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.

SWISS to recruit experienced first officers

In addition to training new ab initio pilots, SWISS will be recruiting trained first officers with or without a current type rating for the next few years. Having been unable to train any new pilots during the COVID-19 pandemic, SWISS is ensuring through these actions that it will continue to maintain adequate numbers of cockpit personnel.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) was unable to train any new pilots during the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure that it will continue to have enough cockpit personnel in the years ahead, in addition to offering ab initio pilot training, Switzerland’s biggest airline will also be recruiting already-trained first officers to its cockpit crew corps from this autumn onwards.

“We are looking forward to welcoming experienced first officers, too, to our pilot ranks,” says Stefan-Kenan Scheib, SWISS’s Head of Flight Operations. “With our ab initio pilot training taking about two years, we need to recruit such already-trained first officers as well to ensure that we can maintain stable flight operations in the medium term.”

New meals on SWISS flights..... a new taste of Switzerland

SWISS is taking its Business and First Class guests on a gourmet trip to Canton St. Gallen in the latest phase of its ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ inflight culinary programme

The new meals have been created by Bernadette Lisibach, starred chef at the reputed Neue Blumenau restaurant in the village of Lömmenschwil. SWISS’s Premium Economy Class passengers will also enjoy a three-course inflight meal that has been inspired by Canton St. Gallen specialities.

For the next three months Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be serving its First and Business Class guests culinary delights that have been concocted in collaboration with the Neue Blumenau restaurant in Lömmenschwil, Canton St. Gallen. The gourmet locale not far from Lake Constance is home to Michelin-starred executive chef Bernadette Lisibach, who is renowned for her down-to-earth creations using local regional ingredients.

Bernadette Lisibach has been delighting the Neue Blumenau’s patrons with her traditional yet freshly-interpreted cuisine for the past eleven years. Her skills and creativity have already earned her the GaultMillau 2015 Chef of the Year award, her first Michelin star (in 2019) and 17 GaultMillau points. For SWISS Taste of Switzerland she has put an even firmer focus on specialities from Canton St. Gallen, to help further acquaint SWISS’s premium travellers on long-haul services from Zurich with Switzerland’s vast culinary variety.

“The gourmet creations of Bernadette Lisibach are a byword for a sound and simple approach, sheer enjoyment and quality of the highest order,” says Julia Hillenbrand, SWISS’s Head of Brand Experience. “It’s a combination that is an excellent fit with our company. And I’m delighted that our inflight guests can now sample her skills and gain a taste of the culinary offerings of Canton St. Gallen.”

SWISS serves up St. Gallen gourmet specialities from the Neue Blumenau

SWISS is taking its Business and First Class guests on a gourmet trip to Canton St. Gallen in the latest phase of its ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ inflight culinary programme, which begins today. 

The new meals have been created by Bernadette Lisibach, starred chef at the reputed Neue Blumenau restaurant in the village of Lömmenschwil. SWISS’s Premium Economy Class passengers will also enjoy a three-course inflight meal that has been inspired by Canton St. Gallen specialities.

For the next three months Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be serving its First and Business Class guests culinary delights that have been concocted in collaboration with the Neue Blumenau restaurant in Lömmenschwil, Canton St. Gallen. The gourmet locale not far from Lake Constance is home to Michelin-starred executive chef Bernadette Lisibach, who is renowned for her down-to-earth creations using local regional ingredients.

Bernadette Lisibach has been delighting the Neue Blumenau’s patrons with her traditional yet freshly-interpreted cuisine for the past eleven years. Her skills and creativity have already earned her the GaultMillau 2015 Chef of the Year award, her first Michelin star (in 2019) and 17 GaultMillau points. For SWISS Taste of Switzerland she has put an even firmer focus on specialities from Canton St. Gallen, to help further acquaint SWISS’s premium travellers on long-haul services from Zurich with Switzerland’s vast culinary variety.

“The gourmet creations of Bernadette Lisibach are a byword for a sound and simple approach, sheer enjoyment and quality of the highest order,” says Julia Hillenbrand, SWISS’s Head of Brand Experience. “It’s a combination that is an excellent fit with our company. And I’m delighted that our inflight guests can now sample her skills and gain a taste of the culinary offerings of Canton St. Gallen.”

SWISS expands its ‘Green Fares’ Europewide

Following successful trials in Scandinavia, SWISS is expanding its ‘Green Fares’ programme throughout Europe together with the Lufthansa Group. With SWISS’s Green Fares, the offsetting of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the customer’s air travel is included in the price. The new Green Fare option complements SWISS’s existing range of products in the sustainability field.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is expanding its ‘Green Fares’ to all its European markets with immediate effect, together with the further airlines of the Lufthansa Group. The new fares were introduced in SWISS’s Scandinavian markets on a trial basis in August 2022.

Any SWISS customer choosing a Green Fare for their flight will be automatically offsetting the carbon dioxide emissions generated by their individual air travel – 20% through the use of sustainable aviation fuel or SAF and the remaining 80% through a contribution to quality climate protection projects. The present generation of sustainable aviation fuels generates 80% less carbon dioxide emissions than traditional aviation kerosene. SAF also offers the future prospect of almost carbon-neutral flying.

“With our Green Fares, which we have already successfully trialled in Scandinavia, we are offering our customers a further attractive and simple option for making their air travel more sustainable and, by purchasing SAF, helping to transform the aviation sector,” says SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “Working together in this way, we can send strong signals to the market to continue to pursue SAF’s development and production. We will only be able to scale up SAF production to the extent required through a joint drive of this kind from customers, airlines and technology providers alike, and with the appropriate political support.”

SWISS to resume passenger services to Shanghai

SWISS to resume passenger services to Shanghai

Now that the entry restrictions into mainland China have been lifted a number of European carriers have or are in the process of restarting services. SWISS is the latest to announce a resumption of flights, with the confirmation its Zurich - Shanghai route is back on the schedule from early next month. 

One weekly flight is currently planned on the route for the month of March, which will then be expanded to three weekly frequencies from April onwards.

In view of the now-eased local entry provisions, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is to resume passenger services to and from Mainland China. SWISS will initially offer one weekly non-stop flight between Zurich and Shanghai from 3 March. Service on the route should then be expanded to three weekly frequencies from April onwards. The flights will generally be operated using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, or alternatively Airbus A340-300.

“We’re delighted that we’ll soon be providing our customers with flights between Zurich and Shanghai again,” says SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “It’s a high priority for us to meet the demand that is now growing again for travel between these two major business centres and beyond. Shanghai remains one of the key points in our network in terms of both inbound and outbound travellers.”

SWISS suspended its previous scheduled passenger services between Zurich and Shanghai in April 2022 in view of the travel restrictions imposed in response to the coronavirus pandemic, and its services on the route have since been limited to cargo-only flights.

In addition to resuming its Zurich-Shanghai passenger flights, SWISS will also be increasing its service to and from Hong Kong from five to six weekly frequencies in the 2023 summer schedules.

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SWISS transfers Swiss AviationSoftware to Lufthansa Technik

SWISS transferred its Swiss AviationSoftware subsidiary to Lufthansa Technik at the end of 2022. The action has been taken for strategic reasons: integrating Swiss AviationSoftware’s world-leading AMOS maintenance application into the Lufthansa Technik digital ecosystem will generate synergies throughout the Lufthansa Group and enable the further expansion and development of this still-autonomous Swiss company.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has transferred the ownership of its Swiss AviationSoftware (Swiss-AS) subsidiary to Lufthansa Technik for strategic reasons. The transfer was effected at the end of 2022. The integration of Swiss-AS into Lufthansa Technik creates a comprehensive software ecosystem which provides a unique digital backbone for the aircraft maintenance sector. Swiss-AS’s AMOS software solution complements the AVIATAR (data and analytics solutions) and Flydocs (digital records and asset solutions) platforms which are already under the same organizational roof. Swiss-AS will remain an autonomous company under the new structural arrangement. The company also remains committed for the longer term to its Swiss domicile, and plans to further enlarge its workforce.

SWISS to name 20 aircraft after Swiss tourist areas and resorts

SWISS is to conclude its 20th-anniversary celebrations by naming twenty of its Airbus A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft after Swiss tourist areas and resorts in collaboration with Switzerland Tourism. The destinations concerned have been selected via a competition. And the top three winners will each be honoured with a full naming ceremony in one of SWISS’s hangars.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is to conclude its current 20th anniversary celebrations with a very special action: twenty of its advanced Airbus A220-100 and A220-300 aircraft are to be named after Swiss tourist areas and resorts, to help publicize far and wide the sheer variety of Switzerland’s tourist landscape. To this end, SWISS and Switzerland Tourism co-ran a competition last December inviting Swiss tourist destinations to submit their own imaginative presentations on why they should be selected. Over 50 entries were received, which were each assessed by a SWISS judging panel on their creativity, their originality, their authenticity and their connection to SWISS.

“We received so many outstanding and original entries, and it was far from easy to select our 20 winners,” says Anja Beeler, SWISS’s Head of Strategic Communications & Content Creation. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all our participants for all their creative contributions. And we’re really looking forward to carrying the names of all the varied and unique winning Swiss tourist areas and resorts on our aircraft out into the world.”

The SWISS social media community also selected three favourites from among the 20 winners in a worldwide online poll: Bad Zurzach (AG), Nendaz (VS) and Viamala (GR). Each of these will enjoy its own physical aircraft naming ceremony within a SWISS hangar – two in Zurich and one in Geneva – in the course of 2023.

The winning destinations:

Canton Aargau: Bad Zurzach, Rheinfelden

Canton Bern: Haslital

Canton Fribourg: La Gruyère

Canton Glarus: Braunwald

Canton Grisons: Lenzerheide, Val Surses, Viamala

Canton Lucerne: Sempach, Willisau

Canton Schwyz: Brunnen, Morschach

Canton Solothurn: Solothurn

Canton St. Gallen: Rapperswil-Jona

Canton Ticino: Mendrisio, Verzasca

Canton Uri: Andermatt, Rütli

Canton Valais: Nendaz, Saas-Fee.

SWISS appoints Léa Wertheimer as its new Head of Corporate Communications

Léa Wertheimer has been named as SWISS’s new Head of Corporate Communications, with responsibility for setting and implementing the company’s communications strategy. She presently serves as Head of Media Relations for Swiss Post in Bern.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has appointed Léa Wertheimer as its new Head of Corporate Communications. Together with her team, she will be responsible for all of SWISS’s external and internal communications from April 2023 onwards, reporting directly to CEO Dieter Vranckx. Wertheimer succeeds Daniel Bärlocher, who left the company in October to take on a new professional challenge outside the aviation industry.

“With her long and varied experience within the communications sector, Léa Wertheimer is the ideal appointee to this demanding position,” says SWISS CEO Dieter Vranckx. “I am greatly looking forward to working with her, and I wish her every success and satisfaction in her new capacity.”

Léa Wertheimer can draw on a lengthy career within the communications sector. She has held her present position as Head of Media Relations at Swiss Post, with responsibility for all the organization’s media work and interactions, since the beginning of 2017. She also led Swiss Post’s Communications Crisis Task Force during the coronavirus pandemic. Prior to Swiss Post, she was a media spokesperson for the Swiss State Secretariat for Migration in Bern from 2013 to the end of 2016; and from 2006 to 2013 she served as an editor with the Neue Luzerner Zeitung and with the Zürcher Oberland Medien organization. She has previous experience in the aviation sector, too, having been an air transport officer at Swissport and a flight attendant with Swissair.

Léa Wertheimer is a Swiss national, and holds a phil. I secondary school teaching diploma in languages and history from the University of Zurich, a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Crisis Communications from the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) and a crisis communications management diploma from the Deutsche Presseakademie Berlin.