Having travelled business class with Singapore Airlines from Australia to Stockholm, it was now time to complete our journey with SwissAir economy class. A scheduled two hour twenty five minute trip.
In this post:
SwissAir Economy Class Review LX1249
Swissair 1249
Stockholm (ARN) – Zurich (ZRH)
Saturday, January 18
Depart: 10:00 AM
Arrive: 12:25 PM
Duration: 2hr 25min
Aircraft: Airbus A220 100
Seat: 15C and 15D (Economy Class)
Bag check and Boarding pass are convenient and fully automated.
For a company that went into liquidation in 2001 SwissAir have gone into automation in a big way.
With SwissAir you don’t need to check in as it is done automatically. While I was sleeping an email with our boarding pass arrived. Next step was to get the bag tags. The great thing about Stockholm central station was the tag vending machine for a range of airlines including Swiss. It is conveniently located on the Arlanda Express platform.
We had just missed an Arlanda Express train so had a 15 minute wait for the next train. Organising luggage tags was a perfect use of time. All you have to do is to scan your boarding pass, answer a couple of questions and then the tags are issued.
You can have your boarding pass ready and your bag tagged before you head to the airport. It’s actually quite comforting to have both of these done.
Once we got off the train, we then headed to the bag drop and self scanned our bags off to Zurich.
Security Check
To access the terminal airside you need to scan your boarding pass. Business class customers access the express lane. We had a six minute queue, although it felt much longer.
As an economy passenger lounge access was limited to free card based lounges such as Mastercard Lounge Key (where we had two passes), Priority Pass or American Express Centurion. As we had a huge breakfast at the Radisson Waterfront Stockholm we opted for an eye watering coffee… both price and scalding hot.
Plane Boarding
The Swedes and the Swiss love efficiency, we scanned our passes through the gate before we were allowed onto the plane. Of course a staff member double checked with a manual counter ensuring no one extra had stayed on.
Seating
Seating on the Airbus A220 is a 2 and 3 seat configuration. We had booked seats 8A and 8C nine months previously on the basis that we could get a great view as we tracked over Sweden, the Baltic, Germany and then onto Zurich.
A few days before leaving, we were bumped to 15C and 15D. They had clearly sold more business class seats so just move the economy section further back.
Tip if you want to get the views aim for row 11. Its two in front of the exit row so you get a real window and far enough back that you should not get bumped.
The seats are perfectly comfortable for the two hour flight. They don’t have much pitch which is good as it stops the person in front pushing back too far into your personal space. I prefer the Asian airlines principle that you can’t put the seat back until after the meal service is completed.
I could adjust my air easily as I was in the two seater. Julie had the aisle in the three seats and could not reach the air at all. In case of emergency oxygen she is dependent on her neighbour doing the right thing and passing the air over.
In flight service
This is a full service flight which means you get a tart (either cheese or cheesy vegetable) with a glass of water (still or sparkling) and coffee.
Wine and beer were also available. As the flight was before midday I passed but the guys in row 9 went back for seconds. I also had the never drink economy wine rule in play.
Frey chocolates were also handed out mid flight.
In flight entertainment
In this brand new A220 plane they had a small small phone sized display showing the flight details and maps. This was also used for the emergency procedures. Another cost saving initiative.
They still have magazines and duty free. On the two hour flight I read the magazine front to back learning about swiss destinations and advances in cosmetic surgery and hair treatments.
Summary
This was a super convenient and painless way to get from Stockholm to the heart of Europe. Make sure you bring your own entertainment and carefully choose your seat.
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