brunos

I am almost a newcomer on this forum, so I beg for your indulgence. I will be flying HKG-ZRH-HKG, consider flying on LX F coz it is the only airline with a direct flight. However, a couiple of years back I had 2 LX flights in F with mediocre food and wine. The whole experience from airport to inflight service (empty amenity kit, no pajama, dismal wines & liquors) was very bad. Since the acquisition by LH, is LX now offering a true F experience on par with LH or BA, or is it still in cost-cutting mode? The menus posted on this site look unimpressive, so do the wines & liquors (e.g. JW black label, no Bordeaux grand cru class�, etc..) which compare to SQ C not F. Alternative is to take one-stop SQ, longer but consistently true F class. Any recent observations?

San Gottardo

Welcome... after 699 posts


I just copy here what I wrote on the AF board re: F class a couple of days ago. In sum: of all the European carriers, Swiss has the best F class, but it's not without weaknesses. Since you ask specifically about food: not as good as LH, but better than BA and AF. And not as good as old swissair. Other opinions:

• AF has the nicest seats, the most corteous and classy FAs (unless you're out of luck), terrible food and otherwise lousy amenities. And of course the anarchy that is AF and CDG on the ground, from booking to boarding to arrival.
• BA has a good seat, not so nice food, and those English FAs are just so much more vulgar than their AF colleagues. Also, traveling through LHR (depart or transfer) is badly organized and stressful. Same anarchy as CDG, just more cramped - but that may change with the longhaul flights moving over to T5.
• LH has a completely outdated on-board product (seats, IFE). Good enough for sleep, but no real turndown service. Amenity kit very poor. But best food of the four, very attentionate service. By very very far the best on the ground, not only because of FCT and FCLs, but also because of personal assistant at arrival airports (fast track through US immigration - great!). Most consistent product end-to-end
• Swiss, all in all the best of the four, but not perfect. Best seats, although esthetically less appealing than AF. Very attentionate service (with notable exceptions, see my posts in the LX forum), ground service almost as perfect as in FRA. Big downside: food. Worse than LH, much better than AF, more sophisticated but about as tasty as BA.

Of course, none of the four European F classes matches SQ or CX. NH I've only experienced the longhaul cabin on a shorthaul flight (ITM-NRT), but the seat was great.


Thus, if you have time and want to relish the F experience, take SQ (new F class on SIN-ZRH flights). If you want the direct flight, LX is definitely a good choice.

Wombelero

I flew ZRH-NRT with Swiss First and had a wonderful time. Seats are very good (although no Pajama, but this might have changed), as you have true lie flat with an additional mattress, cozy cover and nice pillow. Slept very well and hand not the "plane seat" feeling and pressure points.
Food is always a matter of personal taste and expections. Neither in F nor C I found something to complain about.
Can just recommend LX F. .... (like bad bad FAs or worse) can happen with any airline.
W

SMK77

Go for LX F - it is a well balanced product. I had the pleasure of being the only pax from ZRH to NRT and they pulled out all plugs: S-class shuttle in ZRH, all the F food for myself and a very attentive crew!

garfield5

I fly this route every two weeks, after some initial experiments always in LX F for the following reason:

Food ex Zurich comes closest to gourmet restaurant food (mesa, sihlhalde, kunststuben, etc.) from all the airlines. I really like to current filet with parmesan crust :-). Other airlines have more choices but of lower quality. I prefer this food over some wannabe exclusive items such as the LH caviar (farmed anyway)

Sleeper seat with feather pillow and duvet and a sleeper suit that is available in all sizes except S

Direct flight with early morning arrival in Zurich

Arrival service including expedited immigration procedures in HKG

San Gottardo

It has, there are PJs now in Swiss F class.

airoli

SQ First is very good when it comes to "big brand" items. If you define luxury by having Bulgari amenities, Bordeaux grand cru classé, Caviar, Krug champagne, 500 movies etc. then SQ First is really the best there is.

If you are ready to forego some of that "bragging" in return for comfortable seats and (in most cases) truly personal, attentive hospitality paired with good, but not so pretentious food, then LX First is a good choice.

sentom

100% agree... ^

szg

I personally like LX F, because I think they have really a nice product. Sometimes the FAs can be very strained, but if you tell them, that you like to eat by yourself and not wanted to be feeded, then it�s OK !!

brunos

Thanks to all for that useful info. Can anyone confirm that pajamas are now standard in F (otherwise I'll take one).
Creber I am new to THIS LX forum.

TRAVELSIG

Pajamas in F were on HKG/ZRH last week and they advised it was standard.
Colleague reported Food subpar IMHO although who wants to eat on the airplane after midnight anyway? Especially when you can have a great dinner in HKG and then head to the Airport for your flight.
Seat excellent.
Cabin very very quiet. Boarding for F pax escorted out of the Business lineup and personally taken on board. Rope in front of the cabin boarding for F to keep the riff raff of C out
Only 8 seats total so very private- in fact the LX magazine this month says they are going for a "private jet" ambience
Excellent arrival time at ZRH in time for meetings that morning in ZRH or onward connections throughout the LX system
New Lounge Facilities at ZRH for F class pax only including security clearance
All in All.. Very Good Value- I would take it over the one stop....

rorschi

YES. Just have one in my bag right now...

brunos

Merci all!

San Gottardo

Yes, they have been re-introduced with the change to the summer timetable.

Ah, now I understand Sort of had the impression to have "seen" you over at Air France's. Well then, bienvenue chez les Helv�tes!

Hennessy

Standard: yes on night flights. If you should happen to be on a dayflight like PVG-ZRH, then you have to ask for it.