Swiss unveils huge, new first class ‘Grand Suite’ experience

When Swiss unveiled its new first-class cabins last month, it saved the best detail for last.

The new first class, which the airline plans to introduce on the Airbus A350-900 later this year, features suite-style seating in a sort of 1-2-1 configuration: The window “Single Suites” offer spacious private seating for one passenger, while the center “Suite Plus” option can be configured to seat two passengers traveling together.

Related: Swiss unveils new Airbus A350 cabins featuring swanky first-class concept

On Wednesday, the airline unveiled the last detail, which it dubbed the “Grand Suite.”

The Grand Suite lets passengers book the center Suite Plus and one of the Single Suites across the aisle to combine into a single larger room, including the aisle. It can accommodate up to three passengers.

This larger combined suite can function as a conference room, bedroom or office, Swiss said in a press release announcing the product. The entire space will be enclosed by a nearly 6-foot-tall wall, just like the individual suites.

“With our new SWISS First Grand Suite, we’re further expanding our First Class service product with an option that is specifically aimed at those of our top premium customers who are seeking even more privacy and even more scope to design their personal space on board,” Swiss chief commercial officer Heike Birlenbach said in a statement.

“Our Grand Suite should give our guests all the feeling of having their own ‘loft aloft’ — a space that they can use as they wish, to relax, to work or just to enjoy the experience,” she added.

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The new product will be available aboard the A350 when it begins flying between Boston and Zurich in January, and Swiss says it will continue to introduce the Grand Suite as it takes delivery of more A350s. The airline says it also plans to retrofit its existing Airbus A330s and Boeing 777s with the new product.

It’s unclear whether the Grand Suites will be bookable with points and miles, although it looks unlikely: Swiss says the premium experience will only be bookable through its first-class phone hotline.

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