SWISS has begun phasing in the Airbus A330-300 as a mainstay of its long-haul fleet. By the end of 2009 four such brand new aircraft will be in commercial service at SWISS, with five more to follow by mid-2011. These 236-seat aircraft will operate with a configuration of 8 First, 45 Business and 183 Economy Class seats. Powered by two Rolls Royce 772B-EP (Enhanced Performance) engines, the Airbus A330-300 will offer both the new SWISS First and SWISS Business Class featuring innovative air-cushion seat technology for complete comfort adjustability.
Once all the new A330-300s are in service, SWISS will be the only airline in the world to offer a First Class cabin on all its long-haul aircraft. The aircraft will enter commercial from Zurich as follows during 2009: New York-JFK (April) and Dubai/Muscat (June).
Green gains as well The new SWISS Business seat on the Airbus A330-300 is probably the lightest of its kind. The air cushion alone makes the new seats some four kilos lighter than they would be with conventional foam padding. The weight reduction will save SWISS over 650 tonnes of kerosene a year, and this in turn will lower the company’s annual CO2 emissions by over2 000 tonnes.
