New Swiss first class lounge at Zurich; Business, Senator upgrade
By David Flynn, March 16 2017
Swiss will open an all-new first class lounge at Zurich Airport by the end of this year, to be followed by upgrades for its existing Business Class and Senator Lounges in Zurich's Terminal A.
The lounges represent an investment of 15 million Swiss Francs (A$19.5 million) in "premium ground product" for the Star Alliance member.
The new first class lounge will be located at the Check-In 1 concourse and come with its own security checkpoint for a fast-track experience and be just a "short dedicated walk" to limousine transport.
Across 650m² Swiss will offer an à la carte restaurant, 'front cooking' and a tended bar serving over 100 different grappas, to give it a different characteristic from the airline's current first class lounges.
A much-needed refurbishment of the Terminal A Business Class and Senator Lounges is slated for completion in the first quarter of 2018.
The new digs are expected to embrace the modern design of their Terminal E cousins, include the first class lounge...
... and Senator/Business lounges.
“Our new premium product on the ground will offer our customers genuinely new levels of air travel comfort and convenience,” says Swiss CEO Thomas Klühr.
Anna Brändli, Swiss' Manager of Ground Services Product, last year indicated to Australian Business Traveller that the sweeping bar which adjoins both the Business and Senator lounges – and which at 27.6 metres in length has been declared the world's longest tended airport bar – will finally be declared a non-smoking zone.
"We have so much space for smokers and only a few are smoking, and so this is a waste of a good location," Brändli said.
Swiss will also extend its inflight Internet to medium- and short-haul aircraft fleets starting in 2018; refurbish its five remaining Airbus A340s; and switch its final five Bombardier C Series aircraft orders from the CS100 to the larger CS300.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Nov 2014
Total posts 358
I will be flying SQ F from ZRH in Oct. Does star alliance F get access to Swiss F lounge? Or are they exclusively reserved for LX F pax only?
13 Sep 2016
Total posts 12
Here, let me enter 'Swiss first class lounge access' into Google for you to save you the trouble. Oh, look what I found at https://www.swiss.com/au/EN/fly/airport/lounges-zurich, under the first class lounge section: "Access: SWISS First, First Class Lufthansa, HON Circl". Star Alliance F only get into the Senator lounge.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
06 Nov 2014
Total posts 358
Thanks for the trouble for googling for me.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 335
LX Senator Lounges only for SQ F Unless you are UA F (for LH F @ FRA excludinf First Class Terminal) LH/LX F forget entry into LX/LH F lounges
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2563
Michael, I can definitely confirm that the Swiss first class lounge is exclusive to Swiss F, Lufthansa F and Miles & More Hon Circle members. Star Alliance Golds must content themselves with the Senator lounges. Not sure which terminal or 'dock' SQ flights leave from Zurich but I don't think it's E, which is a shame because the Terminal E Senator lounge is the one with the whisky bar :(
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 335
Its easy to visit the Senator Lounge @ E Gates Beats the A Gates Sen loungfes If you have time its 5-10 minutes t oE Gates -Passport control say you are visiting Senator Lounge @ E Gates catch the Heidi Train and there you are - by the way last time I flew LX to Sin from ZRH it was from E Gates Plenty on accessing lounges at ZRH on flyertalk.com The E Gates Senator lounge is nice spacious outdoor terrace right on the tarmac and I find it nice for a break from the First Lounge - Definitely worth a visit!
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