Lufthansa Group expands route network from Berlin this winter

With a new direct flight to Geneva, the Lufthansa Group is improving connectivity to Berlin Brandenburg Airport. Starting on October 28, SWISS will fly daily from BER to Geneva. Eurowings has also continuously expanded its position at BER in 2024. In the last six months alone, the Lufthansa Group subsidiary has increased its services from Berlin to a total of 30 destinations in Europe and the Gulf region. Passenger volume has more than doubled since the pandemic.

SWISS introduces direct flights to Geneva 

Eurowings offers daily service to Dubai and flies three times a week to Jeddah 

Eurowings positions additional aircraft at BER 

Lufthansa Group is market leader at Germany’s capital airport

Next winter, Eurowings will once again offer a nonstop Berlin-Dubai connection. From October 2024, the frequency will be increased from four times a week to a daily connection. This means that an additional Eurowings aircraft will be stationed at BER - currently, there are six, soon there will be seven. Furthermore, Eurowings will add Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to its flight schedule in winter, with three weekly flights from Berlin. Germany’s largest leisure airline is also planning to further expand its network from Berlin in 2025.

The Lufthansa Group is the market leader in Berlin. The Group’s airlines Austrian, Brussels, Eurowings, Lufthansa and SWISS currently operate around 27 percent of all flights at BER. With approximately 500 flights per week, the Lufthansa Group connects the capital region non-stop to 36 destinations. With just one transfer, travellers from Berlin can reach over 300 destinations worldwide.

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Come experience the wealth of history Berlin has to offer. Berlin is home to a myriad of universities, festivals, art museums, parks and forests. Visit the East Side Gallery - a series of paintings on the remnants of the Berlin Wall, or tour the famous Hackescher Markt with all of its outlets, clubs and galleries. Berlin is the locale of the Berlin Philharmonic, the Tiergarten, and the Jewish Museum, which presents 4000 years of German-Jewish history.

Things to do in Berlin:

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre: A fun-filled indoor playground with over 5 million LEGO bricks, perfect for a family day out.

Aquarium Berlin: Home to thousands of aquatic species, offering an exciting underwater journey for the whole family.

Olympiastadion Tour: Explore the historic Olympic Stadium and learn about its rich sporting history.

Berlin Marathon: Participate or cheer on runners in this world-renowned race through the city's iconic landmarks.

Museum Island: Discover five internationally significant museums all located on one island in the heart of Berlin.

Berlin Philharmonic: Attend a concert at one of the world’s leading orchestras known for its distinctive golden hue architecture.

Messe Berlin: One of the world's leading trade fair companies with numerous events and conferences.

Coworking Spaces: Numerous modern coworking spaces offer ideal conditions for productive work and networking.

Potsdam's Gardens: Enjoy a leisurely stroll through these UNESCO World Heritage gardens, known for their stunning landscapes.

River Spree Cruise: Experience Berlin from a different perspective on a relaxing river cruise.

‘Swiss all the way’ – SWISS’s new marketing campaign

SWISS is launching a new ‘Swiss all the way’ marketing campaign which highlights the seamless and genuine travel experience that it offers its customers. The campaign, which has been developed in collaboration with the thjnk agency, puts a particular emphasis on SWISS’s Swiss service quality and is centred on a series of emotive visual worlds, including a film illustrating the sheer lightness of the SWISS travel experience.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is launching a new marketing campaign under the ‘Swiss all the way’ claim. The campaign, which has been developed in collaboration with the reputed thjnk agency, puts the spotlight firmly on Switzerland’s leading airline’s comprehensive product promise of a unique travel experience that begins long before departure and extends well beyond landing. SWISS has also refined its brand identity to put its Swiss service quality USP firmly centrestage.

“With this campaign we are affirming our credentials as a host that offers every traveller its utmost attention and its warmest hospitality down to the finest detail,” explains SWISS Head of Marketing Stefan Vasic. “‘Swiss all the way’ means a seamless, comfortable and genuine travel experience – from the booking on the app to moments of delight on board and all the way through to a warm ‘Uf Wiederluege’ goodbye.”

SWISS has been working for some time now on substantially further enhancing its customer experience both in the air and on the ground. ‘Swiss all the way’ is an expression of these endeavours and a promise to the traveller.

A creative interpretation and an emotive visual world

The new campaign is being brought to life through a warm and cinematic visual language. At its heart is a film that captures the sheer lightness of flying with SWISS: a couple dancing from home via the SWISS Lounge and all the way to their flight to New York, symbolizing the smooth and effortless SWISS travel experience. Five shorter films serve to spotlight various SWISS services.

A series of 26 different motifs emphasize the variety and the quality of the SWISS service product and make the new ‘Swiss all the way’ claim a perceptible customer reality at numerous touchpoints along the travel chain.

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SWISS to add Berlin to its Geneva network

SWISS is to further expand its Geneva-based route network this winter with the addition of new daily service to Berlin. The company will also be putting a particular emphasis on its services between Geneva and Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Oslo in the coming winter schedules to better meet the growing demand for travel to Switzerland among Scandinavian winter sports enthusiasts. Elsewhere, SWISS will also be increasing its frequencies between Geneva and numerous destinations in Southern Europe to offer its customers in the markets concerned with greater travel flexibility.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be expanding its Geneva-based route network with the introduction of new daily service to and from Berlin from 28 October. The capital of Germany is well known as both an economic and a cultural hub, and the new Geneva-Berlin route should thus appeal to both business travellers and leisure visitors keen to experience one of Europe’s most vibrant cities. The new service further strengthens SWISS’s presence in Northern Germany, which it already serves from Geneva with four weekly Hamburg flights.

More flights for Scandinavia

Swiss-based travellers increasingly attracted to Scandinavia’s magical winter landscapes will be able to choose from even more SWISS services between Geneva and Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Oslo in the coming winter season. In raising its frequencies on these routes, SWISS is also responding to the growing demand among Scandinavian winter sports enthusiasts to experience Switzerland’s various ski resorts.

More frequencies for Southern Europe, too

SWISS will also be looking after the sunseekers among its customers this winter, with added weekly frequencies between Geneva and Athens, Marrakech, Valencia and Malaga.

The 2024/25 winter timetable period runs from 27 October 2024 to 29 March 2025. SWISS’s winter schedules will offer 21 short-haul destinations from Geneva along with services on the Geneva-New York route.

European destinations for winter 2024 can be booked starting from 10 September 2024.

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SWISS to offer inflight delights from FAHR restaurant in Canton Aargau

WISS will be offering travellers on its long-haul services from Switzerland culinary delights from Canton Aargau for the next three months. The new First and Business Class meals are the creation of starred chef Manuel Steigmeier, chef de cuisine at the FAHR restaurant in the Aargau village of Künten. And for Premium Economy Class guests, this latest chapter in the ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ inflight culinary programme also brings selected Aargau specialities that include the canton’s famous ‘Rüeblikuchen’ carrot cake. 

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be serving First and Business Class guests on its long-haul flights from Switzerland culinary creations from Canton Aargau for the next three months. The FAHR restaurant in the Aargau village of Künten is the proud holder of one Michelin star and 17 GaultMillau points. And its kitchen is headed by 29-year-old chef de cuisine Manuel Steigmeier, with his wife Alexandra as the restaurant’s chef de service. Idyllically located between the River Reuss and the picturesque Reusstal recreational area, the FAHR is a byword for contemporary culinary fare that is hallmarked by its purist presentation and its extensive use of local and regional ingredients.

“The concoctions of Manuel Steigmeier blend classic elements with a fresh creative touch – a combination that fits excellently with SWISS,” says SWISS Head of Brand Experience Julia Hillenbrand. “And I’m delighted that we can now take our inflight guests, too, on this exciting culinary journey.”

“It’s a genuine honour for our FAHR culinary team to represent Canton Aargau aloft,” adds Manuel Steigmeier. “Our restaurant guests often see SWISS aircraft flying over from our garden terrace. And knowing that our meal creations will now be served so high above the clouds makes us all truly proud.”

Lufthansa Group set to head back to Tel Aviv from Thursday morning.

The Lufthansa Group has decided it is safe to restart services to Tel Aviv the build-up of drones by Iran and the ongoing volatility in the region.  

Austrian Airlines is operating a flight on Thursday morning at 01:50 from Vienna International Airport, touching down at Ben Gurion International at 06:15. Later in the morning Brussels Airlines will be departing at 9:20 and heading to Tel Aviv for an eta of 14:50. SWISS has a flight leaving at  12:00 from Zurich, getting to Tel Aviv at 17:00, whilst Lufthansa is starting flights from Frankfurt and Munich on Friday.  

The rapid deployment of U.S. fighter jets and support aircraft, along with hundreds of extra missiles in the last two weeks has no doubt contributed to the safety considerations by airline managers.  Air France recently reintroduced its flights to Tel Aviv. 

Tabea Hasler is the new Head of Revenue Steering at SWISS

Tabea Hasler has been named as SWISS’s new Head of Revenue Steering. Hasler, who is a Swiss national, presently serves as Head of Digital Ecosystem Steering & Innovation for the Lufthansa Group. In her new capacity she succeeds Christian Sigg, who took up his new duties as SWISS’s Head of Ground Operations in July 2024.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has appointed Tabea Hasler as its new Head of Revenue Steering. She will take up her new duties, in which she will report to SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Heike Birlenbach and to Ulrich Lindner, Vice President Offer Steering & Ancillaries of the Lufthansa Group, on 1 September 2024. In her new capacity Tabea Hasler will bear responsibility, together with her team, for optimizing the revenue management and revenue steering for SWISS’s Zurich- and Geneva-based services and Edelweiss flights, and for driving and promoting various Lufthansa Group-wide revenue management projects.

Julia Wetter-Studinka named new Head of Regional Sales Switzerland for SWISS

Julia Wetter-Studinka has been appointed as SWISS’s new Head of Regional Sales Switzerland. She will take up her duties on 1 September 2024. Wetter-Studinka, who presently serves as SWISS’s Head of Corporate & TMC Key Account Management, succeeds Marco Willa, who has assumed a new function as Head of Onboard Experience for the Lufthansa Group.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has appointed Julia Wetter-Studinka as its new Head of Regional Sales Switzerland. In this capacity Wetter-Studinka will drive and promote the commercial sales activities of all the Lufthansa Group’s passenger airlines in Switzerland, with due and full regard to competitor developments and market trends. She will report directly to Johannes Walter, Vice President Area Management Home Markets Lufthansa Group, and to SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Heike Birlenbach. Wetter-Studinka succeeds Marco Willa, who assumed new responsibilities at the beginning of August as Head of Onboard Experience for the Lufthansa Group.

SWISS appoints Julia Wetter-Studinka as its new Head of Regional Sales Switzerland

Julia Wetter-Studinka has been appointed as SWISS’s new Head of Regional Sales Switzerland. She will take up her duties on 1 September 2024. Wetter-Studinka, who presently serves as SWISS’s Head of Corporate & TMC Key Account Management, succeeds Marco Willa, who has assumed a new function as Head of Onboard Experience for the Lufthansa Group.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has appointed Julia Wetter-Studinka as its new Head of Regional Sales Switzerland. In this capacity Wetter-Studinka will drive and promote the commercial sales activities of all the Lufthansa Group’s passenger airlines in Switzerland, with due and full regard to competitor developments and market trends. She will report directly to Johannes Walter, Vice President Area Management Home Markets Lufthansa Group, and to SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Heike Birlenbach. Wetter-Studinka succeeds Marco Willa, who assumed new responsibilities at the beginning of August as Head of Onboard Experience for the Lufthansa Group.

SWISS reports solid first-half earnings of CHF 264 million

SWISS achieved an operating result of CHF 264.2 million on total revenues of CHF 2.7 billion for the first six months of 2024 – a solid earnings performance given the challenging market conditions. SWISS’s 2024 first-half operating result is slightly below last year’s record level, for two prime reasons. The market situation is now closer to normality, with the capacity shortages which had still substantially restricted the airline industry’s production in 2023 now significantly eased; and costs have risen, owing in particular to salary increases, higher charges and fees and the increased expense of servicing and maintaining the SWISS aircraft fleet. On top of this, SWISS has also been specifically investing in further enhancing its product and service offer. SWISS transported some 8.5 million passengers in the 2024 first-half period.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) reports a solid operating result (Adjusted EBIT) of CHF 264.2 million for the first six months of 2024. The result represents a decline of some 22 per cent from the record CHF 338.3 million achieved for the same period last year. Total revenues for January to June 2024 amounted to CHF 2.7 billion, a 5.5-per-cent increase on the CHF 2.5 billion of the prior-year period.

“The market trend back to more normal conditions that we saw in the first quarter of this year has continued faster than we originally expected,” says SWISS Chief Financial Officer Dennis Weber. “People’s desire to travel remains high, which we are very pleased about. But a number of airlines have now restored their production capacities to pre-corona volumes, and in some cases even higher. This has tangibly intensified competition; and this in turn has depressed yields below their prior-year levels.”

Alongside this changed market situation, rising costs also reduced SWISS’s earnings for the 2024 first-half period. In addition to the higher expense incurred through expanding its flight operations, the salary and other compensation increases incorporated in various new collective labour agreements, higher charges and fees and high inflation in the maintenance services field were all particularly instrumental in raising costs for the period. SWISS also invested substantially in further enhancing its customer experience, to deliver even more comprehensively on its premium promise.

Jens Fehlinger to become CEO of Swiss International Air Lines

Jens Fehlinger will be the new CEO of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). He will assume his new role on 1 October 2024 and succeed Dieter Vranckx who will become a member of the Lufthansa Group Executive Board as of 1 July 2024.

Jens Fehlinger (43) started his professional career at the Lufthansa Group in 2006, where he held various management positions. Among other things, he was in charge of strategy and business development at Lufthansa Airlines and the operational performance management for Lufthansa Group. During the Covid pandemic, he was responsible for the Group’s crisis management office and subsequently headed the ReNew restructuring project. In recent years, Jens Fehlinger has been Co-Managing Director of Lufthansa Cityline and at the same time established as managing Director the new airline Lufthansa City Airlines. 

Jens Fehlinger holds a commercial pilot’s license for the Airbus A320 and is currently an active pilot for Lufthansa Cityline.  Fehlinger holds a graduate degree (Dipl.-Ing.) in Aviation Systems Engineering and Management from the University of Bremen, Germany, and a master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Traffic and Transport from the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany. He also received an Executive MBA from the IE Business School in Madrid, Spain.

Jens Fehlinger is married and father of two children.

Heike Birlenbach, Chief Commercial Officer SWISS, will act as interim CEO until Jens Fehlinger takes over.

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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.

Your travel planning isn’t complete without learning the language—or at least some essential phrases. Fully immerse yourself in the language, or use Phrasebook to learn travel essentials—the choice is yours!

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.