SWISS starts Zurich - Gatwick service.

This week, Gatwick Airport and Swiss International Air Lines celebrated the inaugural flights between London Gatwick and Zurich.  The carrier will operate the service six times a week and are timed to connect to dozens of SWISS flights from its Zurich hub.  

SWISS new non-stop service from Washington D.C to Zurich starts this week

SWISS will connect Washington D.C. with Zurich with daily flights from this Thursday, 28th March.  The flights take around eight hours and offer a wide range of connecting cities from the centre of Europe.

Flights are on one of the carrier's 14 Airbus A330-300 aircraft. These jets can carry a maximum of 236 passengers. The capacity is divided into 183 Economy seats, 45 Business seats and 8 First Class armchairs. Following the introduction of the A330-300, SWISS was the first airline in the world to offer First Class tickets on all long-haul flights.

The innovative pneumatic seat technology provides maximum comfort in First and Business Class. The jets are powered by two Rolls Royce 772B-EP (enhanced performance) engines.

Special features -   The new SWISS Business seat on the A330-300 is probably the lightest of its kind. The air cushion alone makes the seat four kilograms lighter than the conventional version with foam padding. This weight reduction alone will help SWISS to save over 650 tonnes of kerosene a year. It will reduce the company's annual CO2 emissions by more than 2000 tonnes.

Flight times Washington to Zurich  20:45 - 10:50*

Flight times Zurich to Washington  12:55 - 16:15

Technical details

Engines	2 Rolls-Royce Trent 772B EP
Max. thrust per engine	32,250 kg
Wingspan	60.3 m
Length	63.7 m
Height	16.8 m
Crew	2/10
Passenger seats	236 (3 classes)
Max. take-off weight	235,000 kg
Max. landing weight	187,000 kg
Maximum speed	880 km/h
Max. range with a full load	8,400 km

SWISS names one of its aircraft after the Nendaz region

To mark its 20th anniversary in 2022, SWISS has been naming 20 of its aircraft after various Swiss tourist areas and resorts. Nendaz in Canton Valais was one of the top three winners in the corresponding competition. The naming ceremony was held in the SWISS hangar at Geneva Airport today, with representatives of Nendaz Tourism and Valais/Wallis Promotion in attendance.

To mark the 20th anniversary of its foundation, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) launched a unique competition last year to select 20 standout Swiss tourist areas or resorts and honour them by bestowing their names on 20 of its Airbus A220 aircraft. Following a keen contest that put a strong emphasis on creativity, originality, authenticity and the location’s links with SWISS, the Valais region of Nendaz and its creative video entry secured one of the three top places, which also earned the winning entrants their own official aircraft naming ceremony.

As a result, SWISS Airbus A220-300 HB-JCN was formally named Nendaz today in SWISS’s hangar at Geneva Airport. The naming was performed by Cheesy the Nendaz mascot, with the VIPs in attendance including Annick Loos, Head of Marketing at Nendaz Tourism, Christian Schwab, Director Products & Markets at Valais/Wallis Promotion and Romain Vetter, SWISS’s Head of Western Switzerland.

“I am delighted that, with this naming today, we can pay such a tangible tribute to the wonderful Nendaz region,” said Romain Vetter at the event. “And we are looking forward to helping spread the Nendaz name throughout our European network.”

On the Geneva-based SWISS route network, Airbus A220 Nendaz is most likely to be operated on services to London, Frankfurt, Vienna, Dublin and Athens.

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CFO Markus Binkert to leave SWISS after 19 years

SWISS Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert has decided to leave the company after more than 19 years. He will take on new duties as CEO of the SV Group.

Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert is to leave Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) after more than 19 years. He will take on new duties as CEO of the SV Group, which is active in various areas of the gastronomy and hotel management fields. Binkert will leave SWISS at the end of May. The search for his successor is under way.

“Our company has a lot to thank Markus Binkert for,” says SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx. “In the numerous key positions that he has held over the years, Markus has consistently contributed to SWISS’s success – in good times and in tougher ones such as the pandemic years. As a vital member of our Management Board, Markus has been instrumental in helping to ensure that our airline stands on the firm financial foundation that it has today, debt-free and well positioned to meet and master the challenges ahead.”

“Markus has Swissness in his blood, and has ensured time and again that SWISS embodies and reflects Swiss values,” CEO Vranckx continues. “During his time as our Chief Commercial Officer in particular, he dedicated himself to our brands and our product development, putting Swiss quality firmly centre stage and, in doing so, making a huge contribution to our commercial success. I offer Markus my sincere thanks for his exceptional commitment to our company and for his outstanding team spirit; and I wish him all the very best and every further success.”

A tangible impact on the SWISS look

After serving in the strategic consultancy sector, Markus Binkert joined SWISS as Head of Global Key Accounts & Business Sales Switzerland in 2005. He went on to hold further positions in Product, Marketing and Distribution before being appointed to the SWISS Management Board as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) in 2013. In his CCO capacity Binkert had a strong and lasting impact on the entire SWISS look: his signature can still be seen today in the company’s aircraft interiors, its airport lounges and its inflight culinary offerings.

SWISS to serve new European destinations in Summer 2024

SWISS will be making further additions to its short-haul route network in its 2024 summer schedules. Service between Zurich and Bremen will be newly offered in summer, too. Oslo will be added to the Geneva-based network; and the existing Geneva destinations of Copenhagen and Stockholm will also be newly served in the summer timetable period.

SWISS will be offering travellers an even wider range of short-haul destinations in its 2024 summer schedules. “We are very pleased to be further expanding our portfolio of European destinations to give our customers an even broader selection of air travel options,” says SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “And in doing so, we’re underlining our commitment at SWISS to offering both top-notch services and extensive travel choices.”

Bremen, which already enjoys winter SWISS service from Zurich, will now see this continued in the summer timetable period. The North German city boasts an Old Town and historic sights such as the Roland Statue and its fabled Town Musicians, along with a lively arts and culture scene. Attractively located on the River Weser and further featuring extensive shopping and dining options, Bremen is a truly appealing travel destination.

As previously announced, Cluj-Napoca and Košice will also newly join the SWISS short-haul network in the summer 2024. Elsewhere, further frequencies will be added between Zurich and various existing European destinations including Alicante, Madrid, Naples, Venice and Vilnius.

New Oslo service from Geneva

Top level changes at SWISS

SWISS has announced an imminent change in its top management: Heike Birlenbach, presently Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Lufthansa Group Airlines, is to become SWISS Chief Commercial Officer with effect from 1 January 2024. She succeeds Tamur Goudarzi Pour, who will take over responsibility for the Lufthansa Group’s Customer Experience division. In addition to this role, he will also assume responsibility for a Lufthansa Group-wide taskforce with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction in the next year.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has announced an imminent change on its Management Board. After five years with the company, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Tamur Goudarzi Pour is to assume a Lufthansa Group position. In his new capacity, he will take over responsibility for the Lufthansa Group’s Customer Experience division. In addition to this role, he will also assume responsibility for a Lufthansa Group-wide taskforce with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction in the next year.

“I would like to thank Tamur Goudarzi Pour for all his work and all his commitment to our company,” says SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx. “He successfully introduced our SWISS Premium Economy Class. He was instrumental in helping our company recover so swiftly from the coronavirus crisis years and regain its position as one of Europe’s most profitable airlines. Under Tamur’s leadership, we have prudently pursued our long-term capacity planning, and are now the stablest airline in Europe. Tamur has further advanced our fleet renewal with our new long-haul Airbus A350s; and in ‘SWISS Senses’ he has laid the foundation for our future SWISS product. We wish him all the best and every further success in his new Lufthansa Group capacity.”

Heike Birlenbach named new SWISS Chief Commercial Officer

SWISS has announced an imminent change in its top management: Heike Birlenbach, presently Senior Vice President of Customer Experience Lufthansa Group Airlines, is to become SWISS Chief Commercial Officer with effect from 1 January 2024. She succeeds Tamur Goudarzi Pour, who will take over responsibility for the Lufthansa Group’s Customer Experience division. In addition to this role, he will also assume responsibility for a Lufthansa Group-wide taskforce with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction in the next year.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has announced an imminent change on its Management Board. After five years with the company, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Tamur Goudarzi Pour is to assume a Lufthansa Group position. In his new capacity, he will take over responsibility for the Lufthansa Group’s Customer Experience division. In addition to this role, he will also assume responsibility for a Lufthansa Group-wide taskforce with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction in the next year.

“I would like to thank Tamur Goudarzi Pour for all his work and all his commitment to our company,” says SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx. “He successfully introduced our SWISS Premium Economy Class. He was instrumental in helping our company recover so swiftly from the coronavirus crisis years and regain its position as one of Europe’s most profitable airlines. Under Tamur’s leadership, we have prudently pursued our long-term capacity planning, and are now the stablest airline in Europe. Tamur has further advanced our fleet renewal with our new long-haul Airbus A350s; and in ‘SWISS Senses’ he has laid the foundation for our future SWISS product. We wish him all the best and every further success in his new Lufthansa Group capacity.”

SWISS to serve culinary creations from the Kempinski Palace Engelberg aloft

SWISS is taking its premium travellers on a gastronomic trip to Canton Obwalden in Central Switzerland for this year’s winter chapter of its ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ inflight food and beverage programme. Starting today, customers in SWISS First and SWISS Business on outbound long-haul flights from Switzerland can enjoy the culinary creations of Michéle Müller, executive chef at the luxury Kempinski Palace Engelberg hotel. SWISS Premium Economy travellers on such flights will also be offered a three-course meal that draws its inspiration from the Obwalden region.

Starting today and for the next three months, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be offering its First and Business Class guests on its long-haul services from Switzerland exclusive culinary delights from the kitchen of the Kempinski Palace Engelberg. The meals are the creations of Michéle Müller, executive chef at the five-star superior hotel in Engelberg, Canton Obwalden. Müller’s offerings for her SWISS inflight guests reflect her international experience, while also drawing inspiration from the Kempinski Palace Engelberg menus. The hotel, which is nestled in the Central Swiss Alps, is a member of the reputed Kempinski Group, and is the proud holder of 14 GaultMillau points.

“We are delighted to be able to offer our inflight guests these creations by Michéle Müller,” says Julia Hillenbrand, Head of Brand Experience at SWISS. “Michéle works with surprising ingredients, and interprets classic dishes with her own distinctive flair. So our passengers can look forward to some genuine culinary highlights from the Kempinski Palace Engelberg’s five-star kitchens.”

“I spent several years cooking in the Middle East,” adds Michéle Müller, “and my experiences there made a lasting impression on me. That’s why I like to develop my dishes with exotic spices that breathe new life into classic concoctions. And I’m honoured that I can now share my creations with SWISS’s passengers, too.”

Tasty treats from the Kempinski Palace Engelberg’s culinary world

SWISS to temporarily welcome all Economy Class travellers at Check-in 3

From next Monday onwards, SWISS will temporarily welcome its Economy and Premium Economy Class customers departing from Zurich Airport solely at Check-in 3, instead of the usual Check-ins 1 or 3. The rearrangement is due to construction work to renew the airport’s baggage sorting facility. The Check-in 1 desks for SWISS Business and First Class travellers will remain open and available as usual.

From Monday 30 October until spring 2024, Economy and Premium Economy Class customers of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) departing from Zurich will no longer begin their air journey at the desks beside the big departure display board in the airport’s Check-in 1, but will check in for their flight solely at the Check-in 3 concourse on the Airport Shopping level. The change is being made to permit construction work to renew the airport’s baggage handling facilities, which will temporarily restrict operations in the Check-in 1 area. A second (and final) phase in this renewal work is planned for October 2024, when SWISS Economy and Premium Economy Class check-in will again be temporarily provided solely in the Check-in 3 zone.

In addition to SWISS and Edelweiss, the temporary check-in rearrangements also extend to customers of further airlines of the Lufthansa Group departing from Zurich Airport. They will not, however, affect status customers, Business and First Class travellers, unaccompanied minors or customers wishing to check in an accompanying animal for transport in the cargo hold. All such travellers can continue to use the Check-in 1 concourse, but will all do so in its southern wing for the duration of the construction work. Travellers with restricted mobility may continue to use either Check-in 1 or Check-in 3 to start their air journey.

Extensive and individual information

SWISS is informing its customers about these temporarily revised Zurich Airport check-in arrangements via various channels, both in advance of their flight and on arrival at the airport, in collaboration with Zurich Airport. SWISS is alerting its travellers to the change by email; and customers checking in online will also be provided with a reminder of the new arrangements through a corresponding remark on their digital boarding pass. Further information on these temporarily revised Zurich Airport check-in arrangements (including modified advice on how to travel to the airport and get to Check-in 3) can also be found at SWISS.com/renovations-checkin-zrh.

SWISS forced to replace crew protective breathing equipment.

SWISS has identified certain issues with some of the protective breathing equipment (PBE) which is used by its crew members to protect themselves from smoke and vapours in the unlikely event of a smoke incident on board. The company immediately notified the relevant authorities, and is now gradually replacing the equipment concerned. SWISS’s specialists have also taken various actions, such as an updated training programme, to ensure that crew safety remains assured throughout the replacement phase.

The crew members of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) have various items of equipment available to them on their aircraft, such as to protect them from smoke and vapours in the unlikely event of a smoke incident on board. Protective breathing equipment (PBE) is particularly important here in providing a protective hood for cabin and cockpit crew members. The hoods concerned are equipped with oxygen generators to enable the wearer to continue to breathe and act freely even in smoke conditions. Two different types of internationally certificated PBE are presently carried on the SWISS aircraft fleet.

On two separate recent occasions, crew members on SWISS services detected an unusual odour in the course of their flight and put on PBE as a precautionary measure. When they did so, they found that some of the breathing hoods did not function faultlessly, or could only be removed with difficulty from their packaging. At no point during either incident were the crews or their passengers in any danger, and both flights went on to perform a safe and controlled landing.

SWISS to expand its short- and long-haul networks in Summer 2024

SWISS is set to tangibly expand its route network in its 2024 summer schedules, adding two new long-haul destinations to be served from Zurich and two new points within Europe. Its intercontinental network will see the addition of Washington, DC in the USA and Toronto in Canada; and its European network will be enlarged with new services to Košice in Slovakia and Cluj-Napoca in Romania.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be offering its customers a range of new destinations in its 2024 summer schedules. On the long-haul front, non-stop services from Zurich will be introduced to Washington, DC (USA) and Toronto (Canada). SWISS will also be further expanding its European route network with the addition of Košice (Slovakia) and Cluj-Napoca (Romania).

“In the wake of the pandemic, it has now become clearer than ever that travel is a deeply-rooted human need, especially among the younger generations,” says SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “The demand for air travel continues to steadily rise, and the loadings on our flights are now higher than they have ever been before. As The Airline of Switzerland, we connect our home country with the world; and, in doing so, we offer our customers a quality range of premium air services. We are delighted that we will be further expanding our route network next summer on both the short- and the long-haul front. And as we do so, we will continue to pursue the kind of balanced growth that pays due and full regard to our customers, to society and to environmental considerations and concerns.”

New services to Washington, DC and Toronto

SWISS will newly offer a daily service next summer between Zurich and Washington, DC, operated with modern Airbus A330 equipment. The US capital is a fascinating city of major historical and political importance. It’s also home to a wealth of world-famous museums like the Smithsonian Institution, and further boasts a diverse cultural scene. SWISS will serve Washington, DC all year round. The westbound service will depart from Zurich at 13:00 and arrive in Washington at 16:20 (both times local), while the eastbound service will leave the US capital at 20:45 and arrive in Zurich at 10:50 the following day. The first such service will operate on 28 March 2024, though with slightly different departure and arrival times, as this date falls within the prior 2023/24 winter timetable period.

SWISS to enlarge Premium Economy cabin for its Airbus A350s

SWISS has reached a further milestone in its project to add the Airbus A350-900 to its aircraft fleet: the cabin layout for the new long-haul twinjet has now been completed, finalizing how many seats will feature in each cabin class. SWISS’s new Airbus A350-900s will seat a total of 242 passengers. And its Premium Economy Class will be larger than those on its existing long-haul aircraft types at 38 seats, reflecting a growing demand for such premium leisure air travel.

The addition of the Airbus A350-900 to the Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) aircraft fleet, which has been scheduled for 2025 onwards, is taking further shape. Switzerland’s biggest airline has now finalized the specifications for the factory-new long-haul twinjets’ passenger cabins, marking a further milestone in the project to date. SWISS has thus determined how large each seating cabin will be, along with their seat configurations, aisles, toilets and galleys, and has also finalized how many seats will be available in each class of travel. The new Airbus A350-900s will also feature the new ‘SWISS Senses’ cabin concept, which will offer SWISS customers a totally new and more personalized air travel experience.

Premium Economy Class enlarged

The new SWISS Airbus A350-900 will seat 242 passengers in total: three in First Class, 45 in Business Class, 38 in Premium Economy Class and 156 in Economy Class.

At 38 seats, the Airbus A350-900’s Premium Economy Class will be substantially larger than those on SWISS’s existing long-haul aircraft. In expanding Premium Economy, Switzerland’s biggest airline is responding to the growing demand for air travel in the premium segment, particularly among leisure travellers.

SWISS says farewell to a fleet icon

After more than 27 years of service with Swissair and SWISS, Airbus A321 HB-IOC, the oldest member of the SWISS fleet, has made its final flight. The aircraft, which was widely known as the ‘Olympic Plane’ in view of its IOC (International Olympic Committee) registration, was flown to Castellón in Spain, where it was subsequently dismantled. As part of this phase-out process, SWISS has also been trialling a pilot project to see how various parts and components can be re-used and recycled more sustainably in ecological and economic terms. So aviation fans and design enthusiasts can look forward to some very special souvenirs.

Airbus A321 HB-IOC, the oldest aircraft in the Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) fleet, has made its final flight. The twinjet, which bore the name ‘St. Moritz’ in its SWISS days, spent more than 27 years in the service of Swissair and SWISS, carrying over seven million passengers, performing some 47,000 takeoffs and landings and spending over 73,000 hours in revenue-earning service. The iconic aircraft was flown to Castellón in Spain a few months ago, where it was cannibalized and dismantled.

SWISS has been using the phase-out of HB-IOC as a pilot project to determine how it can re-use and recycle a withdrawn aircraft’s various parts in an even more sustainable way, in ecological and economic terms. Switzerland’s biggest airline will be using many of HB-IOC’s components as spares for the remaining active members of its Airbus A320 family fleet. Parts of the cabin interior will also have a further lease of life elsewhere in the Lufthansa Group – to upgrade its cabin simulators, for instance. And as part of SWISS’s integrated life cycle management, specialists from the company will be recycling further items that cannot be re-used to recover various materials, with a particular focus on aluminium and other high-value alloys. Aviation fans and design enthusiasts can also look forward to designer furniture items and other accessories from this autumn onwards, all made from parts of the legendary HB-IOC.

The ‘Olympic Plane’

The aircraft, built in 1995 and originally named "Neuchâtel" and later "Lausanne", was fondly referred to by many employees as the "Old Lady". Due to its HB-IOC registration, the Airbus was also referred to as the "Olympic Airplane" in reference to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and even wore special Olympic livery for a few years. SWISS has produced a memorable short film of Airbus A321 HB-IOC’s final flight and phase-out, which can be viewed here.

SWISS serves meal creations from the ‘Aux Trois Amis’ restaurant in Canton Bern to its inflight guests

SWISS will be offering culinary specialities from Canton Bern to First and Business Class travellers on its long-haul flights. The latest meal creations in the airline’s ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ inflight food and beverage programme are from the kitchen of Marc Joshua Engel and Cynthia Lauper, co-hosts at the ‘Aux Trois Amis’ gourmet restaurant in Schernelz on Lake Biel. SWISS Premium Economy Class travellers can also enjoy a three-course meal aloft featuring specialities inspired by the Bern region.

Swiss International Air Lines - SWISS will be offering culinary creations from the ‘Aux Trois Amis’ gourmet restaurant in Canton Bern to its First and Business Class guests on outbound flights from Switzerland for the next three months. The Michelin-starred and 15-GaultMillau-point restaurant is located in the idyllic Lake Biel winegrowing region, sitting among the vineyards between Biel and La Neuveville.

The ‘Aux Trois Amis’ can look back on almost 130 years of hospitality and tradition, and puts a particular accent today on exciting new interpretations of classic regional dishes. For ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’, chef de cuisine Marc Joshua Engel has opted for light summery specialities that reflect his own culinary experiences of Asia, Australia and New Zealand. And sommelière and chef de service Cynthia Lauper has ensured some fine wine pairings to round off the SWISS guest’s inflight dining experience.

“The ‘Aux Trois Amis’ manages to blend Bernese cuisine with original influences from all over the globe,” enthuses Julia Hillenbrand, Head of Brand Experience at SWISS. “Its hosts truly create a unique dining experience, in which the hearty desserts combined with fresh herbs are a particular highlight. And I’m delighted that our SWISS inflight guests can now also enjoy such creations.”

“Giving SWISS travellers a summery gourmet experience that clearly bears our signature – that’s what we’ve set out to do,” explains Marc Joshua Engel. “Cooking and travel are our two great passions. So we’ve had immense pleasure combining them to bring these meals from our restaurant to the plane.”

SWISS Premium Economy Class customers travelling on flights from Switzerland will be offered the additional option of a three-course meal featuring regional specialities from Canton Bern.

Twenty years of gourmet dining aloft

SWISS has been taking the First, Business and Premium Economy Class travellers on its long-haul services from Switzerland on a journey of culinary discovery through its home country’s various regions since December 2002. Every three months a new Michelin-starred and GaultMillau-point top chef is invited to create a varied selection of top-quality dishes from their ‘home’ canton, with a particular focus on regional and seasonal specialities. The meals are also accompanied by wines and cheeses from the region concerned. In its 20-year success story to date, ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ has welcomed aboard 78 guest chefs representing every one of Switzerland’s 26 cantons.

The new menu cards for SWISS First, SWISS Business and SWISS Premium Economy travellers are attached to this media release.

Gstaad Palace becomes the first hotel to purchase sustainable aviation fuel for all its SWISS business travel

SWISS and the Gstaad Palace luxury Swiss hotel are embarking on a pioneering new partnership under which the Gstaad Palace becomes the first five-star-superior hotel to procure sustainable fuel for all its SWISS business travel. In doing so, the Gstaad Palace is not only reducing the CO2 emissions generated by its business travel: it is also helping substantially to promote the use and further development of sustainable fuels.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and the Gstaad Palace luxury Swiss hotel are embarking on a pioneering new partnership. Under their new accord, the Gstaad Palace will now procure sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) for all its business travel on SWISS. The Gstaad Palace thus becomes the first hotel of its kind to commit to using solely SAF for all its business air travel.

“The Gstaad Palace and SWISS are reputed premium brands that are both committed not only to top-quality service but to sustainability, too,” says SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx. “I’m delighted that our new collaboration brings the desire to make travel more sustainable a further key step forward. In committing to these actions, the Gstaad Palace is playing a truly pioneering role. And we hope at SWISS that many further companies will follow its example.”

SWISS names Airbus A220 after Viamala region

As part of its recent 20th-anniversary celebrations, SWISS is currently naming 20 of its aircraft after Swiss tourist regions. 

Following a competition, the Viamala region in Canton Graubünden has won one of the coveted spots. The naming was conducted in the SWISS hangar at Zurich Airport, with top skier Gino Caviezel performing the honours. The passengers on the first flight of the newly-named aircraft enjoyed a special surprise, too.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is currently naming 20 of its advanced Airbus A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft after Swiss tourist regions as part of its recent 20th anniversary celebrations. To these ends, the company teamed up with Switzerland Tourism last December to launch a contest inviting the country’s various tourist regions to compete for the honour, with three such namings to win. With its creative video entry, the Viamala region in Canton Graubünden was among the lucky winners.

“I am delighted that the multi-faceted Viamala tourist region will now have its name carried on one of our Airbus A220s,” says SWISS Head of Regional Sales Switzerland Marco Willa. “With all its extensive history, this wonderful region is an ideal choice, and a perfect ambassador for all of Switzerland’s natural beauty.”

Airbus A220-100 HB-JBF was formally named ‘Viamala’ at a ceremony in the SWISS hangar at Zurich Airport. The naming was performed by top Swiss skier Gino Caviezel, whose roots are in Viamala, in the presence of Viamala Tourism Director Patric Berg, SWISS Head of Regional Sales Switzerland Marco Willa and further invitees.

The first flight of the newly-named ‘Viamala’ was from Zurich to Dresden. And its passengers were in for a particular surprise: free entry to the breathtaking Viamala Gorge, courtesy of the Viamala region.

SWISS reports CHF 78.4 million operating result for the first-quarter period and goes debt free

SWISS has recorded an exceptionally strong start to 2023, and reports an operating result of CHF 78.4 million for the first-quarter period. Total revenues for the first three months of the year amounted to CHF 1.1 billion, some 55 per cent above their prior-year level. SWISS transported over three million passengers in the period. 

The company benefited in particular from high schedule stability, an improved cost base and its strong home Swiss market. Ensuring maximum reliability in its flight operations will continue to be a key SWISS priority for the months ahead. The company was also able to repay all its loan financing from the Lufthansa Group in the first-quarter period, and is thus now debt-free.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has reported an exceptionally strong earnings result for the seasonally weak first quarter of the year. For the first three months of 2023 the Swiss airline achieved an operating result of CHF 78.4 million (Q1 2022: CHF -47.4 million). Total revenues for the period amounted to CHF 1.1 billion, up some 55 per cent on the prior-year period (Q1 2022: CHF 712 million).

“Our lower cost base following our restructuring in 2021 and the high reliability of our flight schedules again served as key factors in this strong earnings performance,” says SWISS Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert. “Our first-quarter result is a clear confirmation that SWISS is structurally sound and was able to take further full advantage of a favourable market environment. People’s keen desire to travel continues to generate a strong demand for flights, while our industry’s overall capacities remain reduced following the corona years.”

As it had in 2022, the particular constellation of supply and demand resulted in reduced availabilities of low-fare tickets. This in turn had a positive impact on yields. The strength of its home Swiss market also proved a particular benefit to SWISS.

SWISS’s cargo business made a further major contribution to overall earnings for the period, though no longer at the record levels seen in the past few years. This is partly because the company operated substantially fewer cargo-only flights in the first-quarter period.

SWISS Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert on the Q1 results 2023

 

SWISS pledge to increase long-haul services during its winter schedule

Swiss International Air Lines - SWISS promises to expand its range of long-haul flights in the coming winter schedules to offer its customers even more attractive travel options. The destinations which will receive more SWISS services this winter include Miami (USA), Shanghai (China), Singapore (Singapore) and Cairo (Egypt). SWISS will also continue to make every possible effort to maintain maximum stability throughout its flight schedules.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is to expand its range of long-haul services in the coming winter schedules in response to continuing growing demand.

Frequencies to Miami in Southern Florida will be doubled from their summer 2023 levels to up to 14 weekly flights. Shanghai in China will return to receiving six-times-weekly service this winter, three frequencies more than have been offered during the present summer season. Singapore will revert to daily SWISS service through the addition of one further weekly flight. Egypt’s capital Cairo will also be served daily in the coming winter timetable period.

“SWISS is currently experiencing a lot of demand and a still strong desire to travel, despite all the economic and political uncertainties,” explains SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “We’re very pleased to be further expanding our range of long-haul services this coming winter, within the overall framework of our long-term network planning, to offer our customers an even more attractive choice of flights. But while doing so, it remains our paramount objective to provide our passengers with stable and reliable flight operations.”

SWISS travellers will be offered a total of 21 long-haul destinations in the coming winter schedules (see table below). The winter timetable period runs from 29 October 2023 to 30 March 2024.

SWISS to trial passenger count using artificial intelligence

SWISS is to trial the use of artificial intelligence to conduct its passenger count during boarding on selected flights between April and June. The new approach should both enhance security and ease the workload of its cabin personnel. SWISS will be putting a top emphasis on data security and data protection in the new procedure, and will ensure its full compliance with Europe’s and Switzerland’s strict data protection laws throughout the trial process.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) plans a three-month trial together with an external partner of using artificial intelligence (AI) to conduct its passenger count during the flight boarding process. The digitalization of the passenger count procedure is intended to enhance security and simultaneously ease the workload of the airline’s cabin personnel. To these ends, on selected SWISS flights from Zurich between April and June, a camera will be temporarily installed in the cabin for the boarding process, to record passengers as they embark and determine their total numbers.

The recordings will be used solely to train the AI application in the boarding process. It must be able, for instance, to distinguish whether a passenger is carrying an infant in their arms, and must also function faultlessly even in challenging lighting conditions. Results will be constantly analyzed throughout the trial phase to steadily improve the AI’s reliability. In view of the new approach’s trial nature, the cabin crew will also conduct a parallel passenger count using the established manual procedure on the flights concerned.

Data security and data protection assured

SWISS attaches the highest importance to data security and data protection. All the recordings made will be processed in full compliance with the strict European (GDPR) and Swiss (FADP) data protection provisions, and will then be deleted. The data recorded will be used solely for passenger count purposes. No persons will be identified from them. In addition, only visual images will be recorded, and only in the aircraft door area. No further recordings (such as audio) will be performed.

Passengers on the flights concerned will be informed of the trial before they embark. After the trial is concluded, SWISS will analyze the results and then decide on the further course of action as well as on a possible introduction.

New-look Non-Schengen lounge at Zurich Airport opens for SWISS

SWISS is reopening its Non-Schengen Lounge in Zurich Airport’s Terminal D.

Extending over 650 square metres, the fully refurbished lounge offers travellers a comfortable retreat with appealing views of the airport’s apron activity and the Alps beyond. The lounge is available to all Business Class and First Class travellers along with Senators and HON Circle members of SWISS and the Lufthansa Group, and Business Class travellers on further Star Alliance airlines.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is further expanding its range of lounge facilities at Zurich Airport with the opening of the newly-refurbished SWISS Non-Schengen Lounge in the D Gates area. The lounge is located within the airport’s transfer zone, and offers its visitors a wide range of attractions over its 650 square metres. With spectacular views of the airport apron and the distant Alps, travellers can enjoy a broad selection of food and drinks in superior yet comfortable surroundings as they wait for their departing flight.

The existing lounge concept expanded

“I am delighted that we can again offer our travellers in Zurich Airport’s non-Schengen zone a lounge experience with outstanding service quality that fully meets all our premium aspirations and caters to the diverse needs of our customers,” says SWISS Head of Brand Experience Julia Hillenbrand. “With its colours and its materials, our restyled lounge gives our guests a new and enhanced sense of comfort and well-being.”

The new lounge’s concept blends design facets of the existing SWISS lounges with new accents and top-quality materials. Bright wood features combine with discreet Swiss slate elements and soft claret tones to welcome the visitor and provide a warm ambience that invites the traveller to stay, rest and enjoy. The combination of natural elements and muted colours is also in harmony with the ‘SWISS Senses’ design.