It looks like SWISS will be adding a new widebody type to its fleet in the form of the Airbus A350. First reported by Sam Chui on October 21st, the addition of the A350 to the SWISS fleet will allow the airline sufficient fuselage width to install its first class product.
Four A350s for SWISS?
On October 4th, Lufthansa Group announced that it was “accelerating the modernization of its long-haul fleet,” and signed leases for four Airbus A350-900 aircraft. These jets will come from lessors Avolon, SMBC Aviation Capital Ltd., and Goshawk. “As a result, the Group’s A350 fleet will grow to 21 aircraft at the beginning of 2022,” it said in a statement.
According to Sam Chui, these four Airbus A350-900s will go to Lufthansa Group member SWISS. “To my understanding, the A350s are expected to operate for Swiss International Air Lines,” Chui writes. This statement contradicts information present in the early-October Lufthansa Group announcement, which stated that the A350-900s “are scheduled to enter service with Lufthansa’s core brand from the first half of 2022, strengthening the five-star airline’s premium offering.”
Of course, the airlines and airline groups are constantly reviewing and changing plans, and it would make sense if this was the case over the past two weeks. Nonetheless, Simple Flying reached out to Lufthansa Group and SWISS for a statement of confirmation.
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A350 width suitable for SWISS first class
Chui reports that one reason for the A350 going to SWISS is the fact that its wider cabin allows SWISS to install its first class product onboard. This reasoning, he says, comes directly from a conversation he had with the airline’s CEO Dieter Vranckx.
Below, we have the (maximum) cabin widths of the A350, as well as SWISS’ existing widebodies compared:
- Boeing 777-300ER: 5.87m
- Airbus A340-300: 5.28m
- Airbus A330-300: 5.26m
- Airbus A350-900: 5.61m
As you can see, the A350’s cabin width is just over 30cm more than the A330 and A340. At the same time, it’s 26cm narrower than the Boeing 777-300ER.
The comments on having a wider cabin to accommodate SWISS’ first class are slightly confusing, considering the fact that the narrower A340s are now fitted with the same first class product as its 777s, although a SWISS post calls them “similar,” rather than identical.
However, it’s slightly different with the airline’s other widebody. SWISS’ A330 first class seats, while quite similar, lack the sliding doors present on the 777. Thus, with the A350’s cabin width falling between the 777 and A340, we would expect to have privacy doors for a SWISS first class.
It would be quite exciting to see SWISS take on the Airbus A350. What do you think of this news? Let us know by leaving a comment.
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