We are traveling in Business Class on Swiss Air leaving Chicago O'Hare at 7:10 pm. The tickets say breakfast and a meal - does that mean they will serve dinner after we board at say 8:00 or 9:00 pm and breakfast or breakfast and lunch since the flight is long? We are trying to figure out if we need to eat dinner before we board.
Thanks!
They will probably serve dinner about an hour after takeoff. So yes around 8-9 Breakfast will be served about an hour before landing Sometime Business class gets a snack during the flight and there are generally snacks accessible in the galley. For example Delta used to serve a warm cookie about midway through the flight (I think that was cut for "covid safety " and is one of the "oh look we can get away with less service so let's not bring it back" changes)
I tend to eat before I board and try to go to bed when I am on the plane but a 7 pm departure probably means you won't go right to sleep so you might as well eat. Business Class generally has decent food (for airline food :) )
After you board, I believe they come around first with drinks and a snack (tiny bag of little cracker things) and then they will serve dinner. So, dinner is probably around 8:30 pm. Then about an hour or so before you land, they will serve breakfast.
I have flown economy with Swiss numerous times in the last couple of years. I’m not sure if the food is different in business class, but my dinners have been the option of a chicken or pasta meal. Both come with a roll, a small salad and small dessert. Breakfast is yogurt and a croissant I think.
If you are taking the afternoon Swiss flight to return to Chicago, I think it’s lunch and an ice cream snack you get. In March, lunch was a pizza pocket type thing. They also had some food items you could purchase. We got our favorite paprika potato chips.
Now that i'm remembering, i think for the "better" seats they came around with a tablet and were asking people want they wanted. So, you might have some better food options than what i had. But the time was the same--about 8:30 for dinner.
Some airlines let you pre select your business class meal in advance. You might check your reservation on line and see if it prompts you for that. Usually a window of time before the flight but that window typically closes 24 hours before and then you get what you get.
It looks like it was Dinner/Breakfast order 10 months ago. See 2:20 and 2:50 in the short video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0BQXze9hfg
For example Delta used to serve a warm cookie about midway through the flight (I think that was cut for "covid safety " and is one of the "oh look we can get away with less service so let's not bring it back" changes)
They served the warm cookies on my flight from Rome to Atlanta last December.
As others have said, dinner and breakfast.
But I prefer to eat in the airport, before boarding. Then I pop a (insert pharmaceutical of choice) as I sit down in my seat. I usually stay awake for the first drink service, have a glass of wine, and then make my bed flat and pull down my eyeshades. 8.5 hours isn't that long, and 90 minutes (at least) for meal service really dents into my sleep time. This also forces a better timezone adjustment.
Don't forget that you'll have access to the Business Class lounge at the airport, where you'll also have access to free food and alcohol before the flight.
Safe travels!
When I flew Delta Business Class pre-Covid, it was possible to request that your entire meal be served at once, rather than as different courses, enabling more time to try to sleep.
"When I flew Delta Business Class pre-Covid, it was possible to request that your entire meal be served at once, rather than as different courses, enabling more time to try to sleep."
You no longer have to request that... they pretty much quit doing anything but "desert" as a separate course. . You know to "protect us from Covid" (Or to save them money,..... LOL!)
They did not serve cookies on my flight home from London in business class in March so.. ymmv on that.
By all means don't forget the lounge with the nice chairs, quietness, wine/beer and snacks--some of them with sandwiches, tacos, etc. I haven't flown Swiss Air but have flown business with United, Lufthansa and Air France. My experiences have been that since you board first, it's an offer of a quick drink before take off. As soon as the fasten seat belt sign goes off, the bartenders (!) are back again with (wine for me). I'm generally reading and when I look up, my drink has been topped off-hmmm. Then around 1-1/2 hours into the flight, it's a warm, damp cloth to clean your hands, real napkins and silverware on a much larger tray table. I actually don't remember the food but it's always too much for me. I do remember the ice cream sundaes that my husband always asks for double hot fudge and always gets it. Service in business is sooooo much nicer. As others have said, breakfast is an hour before landing. I just eat the yogurt. You're going to be spoiled for anything else after business class. Enjoy!
Please don’t insult the flight attendants by calling them bartenders They won’t be impressed
Flying ORD-ZRH on SWISS in J last September (LX9), dinner was served a while (an hour? two?) after departing ORD. This was to allow time for pax to settle, serve/eat/clear, and still allow time bed down for sleep. (I didn't think I was sleeping much, but suddenly I smelled breakfast.) Breakfast was served 1-2 hours prior to landing; enough time to serve, eat, and clear before everything had to be stowed for landing.
There were also snacks and light food available between meals.
