First Class Fiasco: Swiss Adds Metal Weights to Rebalance Planes

04.09.2024 - 12:24 / skift.com / Gordon Smith

The Swiss are globally renowned for engineering excellence, but its national carrier is placing this hard-won reputation under strain with an almighty design oversight.

Swiss International Air Lines is doing the unthinkable and deliberately adding weight to some of its planes. The culprit? Its new first and business class seats are too heavy creating a potentially serious weight and balance problem. 

The location of the first and business class sections towards the front of the plane is making some aircraft ‘nose-heavy’. Swiss is discovering this late in the design process, with extreme measures required. 

The problem is particularly acute onboard the carriers’ Airbus A330-300 fleet. It’s a model that’s been flying for more than three decades and has a reputation as a reliable workhorse for mid- to long-haul routes. It does however have its limits. 

The new premium seats Swiss wants to install on the A330s will disrupt the natural center of gravity on the planes. Instead of revising its ‘SWISS Senses’ design – which is a variation on parent firm Lufthansa’s Allegris product – the company is adopting a cruder workaround. The affected jets will have a metal ‘balancing plate’ installed toward the rear of the aircraft.

A Swiss spokesperson confirmed to Skift that the plate will remain onboard “until other options can be developed to provide the balance required.” Described by the airline as a “compensatory device”, the company says its exact weight is still to be determined. Industry sources suggest it could be as much as 1.5 tons.

Design efficiencies are making economy seats lighter than ever, but the same cannot be said for premium options. A quest for more luxury and amenities in top-tier cabins is making these seats much heavier than those they replace. 

Reflecting the wealthy country it serves, Swiss is known for its high-end products and service. The Airbus A330 is a particularly weak link. Its dated premium cabins are in need of an overhaul to match modern passenger expectations. As the Swiss spokesperson put it: “Customers are telling us in no uncertain terms that it is time we modernized the cabin interiors of our long-haul aircraft, and especially our Airbus A330-300s.”

The airline admits that speed is a priority. It notes that it wants to “meet these clear customer needs as swiftly as possible.” Swiss describes the balancing plate option as a tried and trusted approach that can be rapidly installed. 

Put simply, yes. The carrier acknowledges that there are various ways of tackling the weight distribution problem. One of the most obvious solutions is scrapping first class altogether, however, this would jar with the company’s market positioning. Swiss is the only major airline to operate first