AntonS

ZRH-LCA booked as WK (and expecting WK as always in the past on this route) was surprised to see Swiss aircraft at the gate with Swiss crew. Checking Flightradar24 seems like the flight is 50/50 now operated by Swiss on random dates and I also see it happening on other WK short haul routes.

Is it new normal and the beginning of demise of WK? Which would make total sense by the way (I mean merging WK into LX), but unfortunate for customers expecting WK experience. Or WK is short on aircraft?

I was in J and found the food was slightly better than WK on this route but the service and seat comfort were significantly lacking. I would not be surprised if customers in Y were also surprised with LX Buy on Board instead of nice free snack offered in Y on all WK flights.

Fabo.sk

If it's a wet lease, then service (i.e. free snack) should be on WK level. Otherwise it would be a bait-and-switch.

I don't particularly think WK is short of aircraft, rather than LX and WK sub in for one another when it fits the scheduling better.

chris63

Give me LX any day over WK, really don’t like all these substitutions & don’t start me on Helvetic, who are rubbish compared to LX

AntonS

I find WK service to be better in both Y and C, seats much more comfortable with more legroom and padding and nice free snacks in Y.

I think LX only advantage is marginally better food in C, but not enough to justify other downsides.

LX also has completely disfunctional IT, website and reservation support. WK is not fancy and offers only very basic online booking, but things work and customer service helpful when you book directly WK and need to help. With LX reservations I had so many problems that now I refuse to book LX directly and use Expedia when it must be LX. With all downsides of 3rd party booking and Expedia own problems, I still find get LX flights properly rebooked and problems solved through Expedia much better than LX.

worldclubber

Have had some good WK experiences in the air (short/medium haul), but still prefer LX, as I have had some issues with lounge access and FF miles. Don’t see a huge difference in hard/soft product on board.

chris63

I have only had WK as wetlease shorthaul & in J, the service is not up to LX standards, as HON i have no issues with assistance from the excellent core customer care team

At least so far i have not had an Air Baltic substitution…

precielous

Did anyone experience the airBaltic wet lease? My LUX-ZRH short-haul flight initially had Helvetic Airways wet lease (E195 E2), then it got switched to airBaltic (A223), and then it got switched to LX operating (A320neo).
Anything can still happen between then, but I am interested in hearing any experiences.

chris63

Keep your fingers crossed it stays LX

worldclubber

Had an Air Baltic wetlease last week. LX food, drink and cabin branding. Only real difference: all announcements and interaction with crew in English only. For a short hop, not a big deal.

weero

Yes they are reasonably similar, except for the crews which on occasion appeard - to my intrained eye - Russian.

Their gorgeous A220s have the same flaws and hiccups as the LX ones.

worldclubber

More likely Latvian!?

weero

As I said I am no expert and I haven't traveled in Latvia outside of Riga. I would not have identified those crews as Latvian. And I am most likely wrong, they did not speak Russian among themselves with the exception of two FAs on one flight.

Nick Art

This sometimes leads to the ludicrous situation of having booked an LX flight number, which is actually a WK flight, so it is a codeshare LX flight number, but the flight is still operated by LX for WK anyway.

And since WK is not part of *A this means no miles for you! (Unless you earn with M&M, AC or UA, which kinda throws the alliance wide concept of treating all members of *A similar, no matter given the operating *A carrier overboard). Come on, integrate WK into *A already LHG!

Fabo.sk

I believe half the point of existence of WK is that they are not *A members in the first place, so I wouldn't hold your breath, unfortunately. Same with Eurowings and one of the reasons I maintain FTL.

weero

Yup. Same reason why SQ maintained their ugly little daughter MI until it folded. And then their resurrected it in the form of TR.

I didn't know these existed - this is truly disgusting.