After a nice meal in the first class lounge, it was time to board our SWISS First Class flight to Los Angeles.
Unlike my usual reviews, where I line up to board well before announced boarding time, this time we were among the last to board. When traveling with a child, 12 hours is already long enough to be on an airplane…there is no sense in dragging it out longer than necessary.
Prior to boarding, a “security specialist” interviewed us to ensure we were not carrying explosive devices, bags for other people, and had been with our carry-on items the entire trip.
Our boarding passes were scanned and the gate agent wished us a very pleasant flight.
SWISS 40
Zurich (ZRH) – Los Angeles (LAX)
Friday, December 29
Depart: 1:10PM
Arrive: 4:20 PM
Duration: 12hr, 10min
Aircraft: 777-3ooER
Seat: 1G
As we stepped onboard through Door 2L, a FA inspected our boarding pass, welcomed us onboard, and directed us left to the first class cabin. The SWISS 777-300ER has a mini business class cabin behind first class. It was full, making me all the more thankful that I had booked first class.
SWISS 777-300ER First Class Suites
The SWISS 777-300ER First Class cabin includes eight semi-enclosed first class suites (two rows of 1-2-1 seating). Suites have beautiful wood finishes and the seat is comfortable in all positions.
Seat controls were available in the center console and included a massage function. Power and USB ports were available and the suite also offered plenty of lighting.
The “closet” had room for one garment and two personal items, like wallets, mobile phones, or passports. When the closet also served as the suite door, so when the closet was opened, the suite was essentially closed.
The center section of row two had been reserved by other passengers, so we took the first row. The plan was to let Augustine occupy one seat and my wife Heidi and I would “split” the second seat. The ottomans in SWISS First are intended to be guest seats.
But that turned out not to be necessary. First Class was only booked 5/8 and FAs invited us to spread out. While we stayed together for the first few hours of the flight, it was great having an extra bed for Augustine.
SWISS offers excellent bedding–not quite like the Hästens in the lounge–but very comfortable comforters and pillows.
SWISS 777-300ER First Class Service
First Class was served by two FAs who were extremely friendly…charming really…and provided excellent service throughout the flight.
It was not flawless service. For example, it took 20 minutes to clear away my final dinner dishes:
And FAs did not respond to the FA-call button. They simply did not respond and the light remained on for 20 minutes until I just turned it off.
This sort of thing never happens on Lufthansa.
However, I do not think this was deliberate. The FAs were too proactive and other than not clearing away dishes, too otherwise attentive. At several points throughout the flight FAs checked on passengers and gave extra-special attention to Augustine. There was always a smile on their face, and not a forced smile.
So to be fair, the service was not flawless, but nevertheless excellent. I don’t include pictures of the crew if they were not great.
SWISS 777-300ER First Class Dining
After settling in our seat, we were offered rosemary-covered cashews followed by a hot towel.
Menus were distributed, which included a separate beverage menu.
After a feast in the first class lounge, I wasn’t ready for another multi-course meal immediately after takeoff, but that actually worked out quite well.
Lunch
Service began with an amuse-bouche of breadsticks and crab. I was hoping for some sort of rosé wine, but there was none on the menu. Instead, I had a glass of Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle champagne.
At first, FAs set up my tray table for both Heidi and me:
But we soon determined that it was better that I feed Augustine first and try to put him to sleep, so Heidi remained in her suite to eat.
Augustine was offered his own main course and we chose a chicken breast for him.
The little fellow has a healthy appetite and devoured his meal. But he should have avoided the lemon…
Meanwhile, Heidi ordered the sole paupiette dish, which she found delicious.
With Augustine put down to sleep, it was my turn to eat. (Not that he was quite ready to go to sleep…)
Service began with Balik Salmon and other assorted appetizers. These were served off a nicely-arranged cart.
A bread basket with exceptional warm and fresh bread was offered with high-quality olive oil and salted butter.
Next up came a soup course – cream of butternut squash. As is often the case, the soup course was my favorite of the meal.
This was followed by a large green salad served with a bit of artichoke inside and a delightful balsamic vinaigrette.
I ordered the veal filet for my main course and it was excellent. Not as good as the steak I had in first class last time, but it was an excellent choice. I loved the rich rosemary flavor of the meat.
My main course was followed by a cheese course, which included an assortment of exclusively Swiss cheese.
Finally, per FA recommendation, I chose ice cream vacherin (a meringue-based cake). Not my favorite dessert, but it was something different.
The meal concluded with chocolate truffles.
In-Flight Snack
The menu did not indicate any mid-flight snack (or pre-arrival meal, for that matter). I was so stuffed from the double lunch that I would not have wanted anything anyway, but unlike the snacks set up in the business class galley, you’ll need to make specific requests if you want to snack on something between meal services.
> Read More: Review: SWISS 777-300ER Business Class Los Angeles to Zurich
Water bottles were proactively provided.
Pre-Arrival Meal
About an hour before landing, FAs offered a choice of quiche with salad or meatloaf for a pre-arrival snack. Since my wife and son were still sleeping (and actually slept until about 20 minutes before landing), I asked to try both.
The pork meatloaf was very Swiss/German, but a bit too greasy for my liking. Furthermore, potato salad should never be served cold. The quiche with salad (Feld Salat in Germany, a type of green I never see in the USA) was amazing, though. This was also the same pre-arrival snack I had when flying SWISS First Class last time (in 2011 from Shanghai to Zurich).
I had a cappuccino and fresh orange juice as well. Dessert was an apple tart with fresh fruit.
Overall, I was very pleased with the high-quality and delicious meal service on SWISS. I would prefer, though, that the mid-flight snack and pre-arrival dishes be listed on the menu.
SWISS 777-300ER First Class IFE + Wi-Fi
I ended up spending a large chunk of the flight working, but did take time to watch one movie called The Beguiled. It told the story of a Union solider being cared for at a girl’s school during the U.S. Civil War. There were unexpected twists and I enjoyed it.
Noise-cancelling headphones worked well:
SWISS does offer plenty of movies, games, music, and TV shows, though I’d call the selection somewhat mediocre…average at best compared to what most offer in business class.
SWISS offered each first class passenger a wi-fi voucher, but it was only good for 50MB and expired literally seconds after I logged in (and yes, I had background updates turned off…).
Internet prices were exorbitant, so I chose not to pay for additional internet.
SWISS 777-300ER First Class Pajamas + Slippers
Pajamas and slippers were offered after boarding. Pajamas are by Zimmerli, a Swiss brand that primarily produces underwear.
SWISS 777-300ER First Class Amenity Kits
The SWISS First Class amenity comes in a simple white or gray zippered container. Inside you’ll find socks, tissues, a toothbrush, toothpaste, earplugs, eyeshade, comb, Ricola lozenges, and la prairie creams.
The female kit is nearly identical, containing only a brush instead of a comb:
SWISS 777-300ER First Class Lavatory
The 777-300ER lavatory in the first class cabin (right outside the flight deck door) is not overly spacious, but was oversized. Cloth towels, as opposed to paper towels, were offered…the most important thing I look for in a first class lavatory.
What Made it All Worthwhile
I already discussed whether it was worth flying SWISS First Class, but I want to underscore here what a privilege it was to fly with Augustine and Heidi. To see August looking out the window and taking in the beautiful views as we took off was priceless.
He might not remember this flight one day, but I will certainly will.
Ground Service at LAX
I was impressed that upon landing at LAX, a HON representative already had all our bags on two carts and helped us out to the car.
CONCLUSION
I was very glad to try SWISS First Class once again (though I wish it had been under better circumstances). The SWISS crew was excellent and the onboard product also very much “first class”. Will I buy another first class ticket on SWISS? Only time will tell.
Your son is precious! Aren’t those cashews, not almonds?
Thanks! Nut issue fixed.
A couple observations; firest, you were served cashews not almonds, and second, most dairy/mayo based potato salads are served cold.
Almond issue already corrected and German potato salad is generally served warm.
Feld Salat is quite common in the US, we call it Mache, same thing different name.
I never see it in California.
I can’t think of a time I’ve eaten a warm potato salad. Interesting that you are the opposite.
Me neither. The thought of warm potato salad doesn’t sound appetising to me at all.
Matthew is right and a proper German Potato Salad isn’t what we in the US are used to thinking of. It’s far far better and quite delicious warm.
So basically, the in-air experience and alcohol can’t really compare to the ME3
“He might not remember this flight one day, but I will certainly will.”
That was the flight Daddy spent your Freshman year tuition on, kiddo!
Potato salad is ALWAYS cold and always SHOULD BE cold.
Nein. Nein. Nein.
Then I probably live in a different Germany than the one you’re talking about.
According to your IP address, you live in Switzerland.
My German home is in Baden-Württemberg.
Leave it to the amateur foodie with nothing better to do to do some research and declare a winner. According to at least two reputable sites, German potato salad is often served warm.
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9470-german-potato-salad
http://thepioneerwoman.com/food-and-friends/german-potato-salad/
Though for the record, the variation the Germans brought to Texas in the 1840s is now always served cold. So like the ever raging debate about whether chili should or should not contain beans, I declare this a draw 🙂
Bravo MeanMeosh! Thanks for your research.
Where I am from in Germany it is ALWAYS served cold. Keep in mind potato salads in Germany depending on the region can be very different in taste, ingredients and seemingly temperature ;-p. I declare everyone a winner, LOL.
Hi Matthew, in Switzerland/Liechtenstein and Austria, potatoe salad is usually served cold. Also you wouldn’t find warmed potatoe salad in northern Germany. So there are regional differences, like with “Käsespätzle” where people in Baden Württemberg put way less cheese in it than in our Alpine region. So yes, based on a Swiss view, serving the salad cold was fine.
Thanks for your comment Christoph!
I myself do a lot of flying but not in first class so i dont think articles like this are beneficial to the majority of air travellers.
“Since this article doesn’t help me, it’s not going to help anyone.”
I’ve seen some narcissistic comments on this blog, but this one takes the cake.
Great post Matthew. Thanks for sharing it with us and the wonderful pics of your son. Next time a family photo please! Heidi is a luck lady.
Hi Mike, truly I am the fortunate one.
Fantastic review. You’ve upped your photo game. Love these shots. Bravo.
Thanks Gilbert! All from an iPhoneX!
Great report and very nice pictures ! I flew myself on M&M miles last year between HKG and ZRH on the LX 773 (LH 748 FRA-HND on the outbound) and really enjoyed the privacy of the LX suites compared with the LH seat. I also loved the lounge in ZRH, although quite different that the LH FCT in FRA. Overall, both products are fantastic but the LX seat is better than LH. Too bad the ground/transfer experience does not always follow in ZRH. (And good luck with your fight with Aeroplan and Swiss).
Augustine poking his head out over the sign for seat “1K?” I know what you’re doing there… More than just a coincidence, I’d say.
Great review, Matthew. Glad you all enjoyed your trip home.
LOL, this was truly a coincidence. But thanks for your comment! 🙂
Question re: traveling with your son. Is he under 2 and did he get his own seat or did he share it with you and/or Heidi? Trying to figure out the logistics of travel with a 8 month old in J and how to get him and us to sleep in our seats? Any thoughts?
Augustine was 14 months at the time of the trip. While he was supposed to share the seat with Heidi and me, since the cabin was only booked 5/8 he was invited to take his own seat (for sleeping). There would have still been plenty of room for him had we only had the two seats: this was the reason I booked first class. Business was full, so it was not like there were extra seats in business he could have taken and those seats are a bit small.
That said, Augustine also traveled to Europe when he was 8 months and slept the entire journey in his bassinet. When you go, request a bassinet and take advantage of it.
Are you traveling on miles or cash? Infant fees can vary wildly based upon method of payment.
Honestly, are people really debating the temperature of potato salad when there’s a TODDLER in first class?
One of the many perks of business and first class travel is avoiding kids/babies– in fact, a couple of airlines have actually banned them from first class. Quite frankly, I would have been pretty angry to be on this flight with you. If I wanted to be among the drooling, pants-soiling masses, I would have saved my money and flown economy.
Before giving a typical selfish “parent” response about why your kid matters more than anybody else, please take a moment: Imagine that someone actually shells out their hard-earned cash for a first class ticket, assuming that peace, quiet, and luxury would come with it, only to arrive and see a toddler bouncing around. Toddlers are simply not luxe, no matter how many cashmere jumpers they might have. Try to imagine the dread that person would feel, knowing they’d be stuck with exactly what they paid good money to avoid, for 12 hours, in a fairly small space.
Like, do you also take him to Michelin-starred restaurants? Does the little tyke enjoy “La Bohème” from prime balcony seats at La Scala? Does he go with you to the spa to unwind from his stressful life as a toddler?
Honestly, why don’t you just get a private jet? You can name it Augustine!
If you want a perfectly luxurious, quiet flight, wouldn’t it be you that should book private? I have had plenty of loud passengers sloshing their drinks, shouting about their conquests in the front of the plane while my kid sits quietly with headphones on watching Moana.
No, Kyle, that would not be Mister Betty’s prerogative. In general, people should probably strive for decency, and part of that is not deliberately bringing your kids to places where adults have paid for a high class experience. To me, that’s just as offensive as being shouty or sloshy. We’re all super glad that your kid is a perfect angel, though.
There’s no perfect child certainly, but the commenter treats all children as obnoxious passengers and shouldn’t be allowed in the same cabin as he should. My point is that adults can be just as obnoxious and that if that kid has also had a ticket paid for in the same cabin (we have done this plenty of times) then why do they have fewer rights to be there?
It’s probably because small children don’t seem to want or appreciate luxury travel experiences, you know? It seems pretty stupid to treat a small kid to something they neither want for nor will even remember in the author’s case. Many smart airlines are striving for family cabins due to overwhelming complaints, and I’d definitely be a fan.
Mine seems to remember, she asks if this plane will have a bed. I would take a family cabin, though frankly, if my kid is quiet and another parent hasn’t taken the same measures to ensure their child understands the situation, I don’t want to sit in that cabin either. I think there is a misnomer that because it is a child, every place is the ball pit at a McDonald’s. That’s not necessarily the case.
Kyle, in putting others down while placing your own kid on a pedestal, you did exactly what I expected. I know it’s difficult to remember a time when you were not an obsessive parent, but I did implore you to try. Clearly, you think your kid is a god. Let’s all bow down. Free copies of Moana for everyone!
You first decided that all adults are deserving of luxury because they paid for an expensive ticket, and that they act accordingly in such a setting. You also asserted that kids were not worthy of such a cabin because it disrupts the other high-paying passengers (even though they bought the same ticket). My point was simply that not all adults behave and not all kids are disorderly. Kids behaving poorly are a bad representation of traveling families, just as belligerent passengers (especially those putting their bare feet on the walls) are not a fair representation of all adult passengers. Your assertion that those who do not treat the cabin with respect is fair, I agree. I would not tolerate our child throwing a tantrum in any cabin on a flight. But the notion that adults who pay for the same cabin we booked our child in are somehow more suited for the cabin is a misnomer. Perhaps you have had some bad experiences with kids, I have had some bad experiences with them too, but age should not be the qualifier for the cabin.
You are right on! I have flown First class Swiss for many years, also when it was Swissair. Its a big imposition to travel with a baby in first. They always cry or run around the cabin a big disturbance when one wants to sleep. The worst I experienced was a couple changing a diaper during meal service, not using the shelf in the restroom, but the seat! The fact that I paid full fare and a baby /toddler flies for free.
I think the easiest way is to handle the kid in first class problem would be that children have to pay the full fare
=adult fare ticket when travelling in first class. Then I think most parents don’t consider to travel with them in fist class.
Man, people are harsh. My child has traveled business and first class with nary a cry or “bouncing around” etc as some of you state. I heartily agree with Kyle that some kids are a**holes and some adults are too. I’ve definitely seen my fair share of both in all classes of service.
My child also asks if every plane we go on is going to have a “seat bed” and even at the age of 4 realizes what a treat such things are. So different experiences for different people (which again, is what Kyle was trying to say and you refuse to admit Mister Betty). Lord knows loud talkers in first class are the bane of my existence and I handle it easily- ear plugs and noise canceling Bose headset. Also- I don’t want to have to travel in economy just because I have a child with me which would be the alternative, just like the woman across from me didn’t want to even though her husband was a loud-mouthed drunken lout. 🙂
I often fly Swiss first class LAX to Zurich. In fact I am flying back to Los Angeles next week. I basically liked your review of your flight but I do have to tell you that I pay a vast amount of money more to fly first because I like the quiet and privacy. You traveled with a very young child who of course could be expected to become bored and not able to sleep 12 hours. I wouldn’t like it at all to have been disturbed by a baby. Its almost a bit inconsiderate!