Swiss International Air Lines is having to rebalance its planes because its new first class privacy seats are too heavy and could make the aircraft “nose-heavy.” Photo courtesy of Swiss International Air Lines
Sept. 3 (UPI) — Swiss International Air Lines is having to rebalance its planes because its new first class privacy seats are too heavy and could make the aircraft “nose-heavy.”
Swiss, which is offering a new first class concept called “Swiss Senses,” will introduce the suites next year on its Airbus A330-300 fleet to provide “absolute privacy” for passengers on longer flights. The suites will include six-foot walls and locking doors.
The added luxury and weight toward the front of the plane, combined with lighter economy class seats in the middle and back, will create a weight imbalance. The airline is now looking into installing a massive lead balancing plate toward the back of its Airbus A330s, despite concerns about increased fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
“We are operating in this area of tension,” said Swiss spokesperson Meike Fuhlrott, “driving forward the achievement of the CO2 target of net zero emissions by 2050 by implementing a large number of innovative measures.”
The airline, which operates between Switzerland and the Middle East, the United States and Canada, will determine the required counterweight of the aircraft’s back plate once the new seats are installed.
Swiss says the imbalance was not a “planning error,” but instead is part of the airline’s retrofitting plan to meet industry trends and passenger demands.
“In no uncertain terms, it is time we modernized the cabin interiors of our long-haul aircraft, and especially our Airbus A330-300s,” the airline said.
“Customer wishes, economic efficiency and environmental compatibility must be coordinated,” Fuhlrott said, adding that flight times will not be impacted by the added weight.
While Swiss will also be retrofitting the heavier seats into its Boeing 777s, the airline does not expect a balance issue in those planes.