NEWS: SWISS Reveals A350-900 First & Business Cabins & Manchester Airport Opens New Section of the T2 Departure Lounge – What’s Next?

SWISS Unveils A350-900 First & Business Cabins 

SWISS has revealed its new First and Business Class cabins, which are part of its ‘SWISS Senses’ cabin concept – a new long-haul experience developed to redefine every aspect of travelling. The concept was first unveiled in 2023 and set to debut with the incoming Airbus A350-900s.

The cabins are designed with quality materials and a timeless, understated colour palette of Claret, anthracite, and beige, designed to evoke a sense of cosiness and comfort.

While distinctively branded for SWISS, the redesigned cabins may remind you of Lufthansa’s Allegris, and it’s true – Lufthansa’s strategy is for flyers to have a consistent experience across premium cabins.

The cabins will also feature human-centric lighting, which helps with jet lag.

SWISS First

Private suites will be introduced for the first time in SWISS First. The cabin takes a big leap forward in privacy. Each Suite is fully enclosed with 1.8m walls and sliding doors. 

Inside, you’ll find an oversized seat table, a personal wardrobe for up to two pieces of hand baggage, heating and cooling functions, tablet control, wireless charging, and a large display screen that stretches the full width of the Suite.

There are three suites in total:

• Two Single Suites: 2.4 m² of space, an 86cm seat, and a 32-inch screen.

• One Suite Plus: 3.7 m², designed for two passengers, featuring dual 61cm seats that convert into a double bed and a massive 43-inch 4K OLED screen.

You can also expect a spacious new washroom which draws inspiration from the spring in Vals in the Graubünden Canton – a slate-black exterior, and a green interior.

SWISS Business

The Business Cabin is equally impressive, featuring 45 seats and five seating options, which all feature direct aisle access, a fully lie-flat bed, heating and cooling and tablet control.

There are plenty of charging options too, including a wireless charger, USB-A and -C ports, and an extra power outlet.

The options include:

• Classic

• Privacy: Seat positioned by the window

• Extra Long Bed: 20cm extra space

• Extra Space: Additional stowage and privacy

• Suite with a Sliding Door: Closable doors and Adjustable dividers between the seats

The first three options include 17.3-inch 4K screens, and the latter two include 24-inch screens.

Where Will the New Airbus A350-900s Fly?

Deliveries are expected to begin in October. Initially, the first route will be Boston. You can already book from January 2026.

To find the A350-900 flights, you need to look out for the ‘SWISS Senses’ tag. Here’s an example for 2nd January:

The new cabin concept will also be gradually extended to SWISS’s existing Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft fleets.

SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Heike Birlenbach said:

“As a premium airline, we aim to continue to deliver on our quality promise through our SWISS Senses concept.

“Our new seats are the centrepiece of our new aircraft cabins. But SWISS Senses appeals to all the senses – with its special lighting concept, for instance, and also with our new scent that has been specially created for SWISS. All in all, SWISS Senses represents the biggest product investment in the history of our company – and a further major milestone for Swiss aviation.”

Manchester Airport Opens a New section of the Terminal 2 Departure lounge: What’s Next?

Manchester Airport’s much-anticipated Terminal 2 transformation is entering a new section of the departure lounge, which is open just in time for the summer holidays. This is part of the 10-year expansion, which has more than doubled the size of T2. The opening brings six new eateries and shops to the airport, including:

• LEGO’s interactive Store of the Future
• Rituals
• Pandora
• Starbucks
• Upper Crust
• Joe & The Juice

Richard Jackson, retail director at Manchester Airport, commented:

“We’re pleased to welcome so many exciting brands to our new-look Terminal 2. These brands are household names and leaders within their markets, with a reputation for quality, which makes them a perfect fit for the experience we are creating here. I look forward to working with them and with the brands due to open units later this year, as we put the finishing touches to the terminal.”

What’s Next for Terminal 2?

T2 is expected to be used by more than 70% of Manchester Airport’s passengers. The existing T2 extension has already had 30 million passengers since it opened in 2021.

But there’s still more to come, including:

• Grindsmith café by WH Smith, Fever Tree champagne bar and The Great Northern Market (a street food-style court).
• 13 new stands and boarding gates
• A passageway linking the security hall to departures features a beautiful chandelier installation that pays homage to the Venetian Chandeliers in T1 from the 1980s.

Terminal 1 will close after T2 works are complete, expected by late 2025.

Nigel Cole, Managing Director for Infrastructure, Mace, said:  

“Delivering a transformation of this magnitude at one of the UK’s busiest airports has demanded dedication, collaboration and a relentless focus on quality. This milestone reflects years of work by Mace on the T2 Transformation Programme, which has included a range of upgrades, from taxiways and road access to reimagining the check-in and baggage experience. Terminal 2 will now stand as a true gateway to the north, offering a significantly enhanced journey for millions of passengers.” 

Terminal 3 Updates

T3 is still undergoing its own renovation, which includes:

• A new terminal entrance
• A 500-seat bar area with airfield views
• New security equipment and a security hall
• 40% more seating in the departure lounge
• New shops, food, and drink outlets
• 200 extra seats in the dining area
• More shops and facilities in the arrivals area