The first flight of the Swiss 777
8.2.2016
Translation: machine translated
Admittedly, the event will be repeated this year with the introduction of Bombardier's new European aircraft and the Boeing 777-300ER is not really a new aircraft, but when the opportunity arose to book a ticket on the first commercial flight of this new aircraft type for Swiss, I jumped at it. A report of an unusual Monday morning: Zurich-Geneva-Zurich in just under four hours.
Boarding: 07:05 on the boarding pass that was displayed after check-in on Sunday. Well, once again an early tram ride to the airport was on the programme (one of those moments when I particularly appreciate the residential area in the north of Zurich). The waiting time at the security checkpoint was kept to a minimum, and during the (second) coffee the gate display appeared: B38.
The first guests on the aircraft
The welcome at the gate was multilingual, as is customary, and the priority boarding that was announced was basically rather standard, i.e. countless frequent flyers had mingled with the first guests, so that somehow almost everyone was allowed to board first... The first impression when boarding the aircraft was thoroughly positive, the entrance area is bright, spacious and beautifully designed. The cabin looks spacious towards the top, offers plenty of room and appears to be very modernly equipped. And I don't want to withhold the highlight of the in-flight entertainment programme with its beautifully large touchscreens (I envy the First guests for the 32"), you can find it at the bottom of the product list.
In Economy Class there...
On the outbound flight, I had secured a seat in the centre block of the emergency exit row, i.e. the very first row in the Economy Class section. This offered generous legroom, ensured a speedy disembarkation on arrival and was a good choice for gaining a first impression. At first glance, the seat seemed rather cramped, but this impression was not necessarily confirmed once seated. Even though the space is limited at the sides, I didn't necessarily feel cramped in this seat (22G) in the head area (the leather headrest can be bent around your own head). The seat can also be reclined an impressive distance, which of course can have advantages and disadvantages and is notoriously controversial. Personally, I try to avoid seat reclining if the seat behind me is occupied. But not everyone does it that way. Although, let's be honest: you can actually sit comfortably at home, can't you?
...and back
On the return flight, I was given a K-seat, i.e. a window seat on the right in the rear section above the wing (28K). This naturally offered wonderful views of Lake Geneva and the Alps - I had of course missed the window a little on the seat in the centre block. However, the feeling of space in this seat was not necessarily gigantic in a fully occupied aircraft. The raised seats with the large screens (and integrated 3.5 mm audio and USB slots) dominate the field of vision and the matching NC headphones (see below) also allow you to block out your surroundings, but 10 seats next to each other still somehow feel a little cramped despite the size of the aircraft.
My conclusion
Well, basically the Boeing 777-300ER is of course an aircraft like any other and the flights LX2802/2807 this morning were flights that take place every day. Nevertheless, being part of the first passenger flight was special. The first landing of the aircraft in GVA and the welcome with water fountains from the fire brigade were anything but ordinary. And the crew's announcements - even in Rumantsch - were of course not quite as compact or routine as usual. So the short trip was well worth it, the start to the week was very different to usual and the short trip to Geneva was a good opportunity to familiarise ourselves with Swiss's new aircraft type.
More information about the new Swiss aircraft
Products related to my flight today
And if you want to fly yourself...
Header image: Shortly after seven at gate B38: We're ready to go!
Thierry Pool
Head of Digital Marketing and Media Planning
thierry.pool@digitecgalaxus.chI’m passionate about observing the development of the digital environment – particularly when it comes to the countless exciting and interesting challenges and changes it has in store for our society, our everyday lives and businesses. Apart from that, gaming has been a part of my life since I first started out at Digitec Galaxus as well as IT in general, travelling, sports, concerts and good food.
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