by Lufthansa Flyer | Oct 16, 2016 | A330, A340, Featured, On Board Experience, Passenger Experience, Swiss |
SWISS has announced that over the next 2 years, it will roll out upgrades and enhancements to the long haul fleet, focusing on their A330 and A340 aircraft.
WiFi!
Beginning in December, SWISS will begin to retrofit their 14 Airbus A330 aircraft with Wifi connectivity. Obviously this will not happen overnight, but SWISS anticipates that all of their A330s will have the retrofit complete by the end of 2017. Math suggests that approximately one aircraft per month will be taken out of circulation for a few days to complete the work. WiFi is currently available only on SWISS 777 aircraft.
The A340….
SWISS has also stated that their A340s will receive the same First Class cabin as the Airbus A330. The big advantage of the newer F product is the increased size of the television screen and an enhanced IFE system. The fact that the seats will be brand new will also go a long way to refresh the cabins and give them a brand new look and feel. WiFi is also planned during this upgrade. SWISS expects that it will take through 2018 to complete this retrofit on their 10 A340 aircraft.
Related: First Class Aboard SWISS A330
by Lufthansa Flyer | Oct 15, 2016 | FAA, Featured, On Board Experience, Passenger Experience |
In light of recent events concerning smart devices that decide to spontaneously combust through normal usage, airlines have begun bringing aboard bags designed specifically to hold electronics that have caught fire, or may be at risk of igniting.
Alaska Airlines and Virgin America have already been carrying these $1600 fire proof bags that can withstand temperatures in excess of 3500 degrees Fahrenheit. Now it appears that Delta and other US-based airlines will have at least one bag aboard each aircraft as part of their safety equipment. Delta stated that all aircraft will have the bag by the end of 2017. Not sure why it takes 14 months to outfit a fleet but at least they’re taking the initiative. I also wonder who foots the bill when a bag has to be used……
No word yet from Lufthansa or other Euro and Asian carriers, but I suspect this will become a new industry standard over the coming weeks and months.
Baker is an industry leader in fireproof bags for aviation and an example of the bags is shown below, but I use this only as an example and not a suggestion that Baker is necessarily the supplier.
by Lufthansa Flyer | Oct 12, 2016 | Featured, First Class, Lounges, Passenger Experience, Swiss |
As part of our travel back from a Safari trip to Africa and the fact that I was booked in First Class for our flight from Zurich to the States, we had the ability to visit SWISS’ new First Class Lounge in Terminal E at Zurich. Typically lounge access is restricted only to SWISS First Class passengers and Miles & More HON Circle members and since the lounge is located in Terminal E which serves only International long-haul flights, its even more exclusive than most First Class Lounges.
Just as I had the good fortune to have the entire First Class cabin to myself for the flight from Zurich, we were also the only visitors to the First Class Lounge during our 3 hour layover in ZRH. This gave us the opportunity to explore the entire lounge without the risk of violating the privacy of other passengers and since we were the only ones in the lounge our attendant, Bjorn, was extremely happy to give us a tour of the entire facility.
The lounge opened to passengers in February of this year and offers a few unique features not found in most First Class Lounges. For example, the lounge is almost entirely wrapped by an outdoor terrace that provides an OUTSTANDING view of the airport, making it nirvana for ‘avgeeks’. I spent most of my time on the terrace taking photos of aircraft while nursing a 20-year old Scotch….not a bad way to pass a lay over.
The lounge also offers private rooms that remind me of a high quality hotel accommodations instead of just a room with a cot in it thats designed for short naps.
Additionally, the lounge of course offers a 5-star al-a-carte dining experience along with a wine selection that can be measured in hundreds of bottles.
What struck me most about the lounge is simply how spotless and perfect it is. Nothing is out of place, not even the cocktail napkins at the bar. Magazines and newspapers were piled perfectly, even the flowers seemed to be set into a template. Really impressive.
Being the only passengers gave us a great opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies, and I hope that the photos below give you a sense of how special this lounge is.
You know you’re in for a treat when you see signage like this!
This is the first impression that you get when entering the lounge. As I mentioned, see how everything is absolutely perfect??
Several Champagne choices……
Magazines and Newspapers in several languages
Hundreds of bottles of wine will satisfy any palette…..
Several seating areas fill the lounge, each with their own large flat-screen TV.
Another example of a seating area
A Leica Spotting Scope is available to zoom in on the aircraft. Another nice touch is the placement of several pairs of Leica binoculars on the terrace.
The Bar offers nothing but top-shelf beverages…..
The Dining Room overlooks the terrace, providing wonderful views of the airport….
The Dining Room offers a 5-star culinary experience, but unfortunately neither one of us had an appetite to eat at 7am!
But I did have room for a dram of 20 year old Scotch while plane spotting…..
A private conference room is available and thanks to the modular design of the lounge can be adjusted to accommodate small or large groups, as well as being tied directly to one of the ‘Hotel Rooms’.
A look inside the ‘Hotel Room’, notice the proximity to the observation terrace. Privacy can be an issue but light blocking shades and draperies take care of any concerns.
The private bath in the ‘Hotel Room’
So as you can hopefully tell, this lounge is quite the place and should be on the list to visit for anyone that enjoys experiencing a premium product. Though its not necessarily easy to create the strategy to gain entry, I promise you that the effort is worth it!
