Good morning from Zurich! I’m in the middle of my review trip to Oman, and just flew SWISS’ Airbus A330-300 business class on the short seven hour overnight flight from Montreal to Zurich.
While I’ll have a full trip report soon, in this post I wanted to share my initial impressions. It has been roughly a decade since I flew SWISS’ A330 business class, though I have flown the carrier’s A340 business class and 777 business class more recently.
How was this flight in business class? Look, I try to be objective with my reviews, and to be honest, I didn’t think this flight was very good. That’s not to say it was very bad, it just wasn’t good.
There was nothing really wrong with the flight… there just also wasn’t very much right with it. Like, I’m trying to find something to be enthusiastic about, but the only thing I can say with any enthusiasm is how unenthusiastic I am about the flight, compared to other business class experiences.
So many airlines have improved over the years, while this product felt exactly how I remembered it in 2013, only with less engaging service and less good food. The issue is that the industry has otherwise come a long way in the past decade…
In this post:
SWISS’ A330 business class seats are fine
SWISS has a staggered configuration in business class on its A330s. This is an okay product, though I’d note that it’s significantly less spacious than on the 777 (the A330 has a narrower fuselage), and significantly less modern than on the A340 (since the A340 was reconfigured more recently, so has better tech and nicer finishes).
I managed to snag one of the “throne” seats, which offer a bit more space on each side, but even these seats feel pretty tight. Business class seats have improved over time, and I’d say at this point, this product is below average across the Atlantic (then again, SWISS still has a better hard product than Lufthansa, which isn’t saying a whole lot).
The other thing is that since this cabin is so old, the tech is uncompetitive. The screens are small and low definition, and there are no bells and whistles you’ll find on newer jets, like bluetooth audio, USB outlets, etc.
The okay hard product really sets the tone for the okay soft product…
SWISS’ A330 business class entertainment & Wi-Fi are not ideal
As mentioned above, SWISS’ A330s have very small entertainment screens in business class, and they’re quite low quality. The entertainment selection wasn’t terrible, but the library was much smaller than on many airlines nowadays. I also didn’t find the system terribly easy to use.
Fortunately SWISS’ A330s have Wi-Fi, and in 2023, the airline finally made its Wi-Fi pricing more reasonable. Previously the airline charged based on data usage, so you could easily spend hundreds of dollars on Wi-Fi on a flight if you actually wanted to stay productive the entire time.
The good news is that the airline no longer charges based on data usage, and you can buy a full flight pass for 35 CHF, or 39 USD. That’s on the steep side, but not totally unreasonable.
Here’s the odd thing — I purchased this, connected for a couple of hours after takeoff, and then when I woke up I tried to reconnect, only to be prompted to pay again. That’s despite the fact that I specifically created an account, so that I could easily reconnect. Was this some strange glitch, or is this a common issue?
SWISS’ business class amenities feel cheap
Among reputable airlines across the Atlantic, SWISS must have some of the most basic amenities of any airline. For one, the amenity kit is actually a tin, and is very sparsely stocked. It just had socks, eyeshades, earplugs, and a dental kit. There were no other amenities, no partnerships with skincare brands, etc.
Then for bedding, SWISS has a very basic pillow and blanket in business class. The blanket feels a bit scratchy and cheap, and there isn’t any sort of a mattress pad, or anything.
SWISS’ business class food and service were okay
On this short overnight flight, dinner was served after takeoff. I can appreciate the desire to keep the after takeoff service short, to allow passengers to maximize rest. However, the meal took surprisingly long, given that it wasn’t particularly elaborate.
Service began with drinks and a small ramekin of nuts. I had a glass of champagne, and SWISS was pouring Jacquart Mosaïque Brut.
The meal was then served on a single tray, except for dessert. This included a side salad, the main course, and some cheese. The crew was out of the fish by the time they got to my row, so I went with my second choice, which was an herb-roasted chicken breast with mustard and tarragon sauce, and potatoes.
And then there was dessert after that, consisting of a “caramel delight.”
The meal was nicely presented, and tasted reasonably good, but was nothing special. However, the whole service was kind of slow, and took around two hours.
As far as the service goes, the crew was… fine? They went through the motions, service very much had an assembly line-esque feel to it, and there was basically no real personal, human interaction. For example, meal orders were taken after takeoff when the flight attendant walked down the aisle with her tablet, and said “meal order please” without even looking up.
What happened to a first class upgrade?
I’ve been meaning to fly SWISS first class for quite some time, and my goal was to upgrade on this flight, as SWISS allows paid upgrades from business to first class, even on partner award tickets. This flight had only two of the eight first class seats occupied.
So, what happened? Well, I was in international transit in Canada, as I was flying from Miami to Zurich via Montreal. In Montreal, my hope was that there would be a SWISS representative in the airside terminal a couple of hours before departure, but they only ended up showing up at the gate about an hour before departure.
I asked at that point, and while they indicated that they do sell upgrades to first class, unfortunately the flight wasn’t sufficiently catered. The moral of the story is that next time I need to ask at check-in, a few hours before departure, so they have time to still cater it correctly.
Honestly, I was indifferent as to which cabin I flew in, as I’ve been wanting to review both SWISS’ A330 business class and first class. Now I’ll just be more deliberate with my next trip in flying SWISS first class.
Bottom line
SWISS’ A330 business class isn’t one of the more impressive products across the Atlantic, both in terms of the hard and soft product.
I don’t want to go so far as to say that the product is worth avoiding, but it’s definitely not worth seeking out. I’d fly it again if SWISS offered the best value or schedule for the routing I was looking at, but that’s about it.
I’d rather fly just about any US airline in business class on a wide body, for the superior seats, bedding, and entertainment (perhaps with the exception of Delta’s 767-300s). And among European airlines, I think carriers like Air France, British Airways, and KLM, all offer on average a better experience. SWISS can’t bring its new business class product to A330s fast enough.
Maybe I just had a bad experience, though, and I would have a different impression if it were a daytime flight with an engaging crew. Who knows.
What’s your take on SWISS’ Airbus A330 business class?
Yeah, its getting old for sure. Aside from business trips, I fly with some friends every year with LX from YUL to go skiing and the general concensus is that its that these birds are very long in the tooth. The louges in Zurich are nice and Zurich is a fantastis airport (shopping, restaurants, easy of transfer..), but they really need to update the hard product.
I flew that same aircraft on Business class from Zurich to Boston. The flat seats were shaky and the accommodations and accessories are quite old. I wasn't impressed.
The trip overall was a solid C...
Swiss First is not much of an improvement. I hope you’re flying Oman Air to Muscat. One of the best airlines in the world. Their First out of Muscat is amazing.
I recently flew the 777 (LAX-ZRH) in business and it equally sucked.
All the times i have flown with Swiss i have had good flights. The last flight last year from Athens to Zurich i found the middle of the seat a but hard but it was an older plane. The old planes need to be pensioned off.
This review is spot on -- just flew from the US on the same config to Zurich -- really underwhelmed. Agree on seats, meals, wifi, entertainment, amenity kit (ear plugs the worst) -- all of this is PERFECTLY captured. The only redeeming factor were that the flight attendants were exceptionally nice, pleasant and helpful. Many smiles and seemingly genuine and human and interested in being there. I love flying direct, but would have preferred a...
This review is spot on -- just flew from the US on the same config to Zurich -- really underwhelmed. Agree on seats, meals, wifi, entertainment, amenity kit (ear plugs the worst) -- all of this is PERFECTLY captured. The only redeeming factor were that the flight attendants were exceptionally nice, pleasant and helpful. Many smiles and seemingly genuine and human and interested in being there. I love flying direct, but would have preferred a one-stop on a different plane.
Why didn' t you fly direct with Swiss from MIA to ZRH? They fly with 777 and have 2 flights per day!
No, they only fly A333. And the quality is really not high.
Hi
I have a question. From Montreal, what carrier has the best business class long haul on the way to Barcelona?
As much as I love and am protective of SWISS, I have to admit this review is spot on. They are stuck in the 90s and are even cutting corners with respect to that standard. The same applies to their First Class product as well.
You have to remember that they are part of the Lufthansa group and they control the finances.
I would say 100% of what you written is the norm as opposed to a one off. Especially now that Miles & More stipulate that code share doesn't count towards status (award miles only) then I have a choice of uncomfortable and not great food or service but at least a single seat when flying long haul Swiss, or 'nit quite as bad' but a 2-2 layout on Lufthansa and no single seat.
The Zurich Senator lounges are also awful.
Pillows used to be down, now it’s artificial synthetic filler, which overheats.
My wife and I flew JFK-ZRH-ATH late 2022
— don’t remember the aircraft — and had a similar experience. More important to us was that the seats were too hard to sleep on. Complaining about having a flat-bed on a plane seems pretty silly, considering most people have to sit in Y, but I’ll probably avoid SWISS J, if I can.
Did they serve a second meal??
The product is outdated and overpriced. Look at competitors on the transatlantic route and you will find half a dozen of it lines offering a better service and product at the same or lower price. Look at the seats…privacy = 0. The only way this airline survives is because it’s got protection from competition. Once Swiss was at the forefront of airlines defining the standard of the industry, today it is a shadow of its...
The product is outdated and overpriced. Look at competitors on the transatlantic route and you will find half a dozen of it lines offering a better service and product at the same or lower price. Look at the seats…privacy = 0. The only way this airline survives is because it’s got protection from competition. Once Swiss was at the forefront of airlines defining the standard of the industry, today it is a shadow of its former glory but still cashing in for the Lufthansa Group. If you have another choice you should consider taking it
BRAVO
I agree 100%, this airline and the entire corrupt LH-Group should not be supported at all.
ONLY real good choice to Europe is TK, no doubt at all.
On my last MUC-ZRH-MIA flight, it was such a chaos on C with the Service and also a lot of trouble with fellow passengers, that the Crew let that feel EVERYBODY!
That was and will be my last time, this airline will ever earn any money from me again, plus the seating was anything but acceptable! Also A330.
You need to calm down STEFFL; this isn’t Twitter or Fox News, mate.
Nothing to regret: I did exactly the same trip a year ago - from Miami to Zurich via Montreal - Swiss First class and it wasn't good either: first of all seats are far worse than in 777/340, food was ok but nothing special
Flew Swiss A330 Zurich-ORD last June when Lufthansa canceled MUC-ORD flight three hours before departure due to "wildfire smoke" at O'Hare. Worst business class experience possible - food was terrible and seating old and uncomfortable. The separators between seats made conversation impossible for the 9+ hour flight during the day. I guess we should be glad we got home only 6 hours late due to the layover in Zurich.
Great report, thanks!
How would you compare it to Iberia (newer configuration).
I fly them more often than others due to attractive pricing and availability.
"SWISS still has a better hard product than Lufthansa"
Unless you're in the reverse herringbone or staggered seats they acquired from other airlines...
"which was an herb-roasted chicken breast with mustard and tarragon sauce, and potatoes"
Hey now, there was a carrot on there too.
I flew ZUR LAX yesterday and food seemed a little better. Amenity kit was worse. Just a Victornox nylon bag. Staff was nothing special. Asked for a drink before the second meal service. It was never brought to me, had to ask during the meal service again. Service was almost no different from the CPT ZUR flight on edelweiss. Hard product was much better at least.
My observation from my last couple of Swiss Flights (BOS-ZRH, ZRH-LAX, LAX-ZRH) was that they seem to have hired a lot of German cabin crew, most of them very junior. On these flights, I found the German flight attendants to be much friendlier and more proactive than their Swiss colleagues.
Did you get the price of the upgrade had the flight been sufficiently catered?
From the pictures it seems that no appetizer was served - strange. Usually that is one of better course, as it is generally hot heated. The food on this flight looks like Y+ on United. The meal service on Swiss used to be quite good when I last flew them in 2022. Hopefully the catering out of ZRH is still better.
SWISS' 777 has a more up to date cabin, and on that front is far superior to the very dated A330 one. The A330 business class' age is showing badly.
As for their crews I find they lack consistency. I have had some great ones on SWISS, but on other flights I feel like the crew is just going by the book and doing what they have to do. It's like AC who are also...
SWISS' 777 has a more up to date cabin, and on that front is far superior to the very dated A330 one. The A330 business class' age is showing badly.
As for their crews I find they lack consistency. I have had some great ones on SWISS, but on other flights I feel like the crew is just going by the book and doing what they have to do. It's like AC who are also very inconsistent with their crews.
I must say though that I do like the breakfast card they give you on overnight flights. It's nice to be able to pick and choose different options for the breakfast service.
Il loved my Swiss Buisiness experience. The lounge in Zurich was stunning, the food on the plan was delicious, the seat lies flat, the crew was great...I don't personally care about doors. Good service, food and lie flat is all I need.
My friend just paid 2k for him and his wife to upgrade from an I class to first from JFK-ZRH
Waste of money if I'm honest. It's a short(er) overnight flight and from JFK you don't get much first-class treatment on the ground anyway.
I realize the amenities tin may seem sort of low-rent but given that one accumulates a lot of the little amenity bags, I actually don't hate the idea of a tin, especially with the sorta cool Victorinox logo on it. Some variety, could find a use for it!
My Swiss A330 experience I found quite good actually, the crew were very professional and got the details right and the food was excellent.
As for the flaws, your amenity kit was better than mine (a small green drawstring bag). The IFE screen was dim and small, yes, but I found it to have better touch sensitivity than the one on the (newer) Iberia A330 screen I flew outbound. The issue I had with the...
My Swiss A330 experience I found quite good actually, the crew were very professional and got the details right and the food was excellent.
As for the flaws, your amenity kit was better than mine (a small green drawstring bag). The IFE screen was dim and small, yes, but I found it to have better touch sensitivity than the one on the (newer) Iberia A330 screen I flew outbound. The issue I had with the bed was mainly the armrest could not be moved so it made the seat feel narrow.
Not perfect but I would like to try them again either in F or in the newer J product.
First, McKinsey destroyed Swissair with its Hunter strategy. Then Lufthansa wrecked SWISS with insufficient investment and misguided common group policies. I love SWISS first but will fly United Polaris to Geneva or Zurich if I must fly in J.
SWISS is the most profitable airline in the Lufthansa group, so it seems to be working quite well for them...
Just because they have a captive domestic market that is relatively wealthy. For anyone that actually has a choice, SWISS won't be on top of the list for TATL J.
Well Swiss has a relatively limited long-haul network that is primarily focused on O&D passengers, so the strategy of focusing on their captive domestic market is working well. They're not necessarily looking to appeal to large numbers of transfer passengers with multiple airline choices. Btw, having a "captive" domestic market is no guarantee of success, or profits, Lufthansa similarly has a strong domestic market but they're not as profitable. Theoretically Brussels Airlines should be very...
Well Swiss has a relatively limited long-haul network that is primarily focused on O&D passengers, so the strategy of focusing on their captive domestic market is working well. They're not necessarily looking to appeal to large numbers of transfer passengers with multiple airline choices. Btw, having a "captive" domestic market is no guarantee of success, or profits, Lufthansa similarly has a strong domestic market but they're not as profitable. Theoretically Brussels Airlines should be very profitable as well given they have a very wealthy catchment area, the benefit of lots of government traffic, plus lucrative Africa routes, and yet they struggle. Air France right now probably has the best J of any major airline on either side of the Atlantic, a large and wealthy population in their catchment area, plenty of business and government traffic, the strongest inbound tourism market in the world, lucrative Africa routes, and yet they're always struggling with profitability. Running tons of flights to all sorts of far flung destinations with a great product (and a lucrative FF program as all the bloggers clamor for) is not a recipe for guaranteed high profits.
... not to forget, that back then SWISSAIR stole all 4 MD-11 from partner LTU Airlines, but still couldn't make it!
LTU was supposed to get 3 brand new A330 instead, but that never happened, instead SWISSAIR went down the drain, after stealing 4 aircraft from another company.
I think the payback was not there luck with these planes, later over Goose Bay.
THIS airline is just so NOT worth the money!
... not to forget, that back then SWISSAIR stole all 4 MD-11 from partner LTU Airlines, but still couldn't make it!
LTU was supposed to get 3 brand new A330 instead, but that never happened, instead SWISSAIR went down the drain, after stealing 4 aircraft from another company.
I think the payback was not there luck with these planes, later over Goose Bay.
THIS airline is just so NOT worth the money!
If i could, i would say YES, to eliminate it for good. ;-)
Liars, Thief's and one of the worst in the business but think they are Kings!
I had to fly it this time last year due to a family emergency and since it was short notice, I had limited choice. It wasn't awful but I wouldn't do it again unless I had to. I wasn't in a throne seat but a 2x2 biz seat and didn't feel crammed in. I slept most of the flight since I had been up for about 24 hours before departure.
I agree with most of the comments here. I just flew FRA-IAH on LH's A330-300 biz class a few days ago, and compared to a year ago when I flew ZRH-EWR on LX's A330-300 biz class, I think the LH flight is better than LX flight. I got the "throne" seat on LX A330-300 and found it to be very narrow, especially in sleep mode (definitely think the "throne" seat is overrated!). I felt like...
I agree with most of the comments here. I just flew FRA-IAH on LH's A330-300 biz class a few days ago, and compared to a year ago when I flew ZRH-EWR on LX's A330-300 biz class, I think the LH flight is better than LX flight. I got the "throne" seat on LX A330-300 and found it to be very narrow, especially in sleep mode (definitely think the "throne" seat is overrated!). I felt like I was in a coffin around my head. The sleep quality is definitely better on LH's A330 as they provided mattress-pad while LX didn't. I also found the LH cabin crew is more friendly and attentive. The food were fine for both, but nothing really memorable. Overall, I think the LH/LX offering in Biz class is not as good as the AF/KL offering in my experiences over the last couple of years. AF/KL have newer planes/hard products (A350/B787) compared to the A330s of LH/LX that I flew (also flew the 747-8 biz class upper deck on LH on ORD-FRA in Dec 2023).
Consider the overall Swiss Air business class experience and its price. To me, there's a disconnect. British Air's business class experience (other than the A380) seems equal or better . . . at roughly half the price. I know many criticize BA. But, I fly BA a dozen times a year (mostly F but sometimes J) and find it to be fine. It's not La Premiere. It's not a Krys Suite. And, yes, under former...
Consider the overall Swiss Air business class experience and its price. To me, there's a disconnect. British Air's business class experience (other than the A380) seems equal or better . . . at roughly half the price. I know many criticize BA. But, I fly BA a dozen times a year (mostly F but sometimes J) and find it to be fine. It's not La Premiere. It's not a Krys Suite. And, yes, under former CEO Alex Cruz, quality suffered but that's changing under the current leadership.
My wife tv did work both from Thailand and return.Not good!
I've found the crews on LX to be generally very pleasant and attentive, and the on-board service good. The LX products though are getting extremely tired and dated. The A330-300s need a refresh. Overall though, the airline is very mediocre.
Flew their 777 in J back in October. It's was mostly the same experience, but the crew and service was great on both flights. My thoughts were that the hard product definitely needs updating (though it was perfectly comfortable), but the soft product was the highlight.
I have to say, I fly almost all business class (paid tickets) and this is kinda the case for most nowadays. Seats are kinda meh, service is just a conveyer belt, for 80-90% of airlines, J now feels like Y+ with a flat bed.
really feel the ship has turned for American carriers with Polaris and Delta One. AA needs to catch up with something a bit more aspirational and consistent across flights but consistency is not easy!
I remember the old days; flying FC in a SR DC-10-30. HKG-BKK-BOM-CAI-ZUR-GVA. Where the ‘Chef’/FA, rolled a trolley down the aisle... and made Crepe Suzette by your seat.
Once flew a SWISS A340 from Chicago to Zurich, then the A330 onward to Dubai in Biz. A340 was noticeably superior to A330, and my catering for both even in February 2021 was way better than the pictures from this flight, somehow
European carriers continue to be the most overrated in the world. When flying to Europe in business class, I prefer an American carrier.
European carriers might have a slight edge in economy class, and win by default in first class. But if you're flying with miles, business class is the sweet spot we usually aim for,
Have thoroughly enjoyed TATL J on Air France, Iberia and Brussels Airlines. TAP was also good, in that I slept for the entire flight, therefore don't have much to say about the service or food...
Their product is definitely getting worse every year. I still like LX first, especially for the ground experience in Zürich and the special VIP touch to it, but the food apart from the Balik Salmon is not tasty at all. The red wines served are also very average. and retail for 30usd
Agree 100% with this. I've flown this product several times over the past 11-12 years. It has not changed at all in that time and has gone from being one of the better TATL options to one of the worst.
The food is OK, the seat is OK but has not been updated in 10 years and now lags behind almost all competitors. The food and service has always been "fine". I've never had...
Agree 100% with this. I've flown this product several times over the past 11-12 years. It has not changed at all in that time and has gone from being one of the better TATL options to one of the worst.
The food is OK, the seat is OK but has not been updated in 10 years and now lags behind almost all competitors. The food and service has always been "fine". I've never had a crew who went beyond minimum friendly.
One other thing I really hate about Swiss Business Class is how open the cabin is. The seat/shell height are quite low compared to competitors and, especially on a day flight, you can see and hear everyone else in the cabin. It is not a relaxing business class experience.
TLDR; I would fly Swiss Business in a pinch but I would choose almost any other product over this.
Sounds identical to when I flew this route in early 2020, but I atleast got a nice Victorinox amenity bag
Perhaps the saddest part of the flight was when they gave me a ramekin of pickles and olives instead of the nuts everyone else were given. Why? Because I had a vegetarian meal request. Figure that one out. lol
Nuts are sometimes covered in animal fat lol.
I agree wholeheartedly with this post, Ben.
Just flew ZRH-HKG with Swiss in business on their A340. Ok, the seats are a little more modern, compared to the 330, but jeez... the entire experience left me with a "meh?!" kinda feeling. Cheap ameneties when it comes to the kit and bedding, bare bathrooms, a very limited IFE catalog, an extremely robotic like service flow with little to no room for personalisation. I kid you...
I agree wholeheartedly with this post, Ben.
Just flew ZRH-HKG with Swiss in business on their A340. Ok, the seats are a little more modern, compared to the 330, but jeez... the entire experience left me with a "meh?!" kinda feeling. Cheap ameneties when it comes to the kit and bedding, bare bathrooms, a very limited IFE catalog, an extremely robotic like service flow with little to no room for personalisation. I kid you not that I startled the crew by telling them I would be skipping the appetizer course. The reply I got was "ummm, ok, but we need to put your tray down now, so just know it will be an empty tray".. Serving the cheese course on a tray with the appetizer, cutting away the on demand "order at any time food" items,...
It was by no means an afwul flight, but it felt terribly average/forgettable. Considering the prices they charge for C class tickets, a total letdown.
And what also annoys the cr×p out of me is the service inconsistencies between the LH group airlines; PJs, matresspads, decent bedding on LH, but not on LX. No preorder of special meals on LH shorthaul (the very short routes), eventhough LX offers it. Etc etc.
You would think it would be a little more streamlined...
Swiss First was one of the best flights of my life. The service is sublime. the food is very good. The seat is wide and you can close the "door" which is not evident since it just looks like a place to hang your coat. Very good amenity kit. Only complaint would be small lavatory. Which they keep very clean. (first time in a plane I did not stick to the floor)
Yes indeed, the service in Swiss J has not been very good for some time, pre and post pandemic. Service level is bad and IFM's can't really solve issues. The whole LH Group sadly are not the best in my opinion and with the combination of their worst FF programs, I have managed to avoid them for years - even with some of their good promotions in J and F, I have not taken up their offer.
Agreed. And, ground agents can't solve issues either. In spite of a medical device having pre-authorization papers from HQ Zurich in hand, a ground agent called the Zurich "just to confirm" . . . but it was after normal business hours . . . so, the person in our party was denied boarding. Haven't flown them since -- over 10 years.
Should have bought one of their pocket knives instead.
Ironically, Swiss is positioned as the premium offering within the LH Group - at least it wasn’t ‘five star’ Lufthansa…
I agree that they aren't as competitive in Business Class right now. But Swiss Economy, Premium Economy, and First is still arguably better than a lot of carriers (both in Europe and North America).