Swiss » User reviews

asiansm flew Swiss Business, on a A330-300 (05/05/2012 15:41)

Constant, Reliable, On time, No Bad Surprise... as always. The New Swiss Arrival Lounge in Zurich is excellent.

helenbergwiklund flew Swiss First, on a A340-300 (19/04/2012 12:32)

swiss is the perfect airline !!!

Tom.Large flew Swiss (09/04/2012 18:19)

Will re-use again. Good short haul flight.

north_weald flew Swiss Economy, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (17/01/2012 16:06)

Flew Swiss from Zürich to Tel Aviv.

They boarded us on time, and the air hostess showed us quickly to our seats. They were quick and efficient with their service, but the food wasn't all that, and I never enjoy getting a plastic cup of Coke and would rather see everyone return to give out cans. Food was pretty bland, but eatable. Had worse.

Their in-flight system had plenty of movies and fun, but the quality of their screen have seen it's better days. Most likely top notch some years ago, and doesn't hold the quality of today.

The flight was nice enough, no problems and they landed on time. I would def. fly Swiss again.

Riccardo68 flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (08/11/2011 15:59)

Very pleasant flight Zurich-Miami, very nice services at the airports (Rome-Zurich and Miami and back) and very high level service on board.

Good meals, kind personel and a lot of choise of entertaiment.
The seat in Business can became a usefull bed!

FrustratedRegistration flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (07/11/2011 19:11)

This was a transfer flight so I can't comment on the check-in procedure.

Swiss use the Thai business class lounge in BKK; it is hard to judge their performance level since this was during the terrible floods but one thing must be a constant and that is that it is busy.

I boarded late (BKK is huge and sprawling - beware!) so have no idea if they handle premium pasengers well.

Having studied the various virtual tours of the new Swiss business class online my first impression was a disappointment. While the seats may be new the cabin looks dull and tired and the lighting is hideous. The cabin also looks very "busy".

We were offered the usual Champagne, OJ or water on boarding and pushed back on time. At this point I tried to play with the seat's pneumatic functions. Either they are exceedingly subtle or my seat had run out of air as I could only make it move in millimetres. What little I achieved also had a habit of deflating 30 minutes later without warning so I gave up.

Take-off was 23:40 so I could understand that people wanted a swift meal but I was very disappointed that they adopted the short haul trick of food first, drinks later which I have always assumed was a means of limiting demand. Having said that I managed my requests to ensure I had my drink and then my meal and there was no suggestion that I should hurry myself along to fall in with their plans.

The food and drink were good and the crew were kindly and polite. I could not fathom the IFE which appeared only to have operating instructions in German, even if the actual films could be run in English. They seem to have bought handsets that are not intended for this function and there is a short film on how to use them but, of course, when you need to manage the system a few minutes later then knowing that the blue button means move forward and the red on means move back can be dimming somewhat.

When the time came to bed down I was pleasantly surprised with the seat as a bed. It is fully flat and quite spacious though I do think that a little time examining the seat plan pays off. For single travellers I recommend a K seat in an odd numbered row.

The plane seemed terribly noisy; I have flown very seldom on an A340 so don't know if that is the norm.

We landed in ZRH in thick fog which didn't seem to worry them in the slightest. I was transferring again so can't comment on the baggage delivery in ZRH though I was pleasantly surprised to see my bag at LCY after 3 sectors.

While my first impression was not good, I have to say that with good food, polite service and comfortable bed that's a lot to be grateful for.

Gabribkk flew Swiss First, on a A340-300 (04/11/2011 05:35)

-Check-In-
I arrived at Zurich Airport shortly before 1100 to catch my 1300 departure to Tokyo-Narita on flight LX160.

Since most SWISS International Air Lines long haulers depart in the early afternoon I ran into a pretty crammed check-in hall at terminal 1.

Fortunately, SWISS offers its very premium passengers (First Class/HON Circle) a separate private check-in island where I was welcomed by the friendly ground staff. She asked me to have a seat on an elegant brown fauteuil and offered me coffee, champagne and orange juice.

With its relaxed ambience the first class check-in is like an oasis within the hustle and bustle of this hectic international airport. Since I’ve already checked-in the night before using LX’ iphone app I just had to drop my bag and the whole unfussy procedure lasted only short time.

-Lounge-
The first class lounge is situated airside after the boarding pass control right above the transfer counters. It didn’t take more than 5 minutes to get there.

I was greeted by the receptionist and we immediately arranged a pick up time for the personal shuttle service to the gate. I chose to be met 35 minutes from departure time which later allowed me enough time to deal with immigration and security check.

My general impression of the lounge itself was quite positive. Even though it got a bit busy around noon the lounge kept its tranquil and exclusive charm. The venue offers a self-service bar with lounge seating and caters to your tastes with the usual drinks, snacks and nibbles. Additionally a separate à la carte restaurant offers a good range of meals and pre-flight dinner (from 1800). A selection of international magazines, newspapers and a library are available.

The lounge meets your business needs with three work stations which are equipped with notebooks, printers, free wifi and ethernet cables. Power sockets are compatible with gb-, us- and eu-plugs.

Passengers who feel like freshening up or resting choose from three showers or two dayrooms with ensuite showers. A nice feature at Zurich airport is the Smoker’s bar, which is said to be world’s longest airport bar with almost 30 meters in length. It offers fascinating views of the busy tarmac. This bar is outside the first class lounge and is shared with business class passengers.

Right on time at 1225 I was met by a ground staff who accompanied me through immigration and security. He then chauffeured me and two other passengers in a Mercedes limousine to the satellite gate E from where all intercontinental flights depart.

-Boarding-
Since boarding had been in progress for some minutes already, there was no queue in front of the dedicated first/business line at the gate. Sadly, only one jet bridge to the aircraft was in operation which caused a chokepoint ahead of the plane’s door. It left me waiting for a little while with fellow passengers before finally boarding the Airbus A340-300.

Once on board I was personally welcomed by the chief purser (called “maître de cabine” on LX flights) and escorted to my seat. She immediately took my coat and stored it in a separate locker and asked me if I’d like to have something to drink. I opted for a campari orange and still water which were served shortly after along with an amuse-bouche from the onboard kitchen (Japanese inspired scallop, coated in deep fried rice noodles) and a warm refreshing towel.

I was then offered the menu, newspapers and magazines (somewhat small selection), a pyjama and the amenity kit (Bally) which consists of socks, slippers, a sleeping mask, a toothbrush, quality earplugs and a whole range of top-notch cosmetics (La Prairie). More toiletries (mouthwash, lip balm, shaving kit, etc.) are available upon request from the cabin crew.

-The Seat-
The first class cabin comes with a total of 8 seats in two rows with a common 1-2-1 configuration (A-DG-K). All of those have direct access to the aisle (see seatplan). The seat is 22 inches (56cm) wide, 83 inches (211cm) long and reclines a full 180 degrees.

Together with the provided mattress, down-filled duvet and pillow this makes for a comfortable and fully horizontal (flat) bed in the sky. Even though the cabin feels spacious and even though the seats are pretty far from each other the design is lacking in terms of privacy.

The in-flight entertainment system (IFE) is quite archaic by current standards. With a small screen size of 10.4 inches (26.4cm) and a poor selection of movies (22), TV programmes (40), music channels (16) and games (15) the airline’s IFE falls rather short of the state-of-the-art IFEs offered on the likes of Singapore Airlines or Emirates. LX can only keep up with the competition with its selection of more than 300 music CDs and the excellent noise-cancelling headphones.

Every seat in first is equipped with an electronically movable ottoman that allows you to either stretch your legs or to welcome a fellow first class passenger to be seated opposite you. The table, which automatically folds out of the side shelf when pushing the button, is huge and therefore perfect for an exceptional tête-à-tête above the clouds.

Business class consists of 47 flat-bed seats in a staggered cabin layout (1-2-1/2-2-1), while economy comes with a classic 2-4-2 configuration.

-Which Seat to choose-
It seems that for some people the choice of their preferred seat is more important than the reason for the trip itself. There are passengers who want to “control” the cabin (row 2), passengers who want to “lead” the cabin (row 1) and passengers who aim for higher social status (1A).

Let’s face it: the seats in first class are basically all the same. You are not going to be stuck in a sandwich seat flanked by oversized passengers with bad body odours as it might happen in economy class.

The only difference is that there are single seats on the window (A and K) and double seats in the middle of the cabin (D and G). In the end it all comes down to one question (if you’re not suffering from a complex neurosis): Am I travelling alone (single seat) or do I have company (double seat)? Given that I was travelling all by myself I chose seat 2K at the window.

-The Flight-
The plane was off block on time and we were airborne shortly past 1300 direction Far East. Being seated on the right hand side I enjoyed stunning views of the snow-covered Swiss Alps to the south of us.

After the safety belt sign had turned off I reclined my seat to a lounge chair which was quite relaxing. The flight attendant then informed me that the IFE could not be used for the next 30 minutes or so as they would show current Japanese news first. A common habit on LX flights to Tokyo to comfort Japanese passengers (which were the majority on board), as I was told.

The catering soon started with an appetizer cart that consisted of lobster cocktail, a selection of air-dried meat specialities, a choice of sushi, an appealing creation of baby squash, fennel purée with apple, and LX’ signature bite – fillet of Balik salmon. Traditional smoked salmon as presented at the court of the Russian tsars more than a century ago. A true culinary delight. Furthermore a cold cucumber soup with ginger and a seasonal salad with grilled courgettes and yellow cherry tomatoes were offered.

In the meantime the transmission of Japanese news ended and the IFE was ready to be used individually. Regarding the rather poor entertainment options I decided to listen to some music (The Doors – The Best of) while continuing the culinary indulgence.

LX’ in-flight food conception for first and business passengers is unique. Every three months the airline features a carefully selected chef representing one of Switzerland’s 26 cantons (“SWISS – Taste of Switzerland”). The menu creations generally put the accent on healthy products from the region that are in season. The main courses on my flight were composed by culinary director Franz W. Faeh of the Juma Restaurant in canton Fribourg (14 GaultMillau points).

It included lamb loin poached in red wine, chicken breast filled with Moleson sheep’s cheese, lemon tagliatelle (designed by Hiltl, Zurich’s oldest vegetarian restaurant) and poached red snapper with soya sauce and sesame oil. I opted for the latter which was ok, not comparable to the excellent appetizers beforehand though.

There were three red wines (Cuvée du Petrimoine, 2008; Château Bahans Haut-Brion, 1998; Shiraz Selkirk, 2007) and three white wines (Fichillien, 2010; Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons, 2009; Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, 2010) on the menu. I chose the sauvignon blanc which blended well with the Asian-inspired red snapper.

Dessert included a selection of Swiss artisan cheese (which I passed on – considering the amount of food I had so far), a chocolate hurricane with raspberry compote and a warm apricot tarte tatin with strawberry sauce accompanied with Gruyère double cream ice-cream. Even though being full up already I couldn’t resist the temptation of the chocolate hurricane. And I didn’t regret it.

To finish this brilliant dining experience above the clouds the flight attendant pampered me with a French dessert wine (Sauternes, 2003), a ristretto (Nespresso Grand Crus), and a couple of Swiss pralines (Sprüngli).

I then decided to relax a bit, but before doing so headed to the smallish lavatory to first get rid of my clothes and change into the noble, black-coloured cotton-polyester pyjama (van Laack) that LX offers its first class passengers. Meanwhile the attentive flight attendant converted my seat into a cosy bed with mattress, pillow and blanket. I spent about an hour watching TV (Two and a Half Men) in the now quiet cabin while most of my fellow passengers were already snoozing. I finally dozed off to a deep sleep somewhere over the Russian middle of nowhere.

About two hours from landing in Tokyo-Narita (or after about 7 hours of sleep) I woke up feeling completely rested. With 23.6-inch (60cm) width and 80-inch (203cm) length the bed is big enough to have a recreative sleep.

The cabin was quickly filled with a smooth aroma of coffee. A Swiss breakfast was then presented including an assortment of breads, preserves and honey, fresh fruits, a selection of yoghurts, muesli and cereals, a choice of egg dishes, cold cuts and cheese.

I opted for scrambled eggs with roast beef, air-dried ham and truffle hash browns, accompanied by fresh chunks of pineapple and cantaloupe, which was a good pick.

-Arrival-
Shortly before landing in cloudy Tokyo the maître de cabine handed out my clothes. I went to the lavatory to get rid of the pjs and freshen up. The arrival at the gate was on-time. Even though the ground staff at Narita airport operate with two jet bridges, the cabin crew, by holding back economy class passengers, made sure premium passengers would be able to disembark first.

Nice to be at the immigration prior to some 200 other passengers. Clearing immigration was a matter of a few seconds. Also my checked bags were among the first ones on the baggage belt and customs clearance was done pretty quickly.

-Verdict-
Famous Swiss hospitality at its best! The outstanding elements in SWISS first class are the superb food concept and the excellent service of both cabin crew and ground staff – a real treat.

Likeable is also the airline’s typical understatement regarding the interior. No gold and no artificial mahogany is needed to provide a dapper cabin.

Still, some further improvements could be done in order to offer an even better first class experience. The antiquated IFE definitely can’t keep up with the competition. Also the seat and the cabin itself need an upgrading in terms of privacy, convenience and design.

wpcardiff flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (26/08/2011 16:29)

Return zrh/sfo last week. First time on swiss business. Excellent all round service and the new seat are excellent. I like the way they are arranged but some of the single seats are more throne like than others. Overall though very happy with it. No need to fly first if all business classes were this good. I'll be back!

caldy008 flew Swiss Economy, on a A340-300 (10/04/2011 10:18)

The flight was good, but flying long haul in economy is always the worst. I am 6'2" (188CM) and thus seats are not made for people my size. I usally fly business for intercontinental flights, but my wife and I received the flight as part of a winning package in a competition.

It was a cheap ticket, non-upgradeable so my Senator (Gold) status was not a help. I flew in 34K with 34J free. My wife sat across the aisle, not romantic, but we wanted to get some sleep.

Everything on the flight was in order; punctuality, friendliness of staff, entertainment and meals. The seats are not bad, better then most airlines, but sleeping of course is always in issue in economy. Now I really know why I fly business class.

LuganoPirate flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (07/04/2011 13:16)

I recently flew Swiss from Zurich to Johannesburg in Business.

The reservation process was seamless. I use the dedicated Senator number in Basel and reserve direct. The fare is the same but it saves all the hassle of putting in credit card number etc and I could book my seat at the same time. The reservation clerk was very courteous and gave me seat 4A which is a seat by itself and just behind the First cabin.

Check-in was very easy and with two bags weighing 35 kgs the extra allowance afforded Senators was very useful. 3 minutes later and with boarding pass in hand I set off for the lounge where I could spend 10 minutes before heading off for E Terminal, through security and straight to the First / Business boarding gate. Straight though after a quick passport check it was a shame I then had to join a queue to board. The separate First Class gate through which Business passengers can board was closed! However the line passed quickly and within 5 minutes I was in my seat.

Shortly after my hand baggage was stored and I was seated a tray of drinks arrived, including champagne. This aircraft had the new configuration of 1 - 2 -1 and 2-2-1 and I was in the single seat. Masses of room with very large armrests on each side, but the seat is the same old one which I find a bit narrow. I had hoped the seat would be wider, and I would have thought the armrests could be slightly narrower to accommodate this, but no such luck! Dinner was served shortly after take-off, but as I do not like eating late at night, I just had the dry meat assortment and some cheese. Swiss chocolates were served with the tea and coffee.

The seat does go flat, and the back rest goes down, horizontal, fitting between the arm rests. Your feet go under the seat in front. The only problem is it feels a bit like lying in a coffin, as you have to fold your arms over your chest as you cannot place them by your side. By fiddling a bit and leaving the seat at a slight angle I was quite comfortable and managed a full 7 hours sleep on this ten hour flight.

Service was in true Swiss style, impeccable. With very friendly crew who did not mind at all bringing me a glass of water when I briefly woke up in the middle of the night. Breakfast was served from a trolley and eggs were available to those who wanted them.

Disembarkation was swift and I was one of the first off. Through immigration I was delighted to see my bags to be the very first to arrive.

All in all a wonderful journey which I would recommend to anyone.

beatrizz flew Swiss Economy, on a A340-300 (12/02/2011 14:33)

We came on seats 30A and B - exit row. Wonderful seats - very good service.

ericapeter flew Swiss Economy (11/01/2011 17:22)

We booked our flights with ebookers for Swiss Air from London City Airport- Johannesburg intl airport 24 November 2010, Economy Class

I would just like to point out the MOST APPALLING service we have had so far with SWISS AIR on our inbound and also on the outbound flight.

A week before our flight I called up Swiss Airs Premium Rate number for a seating request as well as a special meal request, I requested 2 seats in the Emergency exit rows and a special meal of either soup, yoghurt, or porridge as i have just had an operation on my stomach and am limited to what i can and cannot eat. I was assured by the Swiss air staff member that i would get the seat requested and that she had made a not of my meal requirements.

Upon arrival in Zurich i went to a ground crew member to check that our seats were booked, i was told that we were not booked for the emergency exit row and that we were actually booked for a couple of rows behind, i asked him to rectify this for me which he said he would. After boarding the flight I found we were now seated a row behind the emergency exit, so TWICE i was LIED to by SWISS AIR staff. Not only was the seating messed up but as dinner and breakfast came around i was not given the special meal that i had requested on the telephone to the PREMIUM RATE NUMBER, I was given a low calorie meal of which i COULD NOT EAT due to my operation. So basically i had no food for the duration of the flight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If that was not enough, the movie channel, music channel and games were not working for the duration of the inbound flight to Johannesburg. The whole cabin including seats and toilets are old and tired looking, staff are beyond rude, after serving dinner they disappear and so help you if you put your flight attendant light on you get rudeness and attitude.

I am not impressed with the service that we have been given by this joke of an airline, I have already written a letter of complaint to them but if their service is anything to go by they wont give a damn about what a paying customer thinks..... Well surprise surprise now 15 days since we have been home and no letter or even an acknowledgement from the JOKE that is SWISS AIR CUSTOMER SERVICES. Would not recommend this airline to anyone pay a bit extra and go virgin, BA or SAA

glenlivet flew Swiss First, on a A330-300 (25/12/2010 11:04)

I have flown New York - Geneva/Zurich several times in the past months with Swiss. They were among the most comfortable long haul flight I have experienced in 30 years of long haul travel. The new seat arrangement with a fully flat bed is superb, although the "old" F seat was already very good. The new seat offers excellent privacy, unrestricted aisle access, a good work space, convenient power source, a large video screen, and a permanent footrest. The possibility of having a guest while dining is really a plus compared to the other airlines. The meal service is... first class. The in-flight entertainment is okay. In my opinion the new Swiss F class is a at par with EK suites, i.e. the best in F.

cbroo79 flew Swiss Business, on a A330-200 (three-class) (24/12/2010 17:01)

On our flight Swiss had changed the equipment from its regular A330-300 to the A330-200 (tail number QC), which must be one of the oldest and most run-down in its fleet.

Swiss did not bother to inform me - although a Star Alliance Gold with CO and regular on that route. They also did not bother to look into my profile and so I ended up in a window-side aisle seat instead of my preference for their 200 series being the aisle on the centre rows. When checking in I was referred to gate to make my seat change. Arriving at the E-Gates for the US departure, the security screening took ages despite a preferred c-class lane. It seems ZRH airport authorities do not keep up with the increase of PAX as this is also now happening at the passport control when leaving.

Once through there was only one lane for business and first class Pax for all Swiss flights for the additional passport / security check and that was only manned by one person resulting in additional huge processing delays. Once I finally was at the gate, again a line and then when it was my turn no centre seats in c class were available. Comment form the Swiss staff:""You should have been here earlier". Boarding was slow and it seems the staff was a bit overwhelmed.

When on board of course the plane had not the lie-flat seats but the very old and worn out seats.

No apology was offered, but we were later informed that the plane originally scheduled had been delayed coming in.

Departure was delayed by more than an hour with only one announcement by the crew due to connecting PAX being late. Again it seemed that Swiss staff is fine when everything works but gets tight and rather unhelpful when things do not work as planned.

Once in the air the cabin crew asked for meal choices. The annoying part is that it is Swiss protocol to ask Swiss FQT Hon's and Senators first and then the rest of the c-cabin. This results in unpleasant encounters like mine where sitting next to a Senator member he was asked and then the crew member turned away without addressing me at all (I am Elite Platinum with CO/ !K with UA and this is a codeshared flight with UA). When it was my turn my choice of main was gone (as for a full cabin only 12 meals had been loaded. When choosing not to eat I was felt really bad as the crew member started an argument with me that several PAX could hear.

The purser came a bit later and wanted to talk me into something else and then said that he would pull a beef entree from first if one would be left.

Meal service started, but my main was not delivered. Purser informed ,me it would come in a bit. When all tables including mine were cleared and the service was over it took another 15 minutes for the my main to arrive. The beef was cold but perfectly cooked.

The in-flight entertainment system was the old style (not VOD) and had several channels that did not work.

Arriving at JFK just a bit late despite the late departure, deplaning was painless and the luggage showed up with the usual JFK delay.

Overall an unpleasant experience. I like to fly Swiss with the new seats and if everything works, but this was a flight and service from hell. I believe Swiss could have handled this whole situation better. After all the charge a premium price for a premium product - if they cannot deliver on their end of the deal, they should apologize and have some sort of compensation ready for the inconvenience they put their PAX through.

JRankin flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (07/11/2010 19:13)

Flew business class on A340 from Sao Paulo to Zurich on 12th August. It was one of the best flights that I have ever had - great crew, great food, great service. As a tall man (193 cm) the seat when flat was too short, but apart from that, excellent! Thank you Swiss!

JRankin flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (01/10/2010 22:04)

Wow - one of the best business class flights that I have had the pleasure to experience.. Sao Paulo to Zurich in August - great service, great crew, great food, great wine, professional, slick, attentive - just a great experince. I have done the thing that everyone should do when they have a great flight - told all my friends!. I really could not fault it.

uskuhlmans flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (14/09/2010 20:32)

I worked for Swissair for 30 years and was the manager in charge of bringing Swissair to SFO in 1998. I have a great fondness for Switzerland and respect for the high standards of both SR and LX. I had hoped to travel on the HB-JMJ, the "Flower Power" aircraft but did not get to do so and had the earlier configuration. As it was a daylight flight, I was not interested in sleeping and rarely have problems with an angled seat vis-a-vis lie-flat. But the seat was not great for sitting either. The metal frame and I connected in an unfortunate way and I was unable to find a position where the various bars and struts were not "there". The service was excellent, as expected and the food was tasty and well served. Having flown on both Swiss carriers hundreds of times since the 1970s, this was a good--but not the best--experience.

alwaysinclub flew Swiss Business, on a A330-300 (26/08/2010 19:25)

I was taking the Zurich-Dubai flight in Business with my family and was overall impressed with the service offered. In summary, having flown the London-Dubai (and Vice Versa) using many different direct (BA/Emirates) and non-direct options (Air France/Lufthansa/Turkish Airlines/Swiss) in Business Class, Swiss has certainly won me over as a preferred option. The new A330-300 is certainly a quiet and well laid out aircraft and the seat was very comfortable, maybe a touch narrower than one would like, but this is a minor issue.

Online check-in was not available to me on this occasion but the seat I had selected when booking was made available to me automatically. I checked-in at Heathrow and was issued my boarding pass and my excess luggage was ignored, it was only a couple of extra kilos.

Because of the late arrival of my connecting flight, I was unable to use the lounge in Zurich. In Zurich there is a fast track channel through security for Business and First Class passengers was appreciated and removed the stress of the process. The economy queue was very long and didn't look to be moving quickly. I was through with my family in 3 minutes. The plane was already boarding through two lines, one for First and Business and one for Economy. Neither queue was busy.

The A330-300 has 3 cabins. First Class (2 rows of 4 seats), the Business Class, 2 rows, the first with 4 seats, the second with 5 seats. Then a galley, then another 8 rows of business class. Seats have this strange 1-2-1;2-2-1 configuration. It is worth picking your seat carefully, as if you are travelling alone you want to get one of the single seats for extra privacy. I also noted that from row 8 onwards you are effectively on the wing. I was travelling in seat 6A which is superb, as it was at the front of the second business class section, there wasn't any toilet noise or galley noise. There was a fair amount of space, around the seat with two small wooden armrests/tables which work well for putting laptops/newspapers/folders on. The seat reclined fully flat.

A selection of newspapers was available when boarding, but there were not handed out by the crew. Champagne/Orange Juice/Water was offered before take off. A vanity pack which is a little sparse was also on the seat. After take off a hot towel and menu was issued and then orders taken for the main course. The choice was between Veal Steak, Chicken Ragout, Baked Salmon or Chicory Piccata. I chose the veal.

The starters were a choice of Beef or Fish and were offered by the steward when coming through for service. I chose the fish, which was fantastic, likewise for the veal. Desert was a bit average being Panna Cotta. There was an alternative of Fruit Salad or Cheese. Neither were appealing. Tea, Coffee and Chocolates were offered, I wanted a Nespresso, and unlike other airlines where a Nespresso menu is offered, I just got handed one! Overall the food was very good.

The IFE choice of movies was OK, but not as advertised which I thought was very unlike Swiss. The iPod interface wasn't working and nobody could tell me why despite me asking twice. I was also quite looking forward to testing it out. It is not obvious where to plug your USB in, but there is a plug in the storage area under the LCD screen. The screen itself was a good size and the headphones were great.

During the flight my 6 month old became unsettled and the cabin crew were great, he was passed around to his great amusement. They were quite kind about it.

Arrival in Dubai was on-time but the baggage delivery was poor. The car seats ended up at the entrance of the plane rather than the baggage belt and the pushchair ended up on the carousel rather than by the aircraft! The wrong way round which meant a huge weight to carry around the airport. Next time, I would clarify this with the cabin crew to ensure that they coordinated with the ground staff.

Overall, pretty good and great value. I liked all elements of the plane, seat, service, etc. Interestingly, my wife who had tried Lufthansa a few weeks before on the same route said that Swiss was significantly better in terms of family friendliness which she classes as privacy and usability of seat, IFE content, food and crew friendliness. I look forward to using Swiss on this route again.

Arunkumar flew Swiss Economy, on a A330-200 (three-class) (16/08/2010 17:28)

gabrielle10 flew Swiss (15/07/2010 08:23)

City Airport in London is a joy - not least because it is small. I ache in these vast hub airports and seek out short corridors. We booked in, had breakfast and meandered through Duty Free, pausing only to buy a bottle of Argentinian Malbec.Everything pushed along nicely and then, just as we were boarding, we realised that my husband had left his (rather special, bought in South Africa) walking stick. Horrors! I asked the steward if she could put it to one side and we could collect it on our return journey. She asked where we thought it might be and with one bound, she was off! In moments, she had retrieved the walking stick and we boarded, relieved to have the oh so necessary walking stick. The flight was, as with all things Swiss, pleasant, functional, punctual and efficient. I am delighted to find out that Swiss Air now do a flight from Edinburgh and hope to make use of that in future.

gabrielle10 flew Swiss (15/07/2010 08:07)

jhay1995 flew Swiss Economy, on a B777-200 (Config.3) (05/05/2010 19:07)

ClaudeJacobs flew Swiss Business, on a A330-200 (three-class) (26/04/2010 15:51)

Charliewhiskey flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (24/04/2010 09:10)

The business class seats are - as we all know, including Swiss - quite dreadfully uncomfortable with the passenger sliding floorwards and the cushions digging into your body. But what struck me most was the sheer disinterest of nearly all crewmembers, including the Chef de Cabine.

My call-light was consistently ignored even during quiet times, and on the two occasions I bothered to go to the galley with my request I was dealt with curtly and as an ittitant. Quiet courtesy and reasonableness on my part were an irrelevance: it was clear that only the HON members and staff -member passengers were tolerated.

The food was both unimaginartive and bland, and served with little style or care. No liquers were offered, nor extra rolls or suchlike. As I am a huge fan of Swiss First Class and prase it to the skies, I was truly shocked by the sullen, unmotivated attitude. All in all an unpleasant flight and poor value for money.

Paul_Rutishauser flew Swiss Economy, on a AvroRJ85/100 (23/01/2010 08:44)

Paul_Rutishauser flew Swiss Economy, on a AvroRJ85/100 (23/01/2010 08:41)

Vicc217 flew Swiss First, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (16/01/2010 15:54)

yakat24 flew Swiss Economy, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (19/12/2009 14:57)

very nice flight. great service

xXCerosXx flew Swiss Economy, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (14/11/2009 07:11)

i flew with Swiss from Hong Kong to Zurich and i found it very relaxing. there were slight problems with the entertainment system making me the only person on the entire plane with a functioning AVOD.

LondonCity flew Swiss Economy (short-haul), on a Avro RJ100 (08/09/2009 14:35)

Bucharest-Zurich-London City (August 2009). Two flights, connecting, but both on AvroRJ aicraft.

Online check-in was impossible for these economy class flights in August. So I made sure I reached the airport before the counters opened two hours before the flight’s 1410 departure in order to get a good seat. Alas I never succeeded. Both flights on this Friday afternoon were fully booked in economy class so the best seats I could obtain were 15E to Zurich and 11E onward to LCY. Both seats were the middle seat of three. But the saving grace is that, unlike most other RJ100 operators, Swiss configures its cabin five across (2-3) rather than six across (3-3) so the seats have slightly more sideways space.

Bucharest airport is struggling to cope with what seems like a huge growth in passenger numbers post-Communism. Its single terminal is cramped both landside and airside and there are few to escape the crowds let alone to sit down.

There are only a handful of airbridges so all but the biggest planes end up being parked on the tarmac with passengers being bus-boarded. Passengers were called for bus boarding at 1340 but then had to endure a 15 min wait (with many people having to stand) in the sweltering summer heat (it was 30+ C outside) and with no air-conditioning. Only when the bus was full did it drive off.

My flight taxied away a few mins late. Being fully loaded, took up almost the entire length of Bucharest’s bumpy runway before getting airborne. Swissair (the forerunner to Swiss) used to have an enviable reputation for service. How things have changed. The inflight service provided by today’s Swiss is not that far removed from a budget airline. Compared to BA’s Cityflyer division (whose RJ100s have three cabin staff) Swiss makes do with just two.

Catering service on this 150 min flight consisted of a factory-made and bland chicken or cheese roll. But there were two round of drinks and hand outs of the carrier’s trademark Swiss chocolate bars.

Arrival in Zurich was roughly on time at around 1545. After a long working shift the crew seemed exhausted. When wishing the passengers goodbye they both seemed on autopilot.

We were transferred to the bussing area of Zone B (from where commuter flights tend to depart) and I had ample time before my connection to LCY at 1710.

There is little to do here because the area is away from the main terminal area so I was glad when boarding commenced at 1640. This time the bus moved off after a couple of mins. The RJ100 was boarded soon after and the Captain then told us that we would be leaving early.

So we taxied away at 1655 and the service, with a fresh crew, was somewhat slicker. However it was the same cheese roll (no choice this time), a round of drinks and the chocs.

LCY was reached some 20 mins early at 1735. There was a short delay clearing immigration. My bag was on the carousel and a few mins later I was in a taxi en route for Central London.

RobertWillett flew Swiss First, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (23/01/2009 12:28)

Travelled Sao Paulo-Santiago de Chile, exquisite service, exquisite dining, on ground brilliant, probably the best airline in the world in my opinion, try it you'll like it

flylite flew Swiss Economy (short-haul), on a Avro RJ100 (18/12/2008 09:57)

I arrived at London City airport at 1630 for my 1715 flight. I checked in online so went straight to security and even though the airport was very busy, I was cleared and in the waiting lounge by 1640. Boarding started at 1645 from Gate 2C (I didn’t hear an announcement, but was checking the screen) and I was in my seat by 1655. I was travelling in Business Class and it’s worth noting that Swiss does not keep the middle seat free. The seats in Business Class are the same as in economy, although it seemed to me that there is slightly more legroom in Business. I was in the window seat, and as the flight was very busy there were two passengers in the seats next to me. The front overhead lockers are conveniently reserved for Business Class passengers, and there’s a cupboard at the front to hang your coat. The roof of the cabin of the Avro RJ (regional jet) 100 is unusually low – I usually can’t reach the lockers, so tend to avoid the bulkhead seats. Not so on this flight, so I had the pleasant experience of being able to put my own bag in the overhead locker for the duration of the flight. For taller travellers, however, there may be some bending needed. The flight from London City airport is operated using an Avro RJ 100, which has a wide cabin, with five-abreast seating (a three-two layout). There was a curtain separating Business and Economy class. I was given a meal of cheese and grapes, meat terrine (not very appetizing) and a chocolate with cinnamon dessert, which seemed an odd choice for the time of day; I would have appreciated something a little more substantial and warm. I didn’t take one of the signature chocolate bars which the cabin staff distributed around, as there was only the option of toblerone, which as a non-nut eater I didn’t want. My return flight was due to leave at 2025. It was the last flight to London City of the evening and it wasn’t full, so I had a whole row to myself. The service was much better than on my outbound flight; I was greeted by name and offered a bottle of water immediately. The food was also better; beef and beetroot cold salad, with cheese and a warm roll, plus a lemon and strawberry mousse for dessert. Shortly after boarding we were told that due to weather conditions (it was snowing heavily) there would be a delay, as we had to wait for de-icing and a slot to take off. The deicing was great to watch – a man in a hydraulic lift with a large hose. We eventually took to the air at 9.10, arriving into London City 23 minutes late. The seatplan shows Business Class up to row eight, but when I travelled it only went up to row five, although presumably the curtain is moveable.

LuganoPirate flew Swiss First, on a A330-200 (three-class) (16/11/2008 13:58)

Very comfortable seat and superb service with very friendly cabin crew who greet you by name and chat with you, relieving some boredom on a nine hour flight.

The food was very good but unimaginative despite the high profile of the chef who created the menu.

Boarding is very efficient with no waiting for first class passengers, even at the final passport check for US bound travelers.

Just two criticisms, but this is maybe not Swiss's fault - on taking the car to the plane you have to complete two security checks. On arrival at JFK you have to join the long queue for immigration, and despite being first off the plane, for some reason I was last through.

Finchley69 flew Swiss Business, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (17/10/2008 07:21)

I was extremely disappointed with the onboard service and especially the quality and quantity of the food. I appreciate that a new full flat bed will be installed next year, and in the meantime, passengers still suffer with slipping down the seat.

FreshFacedFlyer flew Swiss Economy (short-haul), on a Avro RJ100 (16/10/2008 10:46)

This was my first time on an Avro RJ100, flying Zurich to Prague. I was slightly dubious about flying on such a small plane and thought it might be a little rough, but it was actually very smooth compared to the A319 I came in on. Weather conditions had nothing to do with it, of course.

As for the seat, because I checked in a little late I had to settle for an aisle seat at the back of the plane, 19D, on the right 3-seat side. On the plus side, I was afforded a satisfactory view of the Amazonian flight attendant.

The Recaro seat itself was comfortable and just about wide enough, and there was even room to stretch my legs out a little under the seat in front.

The middle seat was empty which meant I could spread myself and my newspaper out - had it been occupied I can imagine the person doing the occupying would not have appreciated my copy of the Guardian half as much as me. Tough, they'd have had to.

The food was amusing: A small, dense, hard to chew but still tasty roll that looked like it had been produced by the The Pillsbury Doughboy after his morning coffee, and then housed in inflated plastic packaging which meant it rattled around when shook. I completely forgot about the lack of entertainment, this kept me amused for hours. Thinking about it now, the inflated packaging was a master stroke, as it meant the rolls did not arrive squashed. Full marks to Swiss for their cheese (and pastrami roll).

For dessert, the precious male flight attendant came round with a big tray full of Swiss branded bite-size Toblerone. It was almost like Christmas. Almost.

All in all, I was pretty happy with my hour-long flight, although on the down side, my 17.45 flight left at 18.20ish with no explanation why. The captain was kind enough to tell us two minutes in advance of taking off that we were going to take off in two minutes time, but nothing else. Even if he had, I probably wouldn't have been able to hear it above the sound of the engines and the noisy Swiss around me.

I don't really mind noise, but for someone who does I'd say bring ear plugs, or take advantage of the free booze and knock yourself out.

firstclassboi flew Swiss First, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (02/10/2008 11:53)

The Swiss First product is excellent. High quality food and drink, great Bally amenity kits, comfortable private seat and special ground services.

The champagne and wines are generally of a Swiss bias for obvious reasons - I have to say I have never had a bad one! The Swiss dessert wines in particular. Yum! The crew are efficient and somewhat cold until a little into the flight when they seem to judge that you are a sociable passenger and from then on you can't keep them away. Such judgement is a pleasure for a single traveller who enjoys a chat and a drink.

The menu is changed frequently with a different region of Switzerland featured. The food has always been high quality, with a good choice, fabulous cheese board, and most satisfying!

The seat is wide, comfortable and private and very good for both wake and sleep. A high class product, as one would expect.

Jakobsen74 flew Swiss Economy, on a A340-300 (Config. 1) (30/09/2008 11:52)

Really good!