so thank you! I definitely wouldn't have known to change seats at this late stage and expected the $200 fee for the throne seat to be waived!

I'm sitting on an LX 773, having paid for the throne seat on the assumption that the 4A bulkhead seat would not have a constricted footwell. It does not - I have a solid 2 feet of space for my feet. (Wish I could post the photo I took.) Worth the €225 I paid; I'll have more space to move my feet than the cats give me at home. (Bonus: there's also a storage slot to the left of my footwell that fits my backpack perfectly in an upright position.)

Thanks to OMAAT for being a source of detailed info on LX seats. I'm looking forward to a comfy 10:45 flight tonight.

I just checked in for tomorrow's flight from NRT to ZRH and was glad I read this article beforehand, alerting me to the fact that the previous trick 24-48 hours before departure no longer works. But changing my assigned seat to a thrown seat during check-in worked like a charm!
Fortunately, 8 out of 12 thrown seats were still available (in contrast to all other biz class seats, which were all taken), so I was able to take my pick. Looking forward to a very relaxing 14-hour flight!

I'm on a connecting (also LX) to a flight where I'd like to try to reserve a throne seat. Should I try 23 hours from the first flight or wait until 23 hours before departure of the second flight, with the actual throne seats? Thank you!

The screen shots are not the throne seat... the throne seat config is on the 1-2-2/2-2-1 seating, the 1-2-1 seat / K are not throne seats.
Also I've tried your 48hour trick. the price tags are still there

this doesn't work anymore - less than 20 hours and those seats still cost $196.

Even after online check in...selecting the "Throne" seat required payment now. But I was lucky at the check in desk, the staff saw that I was alone and asked me whether am I OK to take a single seat 9A on a B777 (LX177).

More than happy to oblige their offer.
Happy New Year to them!