Swiss adds “Swiss Choice” (and more optional extras)

Swiss International Airlines are introducing a new “value added” options called “Swiss Choice“.

Swiss International Airlines A340-300 at Zurich Airport – Image GhettoIFE

Swiss Choice has various options you can add to your flight including:

• Advanced Assigned seating
• Booking Hold for 72 hours
• Extra Luggage booking
• “Arrange a Surprise for a passenger on board”
• Duty Free Pre-Order

Lets look at the nastiest of all – the Advanced Assigned Seating. This is a chance to get your wallet out in Economy classs on cheap fares, where if you want a particular seat, you’re going to have to pay. Prices vary between European routes and International Routes.

                      Europe        Rest of the World
Standard Seat          CHF9          CHF29
Preferred zone seat    CHF19         CHF49
Extra Legroom Seat     CHF35         CHF99

Prices in Swiss Francs. 
Prices are per Segment. 

Seats can be reserved any time from 11 months to 48 hours before departure. The fee does NOT apply to Miles and More Senators or HON Circle members. Seat fees are non refundable too.

Any open seats in Extra Leg Room or Preferred Zones that are open at T-24 departure will be available without extra charge for check-in and assignment.

Looking at the “Booking hold” feature, it’s another wonderful charge. On two sample bookings (one short haul, one long haul), the price came out at £17.

Swiss ticket hold pricing

Whilst these options are nice, it is Swiss monetising what it used to give away for nothing, and emptying passengers pockets to pick over seats – especially for families, where costs could mount up if you were trying to keep a small group of you together for 2 flights – Two Adults and one child on a short haul flight would add an extra CHF54 return… which is a fair chunk of cash.

Those who want those seats will have to get to them quickly, whilst Senators and HON Circle will have to pick over what remains from people paying in advance.