Hi All!
Yes this really a shame! I have not been in Swiss since the pandemic started. My last flight was in Feb 2020 and I just booked Swiss Frist from JFK to GVA in mid Feb 2022 for my entire family (yes I splurged on paying $26,000 and our direct flight had been already cancelled, so I am dealing with involuntary changes now). Anyway I was looking so much to visit Swiss lounge staff. As many before me pointed they are one of the best! Maybe it will be delayed, just by one month please.
T4 was a great terminal, before DL moved in and messed-up.
In my opinion, Swiss had a slight competitive advantage, in terms of quality of ground service at JFK, not being jammed into T1. I remember flying LX, and SN out of an old, old T4 (that was a 'third-world" scene that everyone would be complaining about and now we are ll nostalgic about!). A few, or half-dozen years ago, they did move to T1 already and after a few months moved back to T4. Do you remember that mobile boarding messiness? Now, as always in the airline industry, the cabin crew will have to deal with angry, mal-treated pax by ground mess. Where is the 'wing-to'wing' thinking, that Swiss (and Swissair) was known for???
Regarding First Class on LH. Actually LH operates only one flight our of JFK now with F: It's LH401 at 4pm in the winter 2021/2022 season. So that is why they do not open the F-floor. I would hope that with Swiss move they will open at least Sen floor. A few times I flown with LH out of T1 the escort always walked me through the special VIP security space. Is it still in operation?
Best to all of you! Happy Holidays!!!
Lukas N.