Swiss’ new First Class leads to balance problem
Published: Saturday, Aug 31st 2024, 13:52
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The new First Class seats of Lufthansa subsidiary Swiss are too heavy and lead to balance problems in the airline's aircraft. The airline is therefore planning to install lead plates to correct the center of gravity in the affected aircraft from winter 2025.
On Saturday, Swiss spokeswoman Meike Fuhlrott confirmed a corresponding report in the "CH Media" newspapers on request. There is an emerging trend in the aviation industry towards more privacy in First and Business Class.
As a result, the seats there are becoming heavier compared to the past. At the same time, seats in Economy Class are becoming lighter. "This different weight development is leading to a shift in the center of gravity in aircraft," said Fuhlrott. As First and Business Class are generally located at the front of the aircraft, it is becoming "nose-heavy".
Some aircraft types are particularly affected by this development - at Swiss it is the Airbus A333. A fixed installation for weight regulation is therefore "unavoidable" in this case. Every new development brings new challenges. Initially, only a weight estimate is available, explains the Swiss spokesperson. The final weight is only determined once the seats and cabin have been installed in the aircraft.
The new First Class concept called "Swiss Senses" is to be introduced on Swiss aircraft from 2025. According to the Swiss website, the new suite concept with its own cabins promises "absolute privacy" for passengers on long-haul flights.
©Keystone/SDA
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