(Replying to LoungeLizard's post back in early November - couldn't do a quote properly)
Can't believe I didn't see your detailed helpful reply til now (and yes, RIP Meigs Field!)
I left out one important detail - I am left-handed, so being close to the wall on the right is no big disadvantage. (I'm also not big, which helps)
So your comments were helpful. I now have 14K on both LX9 and LX8 and we'll see whether I get cold feet and buy up to a throne on the redeye. I can survive on the daytime flight without it.

Flew the 77W in business class yesterday ZRH-LAX, sat in 4G, which is a bulkhead middle seat in the mini cabin just behind F. The flight was only about 2/3 full in business class. I was hoping to score a throne seat, but both before and during online check-in the system wanted 230 euros, which wasn't worth it to me. (This was an award booking using UA miles, Star Gold.) Glad I didn't pay, as the neighboring seat, 4D, was unoccupied during the flight.

Overall, a nice experience despite the seat being fairly old. Everything was in good condition. The bulkhead seats benefit from a much wider footwell. The seat itself was pretty comfortable for both lounging and sleeping. It's a bit on the narrow side, but not too bad. (I The main annoyance was that my elbow kept hitting the seat controls - who decided to place those right where your elbows rest?! Very good amount of storage, but just 1 power outlet and 1 USB-A charging port. I liked that the tray table came out from the center divider between the two seats; this was far easier to use than the design that I've seen on most other implementations of the Vantage seat, where it's a finicky multi-step process to unfold or stow the tray table.

The IFE is a decent system, but the content selection was pretty lacking. Also, the headphones appear to be totally passive, without noise canceling. They were pretty crappy, my AirPods 4 with ANC cut out far more noise. (Last time I flew LH they had decent AKG ANC headphones.) I was surprised how loud the 77W was - my Apple Watch registered about 74 dB, vs 68 on the 787. That's a big difference as +10 dB is twice as loud.

Service and catering were very good, a notch above Lufthansa, although I found it a little slow esp. considering the cabin was not close to full. As expected, ZRH was just a breeze - from dropoff by bus (from a remote stand) to sitting in my seat was just 15 minutes, and that included going through exit passport control and the secondary U.S. doc check. The reverse took over an hour at CDG, and that was with me running like a madman.

(ETA: Not really related, but my incoming flight was from MAD to ZRH, I sat on the right side, in 1F, on a Helvetic E195. I highly recommend sitting on the right side (or left ZRH-MAD), as you get some spectacular views of the Alps; it helped that the E195 has such large windows, apparently even a bit bigger than on the 787.)

This is 2nd or 3rd post about throne now being chargeable at check in. I reached out to Swiss agent yesterday to ask if this is a new policy and he told me all seats are free at check in however you experience tells a different story. I am flying MIA-ZRH mid January and not really willing pay $190 for the seat....

IS SWISS NOW CHARGING FOR THRONE SEATS AT OLCI? I flew in September. Had a J award via Aeroplan. FRA/ZRH/IAD. I waited until -23H on the ZRH/IAD leg to do OLCI, but was still charged €159 for 4A. I had expected it to be free. All after flight protests to Swiss customer service were rebuffed. I am considering filing a US DOT air travel service complaint form. Does anyone have any experience going this route. Is it worth the effort? And this is from the Swiss website re: international business class seating “Can I choose a privacy seat during web check in as before?Of course, you can still choose from the available seats, free of charge, when you check in for your flight. Check-in normally starts 23 hours before departure. Please note that the choice may be limited and Privacy seats already occupied.”

there was also a significant delay for LX 72 on 26/09/24 due to a technical issue with an engine. Swiss rejected my EC261 claim, classifying this as “extraordinary” Any advice
Thx GRF in DC

You were offered a specific seat for 159 euros. You took the seat and agreed to pay. I don't see any grounds for complaint.

X2. You agreed to pay, I don't understand what possible claim there is here.

Fair criticisms. I didn’t have spare time to call and inquire at the time of OLCI. But after the fact, I became aware that I likely shouldn’t have been charged.
I'm
trying to find out if Swiss’s official policy is to charge for a throne seat at -23h or less OLCI? Thx

​​​​​​For everyone except HON/SEN, yes.

Covered multiple times in the last few weeks in this very thread
​​​​​​

From 12/12 post by Andy76.
“This is 2nd or 3rd post about throne now being chargeable at check in. I reached out to Swiss agent yesterday to ask if this is a new policy and he told me all seats are free at check in however you experience tells a different story. I am flying MIA-ZRH mid January and not really willing pay $190 for the seat....”
so it’s confusing.

then they need to train their customer support staff better. Last week, two different days and reps confirmed to me that throne seats are free when online checkin starts..

Would you take 5K over 7A as far as privacy goes, and does 7A have a larger footwell on the 777?

OT but does anyone know that if you pay for a throne seat, say 5K, and want to move to 7A, do you get charged again? I played around with it after I bought 5K and it looked like it wanted to charge me again for 7A

7A only you have large feet, as a bulkhead it has the wider footwell.

Dont know how it works with payment.

The online system is not smart enough to handle this and will charge you again. If you call in the agent can change your seat using the existing payment.

Solo traveller, 333, YUL-ZRH, *AG. First time with LX so bear with me, this thread is 113 pages...

Not too many options, 6D is opened (which I selected), 3x throne (8/10/12A), and some middle seat options near the back (row 11 onwards).
9K, mini cabin seats blocked obviously. Solo seats all taken otherwise.

Few questions:
1. Worthwhile to secure a throne by paying in advance, or is the 6D bulkhead good enough? It is the seat closer to aisle, not sure if I'll be disturbed sleeping.
2. When do the blocked seats open up? I've been reading tickets are now transferred to airport control before T-48, so selecting seats T-48 to T-24 seems to be not possible? I've also been reading it's possible to select blocked seats during OCLI if still available? Is this mostly a false endeavour or should I keep some hope?
3. Are throne seats still charged at T-48 to T-24 onwards to T-0, or free for all?