In 2025, SWISS introduced all new cabins for its long haul aircraft (including a new first and business class), in a project that’s known as SWISS Senses. SWISS is part of Lufthansa Group, so these cabins are essentially identical to the new Lufthansa Allegris concept, but with different branding.
These new SWISS Senses cabins were first rolled out on newly delivered Airbus A350-900s, though we know that SWISS also plans to reconfigure its existing jets with these new seats. There’s an exciting update, as it sounds like the first Airbus A330-300 will be reconfigured with SWISS Senses cabins in the very near future.
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SWISS Senses coming to Airbus A330-300 fleet soon
SWISS management has confirmed that SWISS Airbus A330-300s will start to be reconfigured in the coming weeks. Initially the plan was for this project to start in the 2025-2026 winter season. Now, technically the IATA winter season goes through late March, so I suppose the airline may officially stick to that timeline.
It always takes longer for the first aircraft to be reconfigured, given that new seats have to be certified on the aircraft. We know that Lufthansa Group has had quite some challenges with certification of new cabins, so we’ll see how this all plays out, since the airline group doesn’t have a great track record.
However, assuming things go relatively smoothly, the plan is reportedly for the retrofit project to be put into full motion starting in the middle of 2026, with one plane being reconfigured every six weeks.
SWISS’ fleet consists of 14 A330s, so you’d expect the entire project to take right around 84 weeks, or a little over 19 months. Realistically, I expect it’ll either be very late 2027 or early 2028 before the A330 project is done.
The plan is then to reconfigure the fleet of 12 Boeing 777-300ERs. It remains to be seen with exactly what timeline this starts. The project could start once the A330 retrofit is complete, or who knows, it could also start before then.
How the layout of SWISS Airbus A330-300s will change
As SWISS reconfigures its Airbus A330-300s, what should we expect, exactly?
Currently, SWISS’ A330s have 236 seats, including eight first class seats, 45 business class seats, and 183 economy class seats.
Once reconfigured, SWISS’ A330s will have 225 seats, including three first class suites (one double suite), 43 business class seats, 28 premium economy seats, and 151 economy class seats.
So we’re no doubt seeing a significantly better product across the board. However, with the introduction of SWISS Senses, we’re seeing a five seat reduction in first class, a two seat reduction in business class, a new premium economy cabin with 28 seats, and a 32 seat reduction in economy class.
One wild aspect of the SWISS Senses cabin on the A330 is that the first class is apparently too heavy for the plane, and could cause a weight and balance issue. As a result, the airline is installing a 1.5-ton weight in the back of the aircraft, to prevent that from being an issue. That’s not exactly ideal, eh?
Anyway, I’m going to be very curious to see how these A330s look once reconfigured. The cabins of these planes are tired, and in particular, SWISS’ A330 business class leaves a lot to be desired.
It remains to be seen how tight the premium cabins on these planes feel, though. In economy, the A330 is a joy, given its 2-4-2 layout (meaning each row has two sets of seat pairs). The overall cabin is 17 inches narrower than on the A350 (where the SWISS Senses cabins debuted), so I’m sure this will be felt in business class, though the first class cabin feeling is what interests me most.
Keep in mind that there’s a double suite in center of first class, and that feels tight on the A350, assuming you’re two people (it’s the same as in Lufthansa Allegris). I have to imagine it’ll feel significantly more constrained on the A330.
Bottom line
In the coming weeks, SWISS is expected to start retrofitting its Airbus A330 fleet with new cabins. The plane will be getting the new SWISS Senses concept with four classes of service. While SWISS Senses debuted on the A350, it’s great to see the carrier’s tired A330s get some love as well.
Here’s to hoping the certification process goes smoothly, given Lufthansa Group’s track record.
What do you make of SWISS’ A330 retrofit plans?
Is it just the pace of A330 retrofits and A350 deliveries that determine when Swiss’s final A340 flight will be or will the A340 retirement also depend on how fast Swiss will retrofit 777s?
This is an anticipated, and welcome development. The LX A330-300 is subpar in all but the First Class cabin. The Business Class product debuted along with the plane, in 2009. It is outdated, not comfortable, and not premium, with the exception of a few more recent enhancements, notably to the food and the food presentation. (I fly ZRH-NYC and back a lot). That said, LX does a meticulous job of maintaining these frames. They always...
This is an anticipated, and welcome development. The LX A330-300 is subpar in all but the First Class cabin. The Business Class product debuted along with the plane, in 2009. It is outdated, not comfortable, and not premium, with the exception of a few more recent enhancements, notably to the food and the food presentation. (I fly ZRH-NYC and back a lot). That said, LX does a meticulous job of maintaining these frames. They always look crisp, clean, and tidy. The Economy section needs better seats and a much improved entertainment system.
Agreed. This is good. JFK-ZRH/GVA can be a nice point redemption in J, at times (like, I’ve found 60-80K, one-way, via Aeroplan), but the cabin is due for an update.
I don't believe first class weight is the only reason for the counter weight.
1.5t for 3 seats is about 500kg per seat or (450kg for single seats and 600kg for center double suite).
That weight is impossible even for first class cabins (unless heading in the direction of Singapore and Etihad A380s).
So I'm guessing that either the galley gained weight or business class cabins weight increased significantly from the more compact Thompson...
I don't believe first class weight is the only reason for the counter weight.
1.5t for 3 seats is about 500kg per seat or (450kg for single seats and 600kg for center double suite).
That weight is impossible even for first class cabins (unless heading in the direction of Singapore and Etihad A380s).
So I'm guessing that either the galley gained weight or business class cabins weight increased significantly from the more compact Thompson vantage (which sounds more plausible). Those Thompson vantage seats might be weighing below 80kg per seat but the new design looks heavier and could be coming up to 100kg per seat.
Again, adding a counter weight on airplanes (most especially widebodies) isn't all that uncommon. You will be surprised how many airlines and the different aircrafts that require such. Most high premium B777-300ER tend to have it. A handful of B747 have counter weight.
Swiss just decided to publicize this one due to the infighting between them and the Lufthansa group, probably a way to publicly show their displeasure about the whole alegris program.
Some years ago, ANA sold old first class seats, without the IFE equipment and screens mounted. There was a warning about the weight of the seats, which was in the ball park of 400-500 kg per seat. Can't remember the exact number. So yeah F seats are heavy.
The challenge here is that the new configuration should be 1.5t more nose heavy than the aircraft designers had expected, or more than the current configuration...
Some years ago, ANA sold old first class seats, without the IFE equipment and screens mounted. There was a warning about the weight of the seats, which was in the ball park of 400-500 kg per seat. Can't remember the exact number. So yeah F seats are heavy.
The challenge here is that the new configuration should be 1.5t more nose heavy than the aircraft designers had expected, or more than the current configuration is to necessitate the tail weight. And that is a bit fascinating.
Great news. I have always felt paying for business on a daytime Europe-US flight was a waste of points. Can’t wait for PE to be an option.
21 seats in Premium Economy, not 28. Three rows of 7 abreast.
If you superimpose screenshots of Aerolopa's seat maps you realise the seats have the exact same width. The A350 is more tapered than the 330 so where the F seats are the difference is small and it's the aisle width that suffers along with some window side console.
In Business class the difference in cabin width is compensated by reduced aisle width and higher seat pitch. Seats don't appear materially narrower.
I...
If you superimpose screenshots of Aerolopa's seat maps you realise the seats have the exact same width. The A350 is more tapered than the 330 so where the F seats are the difference is small and it's the aisle width that suffers along with some window side console.
In Business class the difference in cabin width is compensated by reduced aisle width and higher seat pitch. Seats don't appear materially narrower.
I would not be surprised they tried as much as possible to maximize seat commonality across aircraft types to optimize both capex and opex.
Sweet thought, but that's because aerolopa doesn't have the exact seat dimensions for the A330 seats yet so they just reused PNGs from the A350/LH 787 seatmaps they already had.
Do you know that for a fact or are you assuming ?
The 1.5 ton weight thing is WILD. They've decided that moving the first class suites toward the center of the plane would upset their upper class passengers so they're carrying 1.5 extra tons on EVERY SECTOR THIS PLANE WILL EVER FLY.
As focused on CO2 emmisions as Europe is, I'm surprised that the airline wasn't pressured by their gov't nor public opinion to move upper class rearwards in lieu of adding the dead weight.
That's European Union, of which Switzerland is neither part nor do they have a vote to abolish CO2 emissions at this stage. They may or may not decide some decades later to follow or not to follow the environmental standard.
(Side note: They have a slightly slower and more conservative political system, e.g. Swiss Women suffrage was finally achieved in 1990's - around 30 years later after Iranian women and the majority of African women)
I don't believe first class weight is the only reason for the counter weight.
1.5t for 3 seats is about 500kg per seat or (450kg for single seats and 600kg for center double suite).
That weight is impossible even for first class cabins (unless heading in the direction of Singapore and Etihad A380s).
So I'm guessing that either the galley gained weight or business class cabins weight increased significantly from the more compact...
I don't believe first class weight is the only reason for the counter weight.
1.5t for 3 seats is about 500kg per seat or (450kg for single seats and 600kg for center double suite).
That weight is impossible even for first class cabins (unless heading in the direction of Singapore and Etihad A380s).
So I'm guessing that either the galley gained weight or business class cabins weight increased significantly from the more compact Thompson vantage (which sounds more plausible). Those Thompson vantage seats might be weighing below 80kg per seat but the new design looks heavier and could be coming up to 100kg per seat.
Really adding a 1.5 ton weight at the back.
This will be awesome, way better than any First Class on those lousy airlines. Team LHG!