It was an extraordinary pleasure to test the AirBaltic A220-300 Business Class from Zurich (ZRH) to Hamburg (HAM). The flight was conducted on behalf of Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) under a so-called wet-lease.
Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) currently does not have enough aircraft and crews to fully maintain their flight schedule. Therefore, they rent or lease complete aircraft, along with crews, technical support, and insurance from other airlines. This includes AirBaltic as well as Helvetic. This is known in industry jargon as wet-lease or ACMI-leasing (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance).
AirBaltic operates a pure A220 fleet, currently managing 47 aircraft. The number of aircraft is expected to grow to about 100 by 2030. AirBaltic is headquartered in Riga (Latvia) and currently employs more than 2.500 staff. In 2023, their annual revenue was approximately 668 million euros (727 million USD), with a profit of around 34 million euros (37 million USD). The passenger volume in 2023 was 4.5 million. Since 2011, the CEO has been Martin Gauss, a German citizen.
Check-In
Traveling without luggage, I used online check-in beforehand, so I did not need to use any check-in counter services.
Security at Zurich Airport was quick thanks to the fast lane and, as always in Zurich, excellent organization, with no waiting time. From parking garage P1, through security, to the Business Class Lounge in Terminal 1 took only 12 minutes. I still don’t know of any other international major airport where this is possible.
Swiss Business Class Lounge Zürich (ZRH)
For me, the Swiss Business Class Lounge in Zurich is still one of the best lounges in Europe. Although the lounge was already quite full at 7 AM, the friendly staff and the selection of offerings were excellent as always.
There was a live cooking station for fresh egg dishes, Swiss cheese, meat, and fresh fruits. An English breakfast selection was also available. The drink selection left nothing to be desired. Notably, the orange juice comes very close to freshly squeezed juice, though I doubt it can be freshly made on-site in such quantities.
It is noticeable that the supplier for the famous “Gipfeli” (croissants) must have changed. Previously, excellent Swiss croissants were available. The croissants are still there, but noticeably smaller and harder than before. Although freshly baked, they no longer appear as fresh and high-quality. It would be desirable to return to the old, excellent quality.
Boarding and Crew
Boarding in Zurich (ZRH) for the flight to Hamburg (HAM) started on time. The crew was very attentive and friendly. The uniforms looked modern, and the entire cabin was very clean and sleek, possibly due to the light gray tone-on-tone design of the cabin.
Some passengers seemed a bit confused not to board a Swiss aircraft. It became clear to them at the door that they were flying with another airline. Many were surprised that the crew did not speak German but only English. The Swiss clientele is traditionally very demanding.
As soon as I sat down, a flight attendant handed me a small bottle of water and a refreshing towel, following Swiss customs. This is not unusual as AirBaltic is operating on behalf of Swiss, meaning the complete food and beverage product of Swiss is adopted.
Seat Product and IFE
The modern A220-300 of AirBaltic has 148 seats in a 2-3 configuration. The same seats are installed in both Economy and Business Class. However, the middle seat in the 3-seat rows is kept free in Business Class for comfort.
The same seats are installed in AirBaltic as in the Swiss A220 aircraft, lacking only the familiar “silver” trim. This silver trim caused massive problems with dirt susceptibility in Swiss aircraft, which is not an issue here. However, my seat and the seat of a passenger in the row in front of me were defective. Every time we leaned back, there was a loud “crack,” and the backrest bent significantly backward. The two small nets typical of these seats were already stretched out in both AirBaltic and Swiss planes. This cannot be prevented over time, but since the nets are very present in the passenger’s view, I still find it annoying. It does not give a good impression.
The seat manufacturer is ZIM Aircraft Seating, based in Immenstaad on the German side of Lake Constance.
There is no IFE installed on the A220. Small monitors in the overhead panels provide minimal information displays, such as the flight route.
Catering
To my surprise, there was a salty snack before takeoff. I believe this was a misunderstanding within the AirBaltic crew, as it is not part of the Swiss Business Class standard service. Nonetheless, it was a very nice and welcome change.
Although AirBaltic operates this flight, the menu featured a classic Business Class breakfast typical of Swiss flights. The catering’s consistently excellent quality was once again evident. It is simply outstanding what is offered on a 75-minute flight within Europe.
The breakfast included a fresh croissant, apple slices, cream cheese, Swiss hard cheese, and a delicious bulgur ball. Walnuts, a tasty Bircher muesli, and excellent orange juice were also provided. The coffee, by the way, is Nespresso in Business Class.
Of course, as on every Swiss flight, there was a coffee refill with the obligatory Swiss chocolate. It’s the little details that make the experience special, and I always look forward to them being celebrated just as they were back then.
Landing
Landing at Hamburg Airport (HAM) was ahead of schedule, about 5 minutes before the planned arrival time. We taxied directly to our stand at Terminal 1, and I was out of the airport in less than 7 minutes.