INTRODUCTION
I’ve had the pleasure of flying with Swiss numerous times over the years, experiencing both business and economy class services.
In this article, I’ll provide a rundown of their economy class service, the buy-on-board meal program, and the Swiss Alpine Lounge at Zurich Airport—pre-Covid, of course.
LONG HAUL
Flying from Montreal to Zurich in economy class, I was pleasantly surprised by the extensive catering for a 6 hour 45 minute flight.
Thirty-five minutes after takeoff, the drinks cart rolled through the cabin, offering an assortment of beverages. Ten minutes later, I received a drink and a small snack.
About an hour and twenty-five minutes after takeoff, the cabin crew started the meal service, and I received my meal five minutes later. The meal consisted of a generous portion of chicken breast with rice and bok choy.
The side salad of carrot and sultana had a unique taste, and the chocolate cake with a thick, gooey topping was one of the better economy class desserts I’ve sampled in a while.
The purser and another crew member from the business class cabin came to assist with the economy service. While this may not be standard for Swiss, it seemed the crew were relatively new.
Despite the service taking 2 hours and 30 minutes to complete, the crew’s friendliness made up for it.
The second meal service began an hour and forty-five minutes before landing, starting with a hot towel service. Breakfast was served in a box and included orange juice, yogurt, and a tasty croissant.
It was the perfect snack before landing—substantial enough without being overwhelming. The crew finished the service with only fifty-five minutes to landing.
EUROPEAN FLIGHTS
My connecting flight to Athens was only about 30% full, making for a quick and professional service. I received a piping hot quiche, which was delicious.
On shorter Swiss flights within Europe, the airline has now transitioned to a buy-on-board concept for all European routes.
BUY ON BOARD
In 2018, Swiss lowered and diversified their ticket prices to compete with EasyJet in Geneva, resulting in the removal of complimentary catering on certain fare types.
To compensate, Swiss teamed up with Globus, a Swiss department store company, to create an inflight menu offering quality food products for sale.
I was pleased to see this menu truly encompassed Swissness, with quality products at reasonable prices. I ordered the Grazing Platter, which included salami, air-dried beef, cured ham, pickles, and pickled onions, along with a Carac dessert and tomato juice for CHF22.50.
The wooden board can be taken home as a lovely souvenir from the flight.
The Carac, a Swiss dessert pastry made from chocolate, cream, fondant, and shortbread pie crust, was freshly made and superb.
SWISS ALPINE LOUNGE
The Alpine Lounge, which opened in late 2019, offers buffet-style and on-demand dining. The tranquil, aesthetically pleasing lounge is a great space to relax before your flight.
Seasonal dishes are prepared in a rustic oven, and self-service buffet areas offer food based on the time of day.
During my visits, I was impressed with the menu offerings and quality of food. Expect soup, salads, cold meat options, bakery items, fresh fruit, and Swiss muesli.
On the beverage front, the lounge offers a selection of local Swiss wines and spirits. Wines are served using an eco-friendly dispensing system that enhances both the quality of the wine and the lounge’s recycling credentials.
On the beverage front, the lounge offers a selection of local Swiss wines and spirits. Wines are served using an eco-friendly dispensing system that enhances both the quality of the wine and the lounge’s recycling credentials.
Access to the lounge is reserved for the airlines’ and their partners’ frequent flyers. If you have access via your frequent flyer status I highly recommend visiting the space, it’s quieter than the main lounge and more relaxing.
Swiss offers a great inflight product in economy class, with well-thought-out inflight products that provide passengers with a taste of Switzerland.
Despite the changes and challenges posed by the Covid pandemic, Swiss continues to prioritiz\Se passenger comfort and satisfaction. Whether you’re flying long haul or within Europe, the quality and service of Swiss Airlines are consistently impressive..