Swiss International Airlines - Business and First Class services

We are two couples traveling together thru ZRH to BKK this summer. Two of us are firstclass, and other two in Business.

Are we all going to get first class service you think? Like pickup and entrance to lounge etc...
We are traveling with *alliance miles and have no status with LX.

Of course I will kindly ask them to upgrade my friends to first class, even though I don't expect much... :)

Any of you been in a similar situation?

We are two couples traveling together thru ZRH to BKK this summer. Two of us are firstclass, and other two in Business.

Are we all going to get first class service you think? Like pickup and entrance to lounge etc...
We are traveling with *alliance miles and have no status with LX.

Of course I will kindly ask them to upgrade my friends to first class, even though I don't expect much... :)

Any of you been in a similar situation?
Each First Class passenger can take one guest into the First Class Lounge, so you can all access the FCL in ZRH. When it's time to board they will drive you to Dock E where flights to BKK depart from.

We are two couples traveling together thru ZRH to BKK this summer. Two of us are firstclass, and other two in Business.

Are we all going to get first class service you think? Like pickup and entrance to lounge etc...
We are traveling with *alliance miles and have no status with LX.

Of course I will kindly ask them to upgrade my friends to first class, even though I don't expect much... :)

Any of you been in a similar situation?

Both of the F passsengers can bring a guest to the FCL. The F class passengers can also ask the Purser to let the two business class passengers sit on the "ottomane" next to your F seats for a drink. I saw that during my last flight from JFK to ZRH. But this was not possible for the meals.

Thanks guys :)

Heard so many good things about LX that I expect them to do their very best to keep us happy.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a first class upgrade to our friends :)

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a first class upgrade to our friends :)
How are they trying to upgrade? Just by keeping fingers crossed? ;)

Cause they're traveling together with us :P

Cause they're traveling together with us :P

Won't happen.

No status, travelling on (cheap) miles and expecting an upgrade to first.... Just upgrade with miles or enjoy Business, it's quite good on LX.

I would be seriously annoyed if they let two business class passengers in first to have drinks or dinner. Have drinks in the lounge and see each other after the flight....

No status, travelling on (cheap) miles and expecting an upgrade to first.... Just upgrade with miles or enjoy Business, it's quite good on LX.

I would be seriously annoyed if they let two business class passengers in first to have drinks or dinner. Have drinks in the lounge and see each other after the flight....

Happened during my last flight (for drinks, not dinner).

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Drinks/coffee is usually fine on longhaul sectors (depending on the MC). But not on short flights such as the bkk-sin they did in the past.

Cause they're traveling together with us :P

And this means precisely what? Why should your friends be entitled to any special consideration, just because you cashed in some award miles to get a ticket that would normally cost quite a lot of money?

If you want your friends to travel in the F cabin with you, pay the money or cash in the miles. Don't expect that your winning personality or anyone's desire to "keep you happy" will get you anything you didn't pay for, any more than you could walk into a restaurant and demand complimentary meals for your friends because you paid for some meals. I think it's quite rude to ask for favors that you are not entitled to that are actually quite extraordinary, even if you are an F passenger on an award (as if that meant very much). I suspect the LX staff will handle this request with more grace than you deserve, though.

My experience is that if your requests are modest and reasonable (as opposed to asking for the moon), you are far more likely to get favorable responses from airlines. Hopefully you'll still enjoy yourselves even if some of you have less comfortable seats for a few hours...

Cause they're traveling together with us :P

What's travelling together have anything to do with upgrade ? :confused:

You are using miles, you have no status, are you out of your mind ? Or self entiltlement ? :mad:

If an airline would upgrade someone in first class, and their friends in business class just because of that reason, they will be out of business. They don't do it even if it is paid tickets. :td:

Are we all going to get first class service you think? Like pickup and entrance to lounge etc...

Of course I will kindly ask them to upgrade my friends to first class, even though I don't expect much... :)

Any of you been in a similar situation?

With LX you are in good hands- however please remember:

There is no pickup service with LX- you will have to make your own way to the F lounge.

There is dropoff service to the E pier- they will use a Mercedes Vaio van and will also transport your guests from the lounge with you.

No chance of the F upgrade for your friends unless you pay for it. If the flight has a light load in First that *May* be possible however you will have a lot better luck on this on the inbound from BKK to ZRH then v.v. (I have not seen them sell upgrades C to F on flights out of ZRH). If the load is very light in F or the flight is oversold in other classes I have seen offers of 1500 EUR which is ~60000 THB per person per leg- much less expensive than buying an F ticket.

[QUOTE=eponymous_coward;18647026]And this means precisely what? Why should your friends be entitled to any special consideration,..... I think it's quite rude to ask for favors that you are not entitled to that are actually quite extraordinary, even if you are an F passenger on an award (as if that meant very much).

I think you are being pretty rude here! This could have been answered easily and politely without the condescension exhibited above. Since when is a miles award for F somehow less worthy of recognition? I agree that the poster is rather expecting too much for his/her friends in J here, but it is exceedingly irritating to have read replies like this which hint at the notion that an award in F is somehow not equivalent to a paid ticket - these folks have accumulated the miles for the flight, so they are entitled to the same respect.

[QUOTE=eponymous_coward;18647026]And this means precisely what? Why should your friends be entitled to any special consideration,..... I think it's quite rude to ask for favors that you are not entitled to that are actually quite extraordinary, even if you are an F passenger on an award (as if that meant very much).

I think you are being pretty rude here! This could have been answered easily and politely without the condescension exhibited above. Since when is a miles award for F somehow less worthy of recognition? I agree that the poster is rather expecting too much for his/her friends in J here, but it is exceedingly irritating to have read replies like this which hint at the notion that an award in F is somehow not equivalent to a paid ticket - these folks have accumulated the miles for the flight, so they are entitled to the same respect.

Looks like ORDnHKG just had a really rough day before he was answering - these type of responses are not normal on flyertalk - even if the OP is asking for too much. Hope he feel better now.

Of course I will kindly ask them to upgrade my friends to first class, even though I don't expect much... ?

If you pay in miles or cash LX will gladly grant your request.

People who acts out their aggression in a web forum has never really bothered me other than giving me some fun reading :)

On the other hand its great to have such response to my little question. In my opinion, asking politely and discretely for an upgrade has never felt very rude :)

A friend of mine once asked in checkin for an upgrade with United on a transatlantic flight, he was lucky and were offered it for only 70 USD. Great deal for him and a very nice gesture by United. It has never crossed my mind to think of this as rude behaviour :P to me that seems to be more exaggerated jealousy, just because someone else than your self got a good deal :)

On the other hand its great to have such response to my little question. In my opinion, asking politely and discretely for an upgrade has never felt very rude :)


It is sad that you have been welcomed on FT this way. Your OP certainly was not rude, at worst a little bit naive, so you certainly deserved better.

Hopefully you will stay with us as for a frequent traveler there is no better resource than FT.

But please don't come back in a while with a rant that Swiss denied you an upgrade while there were still some seats available in F or that you weren't able to dine together ;)

Your first post could be read as implying some entitlement. And yes, a lot of people find asking for a free upgrade quite rude.

I'm not sure if I call it rude but I don't think many people especially in Europe consider asking for a free upgrade to be good manners.

I'm not sure if I call it rude but I don't think many people especially in Europe consider asking for a free upgrade to be good manners.

+1

Rule 1:LX does NEVER upgrade freebie tickets

Rule 2:LX will not upgrade a couple, him on a full fare paid and her on mileage
Even as a HON I am passed over in this case and they move paid SEN's upfront ( I am fine with this policy ).

Rule 3: An MC adhering to the rules will deny your friends access to the 1st class cabin

I recently flew Swiss Business ZRH-JFK and Swiss First ORD-ZRH (upgraded with my SEN evouchers).

Both flights were very good. I'm afraid what I have to say will disappoint u but there is little difference between the two classes.
In short, First has larger seats (equally hard though) and slightly better food and amenity kits.

The real difference is the "exclusivity" and peace and quiet of the First cabin and the far better services at the airports (lounges etc).

This probably explains why some people in the First cabin would be upset if there are visitors from other cabins, even for a short time.

Rule 1:LX does NEVER upgrade freebie tickets

Rule 2:LX will not upgrade a couple, him on a full fare paid and her on mileage
Even as a HON I am passed over in this case and they move paid SEN's upfront ( I am fine with this policy ).

Rule 3: An MC adhering to the rules will deny your friends access to the 1st class cabin

Well Rule 1 is certainly not true, as I have been upgraded on Award tickets before. Not often, but it did happen