SWISS joins the UN Global Compact

SWISS has become a member of the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein. In doing so, the airline is underlining its commitment to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and to sustainable development. The UN Global Compact platform is dedicated to strengthening companies in their corporate responsibility.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has joined the UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein. In doing so, the airline is underlining its commitment to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact in the fields of the environment, human rights, labour and anti-corruption, and to the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. SWISS is joining as a subsidiary of Lufthansa, which has been a UN Global Compact member since 2002.

“Sustainable and responsible corporate conduct is a cornerstone of our business strategy,” confirms SWISS Chief Executive Officer Dieter Vranckx. “We view it as our duty to play our part in ensuring more sustainable mobility and a more sustainable economy. We need strong partnerships, strategic collaborations, investments and broad-based alliances if we are to achieve our sustainability objectives,” Vranckx continues. “The UN Global Compact is the prime worldwide network for promoting responsible business practices; and we are convinced that, working together, we can make substantial further progress in our sustainability endeavours.”

A network to strengthen corporate responsibility

The UN Global Compact Network Switzerland & Liechtenstein is the official platform of the UN Global Compact in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. The network brings companies together and motivates them to pursue responsible and sustainable business practices. It further helps its member companies to ensure that their strategies, processes and culture are fully aligned to the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

New labour agreement rejected by SWISS pilots...the future looks uncertain

Improved SWISS offer for new cockpit collective labour agreement rejected by pilots’ association

SWISS pilots want more money to carry on flying for the national airline. Photo SWISS

There has been surprise and a fair amount of consternation in the aviation industry in Switzerland as the latest deal offered by the national carrier SWISS, part of the vast Lufthansa Group has been rejected by those representing the airline's cockpit crews.

SWISS has presented the Aeropers pilots’ association with an offer for a new cockpit collective labour agreement (CLA) which is an improvement of more than CHF 60 million on the previous new CLA proposed. The Aeropers executive committee has rejected this latest offer as inadequate and has made demands of its own totalling over CHF 200 million. SWISS remains open to further negotiations.

The proposed new CLA2022 collective labour agreement for Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) cockpit personnel was rejected by the members of the Aeropers pilots’ association at the end of August. SWISS and Aeropers have since been engaged in negotiations on modifications to the CLA2022 proposal. Last Tuesday SWISS submitted an improved offer to Aeropers. This included:

measures to improve the compatibility of professional demands with private life worth some CHF 30 million over the proposed new CLA’s four-year duration;

an offer to partially transfer variable salary components to fixed-salary status, or alternatively to increase the variable salary components if an Adjusted EBIT margin is achieved of between 6 and 12 per cent;

increases in pilots’ total remuneration (including variable compensation and company pension scheme contributions) of between CHF 3,000 and CHF 9,000 a year, depending on years of service, an action which also pays due regard to the current cost-of-living increases.

Improvements worth over CHF 60 million rejected

SWISS brings starred cuisine from Zurich’s Baur au Lac aboard

SWISS will be offering its First and Business Class travellers culinary delights in collaboration with Zurich’s traditional Baur au Lac hotel from today onwards in the latest chapter of the airline’s ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ inflight foodservice programme. The new meals have been created by top chefs Laurent Eperon and Maximilian Müller of the hotel’s Pavillon gourmet restaurant. SWISS Premium Economy Class passengers can also enjoy a range of food specialities inspired by the Zurich region.

For the next three months, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be offering its First and Business Class travellers culinary creations from Zurich’s world-famous Baur au Lac. The traditional five-star hotel beside Lake Zurich is, like SWISS, committed to the highest product and service quality. So the new collaboration with the hotel’s own Pavillon gourmet restaurant provides SWISS with an excellent opportunity to pamper its inflight guests at the highest level.

Laurent Eperon and Maximilian Müller, the two chefs de cuisine of the two-Michelin-star and 18-GaultMillau-point Pavillon, will be treating SWISS’s premium travellers on long-haul services from Switzerland to their modern interpretation of French haute cuisine. For their ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ creations they have also drawn strongly on specialities from Canton Zurich to help further familiarize SWISS’s customers with Switzerland’s sheer culinary variety.

Leading leisure carrier Edelweiss is to take over an Airbus A340 from sister airline Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS)

The leading leisure travel airline in Switzerland, Edelweiss is to take over an Airbus A340 from sister airline Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). The aircraft is to be deployed from July 2023. Edelweiss' long-haul fleet will consist of five Airbus A340s from July 2023 onwards.

The Airbus A340 with the registration HB-JMC comes from the SWISS fleet. Planning work is currently underway for the upcoming modifications to the aircraft's cabin. The aircraft will be operated in the familiar Edelweiss livery.

Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss: "I am delighted that we will be able to expand our long-haul fleet again from summer 2023. The additional Airbus A340s will enable us to meet the increasing demand for flights to our long-haul holiday destinations."

In addition to the Airbus A340s, Edelweiss currently operates twelve Airbus A320s on short- and medium-haul routes. Edelweiss is a sister company of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and a member of the Lufthansa Group.

More passengers flew with Edelweiss in July 2022 - higher than pre-pandemic levels

Edelweiss takes over an Airbus A340 from Swiss International Air Lines for long-haul routes....

The leading leisure travel airline in Switzerland, Edelweiss is to take over an Airbus A340 from sister airline Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). The aircraft is to be deployed from July 2023. Edelweiss' long-haul fleet will consist of five Airbus A340s from July 2023 onwards.

The Airbus A340 with the registration HB-JMC comes from the SWISS fleet. Planning work is currently underway for the upcoming modifications to the aircraft's cabin. The aircraft will be operated in the familiar Edelweiss livery.

Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss: "I am delighted that we will be able to expand our long-haul fleet again from summer 2023. The additional Airbus A340s will enable us to meet the increasing demand for flights to our long-haul holiday destinations."

In addition to the Airbus A340s, Edelweiss currently operates twelve Airbus A320s on short- and medium-haul routes. Edelweiss is a sister company of Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and a member of the Lufthansa Group.

More passengers flew with Edelweiss in July 2022 - higher than pre-pandemic levels

SWISS returned to profit in the first six months of 2022

SWISS returned to profit in the first six months of 2022 and posted an operating result of CHF 67.0 million for the period. The encouraging business developments that had been seen in the first few months of the year strengthened further in the second-quarter period. The Airline of Switzerland benefited in particular from sizeable booking demand and from the improved profitability provided by its completed restructuring activities. SWISS transported some 5.3 million passengers in the first six months of 2022, five times as many as it had carried in the prior-year period. The increase was reflected in first-half revenues, which totalled CHF 1.8 billion. Despite the likelihood of an economic slowdown, SWISS is also confident of returning to profit in its 2022 full-year results.

SWISS posts first-half operating profit of CHF 67 million

After some initial setbacks owing to the Omicron coronavirus variant in the first few weeks of 2022, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) saw the first signs of renewed growth in its booking volumes as early as the first-quarter period. The positive trend strengthened in the course of the second quarter; and first-half earnings were further boosted by the cost optimizations achieved through the company’s restructuring activities. Higher fuel costs were partially offset by the steep increase in customers’ travel activities and by higher ticket prices. Cargo business also remained buoyant, and again made a key contribution to overall financial results. Adjusted EBIT for the first half of 2022 amounted to CHF 67.0 million, a substantial CHF 465 million improvement on its prior-year level (H1 2021: CHF -398.2 million) that enabled a return to operating profit earlier than projected. Total revenues were raised 179.7 per cent to CHF 1.8 billion (H1 2021: CHF 659.3 million). First-half capacity was at 62 per cent of that of the comparable period in 2019; by contrast, first-half capacity in 2021 was at some 26 per cent of its 2019 level.

SWISS and airBaltic collaboration - up to six Airbus A220 airBaltic jets to operate for SWISS

A new special collaboration between the Basel-based SWISS and the Latvian carrier airBaltic could see up to six airBaltic A220s operating on a wet-lease basis for the Swiss airline for the winter period.

The partnership is intended to further stabilize SWISS’s flight schedules and provide even more reliability for its customers’ travel plans. It should also further ease the present pressures on the company’s cabin personnel. 

Swiss International Air Lines confirmed the plans on Monday morning which will see airBaltic perform SWISS flights on SWISS’s behalf. The services concerned will be operated by up to six of Air Baltic’s highly advanced and CO2-efficient Airbus A220-300 aircraft, which seat up to 145 passengers. SWISS itself operates 21 such twinjets. The airBaltic aircraft and crews will perform various flights throughout the SWISS European route network which had previously been planned for SWISS’s own operation.

“This collaboration with airBaltic will enable us to further stabilize our own flight schedules and give our customers even greater reliability for making their travel plans,” explains SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “On top of this, it should also help further relieve the present pressures on our cabin crew corps.”

The new collaboration with airBaltic is also viewed as a complement to SWISS’s existing partnership with Helvetic Airways. On the latter front, in addition to the six Helvetic aircraft already operated all year round on SWISS’s behalf, further Helvetic Airways equipment may also be flexibly deployed on SWISS routes in future to cover peaks in demand.

Travellers taking a SWISS flight operated by airBaltic can essentially expect the usual SWISS service product. “airBaltic is an ideal wet-lease partner for us,” confirms SWISS CCO Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “Like us, they operate the highly advanced, innovative and eco-friendly Airbus A220-300. And they have already performed flights for other airlines of the Lufthansa Group this summer with impressive reliability.”

SWISS posts first-half operating profit of CHF 67 million

SWISS returned to profit in the first six months of 2022 and posted an operating result of CHF 67.0 million for the period. The encouraging business developments that had been seen in the first few months of the year strengthened further in the second-quarter period. The national airline of Switzerland benefited in particular from sizeable booking demand and from the improved profitability provided by its completed restructuring activities. SWISS transported some 5.3 million passengers in the first six months of 2022, five times as many as it had carried in the prior-year period. The increase was reflected in first-half revenues, which totalled CHF 1.8 billion. Despite the likelihood of an economic slowdown, SWISS is also confident of returning to profit in its 2022 full-year results.

After some initial setbacks owing to the Omicron coronavirus variant in the first few weeks of 2022, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) saw the first signs of renewed growth in its booking volumes as early as the first-quarter period. The positive trend strengthened in the course of the second quarter; and first-half earnings were further boosted by the cost optimizations achieved through the company’s restructuring activities. Higher fuel costs were partially offset by the steep increase in customers’ travel activities and by higher ticket prices. Cargo business also remained buoyant, and again made a key contribution to overall financial results. Adjusted EBIT for the first half of 2022 amounted to CHF 67.0 million, a substantial CHF 465 million improvement on its prior-year level (H1 2021: CHF -398.2 million) that enabled a return to operating profit earlier than projected. Total revenues were raised 179.7 per cent to CHF 1.8 billion (H1 2021: CHF 659.3 million). First-half capacity was at 62 per cent of that of the comparable period in 2019; by contrast, first-half capacity in 2021 was at some 26 per cent of its 2019 level.

“We are delighted to be back in profit again after just the first six months of this year, and to have achieved this despite our still reduced capacities,” says SWISS Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert. “The combination of substantial pent-up travel demand, higher ticket prices and our improved cost structures has had a very beneficial impact on our liquidity situation over the past few months. This also enabled us to terminate our bank loan facility which had been guaranteed by the Swiss Confederation ahead of time in the course of the second quarter.”

Positive trend strengthened in the second-quarter period

SWISS expands its customers’ carbon-neutral air travel options

SWISS is introducing a new ‘Green Fare’ for customers flying from Denmark, Sweden or Norway which ensures that the carbon dioxide emissions generated by their air travel are fully offset through the use of sustainable aviation fuel and investments in climate protection projects. SWISS customers’ use of the carbon-neutral flying option has increased tenfold since this was integrated into the flight booking process. All SWISS long-haul guests will also be able to make their flight carbon-neutral via an onboard carbon offset option by the end of this year.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) and its sister carriers within the Lufthansa Group are launching a new trial ‘Green Fare’ today for customers travelling from Denmark, Sweden or Norway. As a further element in SWISS’s endeavours to ensure sustainable air travel, the new Green Fare includes a full offset of the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the customer’s flight – 20 per cent through a corresponding purchase of sustainable aviation fuel and 80 per cent via investments in long-term climate protection projects. The Green Fare also earns customers additional Miles & More status and award miles, and further permits rebookings free of charge.

The new Green Fare is offered alongside the further fare options available – Light, Classic or Flex – in the booking process. Green Fares can be booked as of today via swiss.com for flights from Denmark, Sweden or Norway to European destinations, and are available for both Economy and Business Class travel. SWISS’s B2B travel partners in Scandinavia will also be able to make use of the new Green Fare option from this autumn onwards. The trial phase of the new Green Fares will extend for around six months.

“At SWISS we’ve set ourselves ambitious climate care objectives,” explains Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “We aim to reduce our net carbon dioxide emissions to zero by 2050. And among other actions, innovative and attractive offers like the new Green Fares that we are now introducing in selected test markets will be a key means of achieving this.”

Integration into booking process raises popularity

SWISS expands winter route network........

Europe’s entire air transport sector is operating under difficult conditions in the present summer timetable period. SWISS continues to focus on keeping its operations as stable as possible and will provide its customers with an attractive and varied portfolio of destinations in its 2022/23 winter schedules. The coming SWISS winter timetable will offer services from Zurich and Geneva to 93 destinations, with total capacity at some 80 per cent of its 2019 levels. 

New to the SWISS network will be Bristol in Southern England, served from Zurich. The services initiated this summer to Bologna, Nantes, Sofia and Vilnius will also be continued in the winter timetable period. SWISS passengers will further enjoy the new Premium Economy Class for the first time this winter throughout the Boeing 777 long-haul fleet. From Geneva, SWISS services to Scandinavia will be further expanded, and the new direct service to Brussels introduced this summer in collaboration with Brussels Airlines will also be continued.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be further expanding its portfolio of destinations and offering its customers an even more varied range of air services in the coming winter timetable period. All in all, SWISS will provide services from Zurich and Geneva to 93 destinations – a wider range of points than were served in the winter before the pandemic, though with fewer frequencies. Customers will have a choice of 83 destinations from Zurich and 26 from Geneva. SWISS is planning total capacity for the winter timetable period which is at some 80 per cent of its 2019 levels.

“Given this summer’s difficult operating situation throughout Europe’s air transport sector, we are focusing on further stabilizing our SWISS services in the coming winter schedules,” says Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “In doing so, we’ll be offering our customers a range of flights that’s actually more extensive than it was before the pandemic. In Europe in particular we’re providing an attractive choice of destinations for the colder season. At the same time, though, we’ve been conservative in our planning and have reduced our flight programme by a number of frequencies, to ensure that we can keep our schedules as stable as possible.”

New Zurich-Bristol service

SWISS travellers from Zurich will have a choice of 61 European and 22 intercontinental destinations this winter. New to the network is the first-ever direct service to Bristol in Southern England. Bristol will be served once weekly from 4 February 2023. The new service will be operated with SWISS Airbus A220 equipment and the Embraer E190 aircraft of wet-lease partner Helvetic Airways. The new route should prove especially popular among winter sports enthusiasts in the UK. The new European services initiated to Bologna, Nantes, Sofia and Vilnius in this year’s summer schedules will also be continued in the coming winter timetable period. Elsewhere, services to destinations such as Belgrade, Porto, Alicante, Barcelona and Málaga will be expanded. On the intercontinental front, SWISS flights to Asia will also be increased: Bangkok will receive daily service again, while Singapore, Delhi and Mumbai will each have six weekly frequencies. SWISS passengers will also be able to enjoy the new Premium Economy Class for the first time this winter throughout the Boeing 777 long-haul fleet.

A wider range of services from Geneva, too

SWISS widens its range of services in its winter schedules

Europe’s entire air transport sector is operating under difficult conditions in the present summer timetable period. SWISS continues to focus on keeping its operations as stable as possible and will provide its customers with an attractive and varied portfolio of destinations in its 2022/23 winter schedules. The coming SWISS winter timetable will offer services from Zurich and Geneva to 93 destinations, with total capacity at some 80 per cent of its 2019 levels. 

New to the SWISS network will be Bristol in Southern England, served from Zurich. The services initiated this summer to Bologna, Nantes, Sofia and Vilnius will also be continued in the winter timetable period. SWISS passengers will further enjoy the new Premium Economy Class for the first time this winter throughout the Boeing 777 long-haul fleet. From Geneva, SWISS services to Scandinavia will be further expanded, and the new direct service to Brussels introduced this summer in collaboration with Brussels Airlines will also be continued.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will be further expanding its portfolio of destinations and offering its customers an even more varied range of air services in the coming winter timetable period. All in all, SWISS will provide services from Zurich and Geneva to 93 destinations – a wider range of points than were served in the winter before the pandemic, though with fewer frequencies. Customers will have a choice of 83 destinations from Zurich and 26 from Geneva. SWISS is planning total capacity for the winter timetable period which is at some 80 per cent of its 2019 levels.

“Given this summer’s difficult operating situation throughout Europe’s air transport sector, we are focusing on further stabilizing our SWISS services in the coming winter schedules,” says Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “In doing so, we’ll be offering our customers a range of flights that’s actually more extensive than it was before the pandemic. In Europe in particular we’re providing an attractive choice of destinations for the colder season. At the same time, though, we’ve been conservative in our planning and have reduced our flight programme by a number of frequencies, to ensure that we can keep our schedules as stable as possible.”

New Zurich-Bristol service

SWISS travellers from Zurich will have a choice of 61 European and 22 intercontinental destinations this winter. New to the network is the first-ever direct service to Bristol in Southern England. Bristol will be served once weekly from 4 February 2023. The new service will be operated with SWISS Airbus A220 equipment and the Embraer E190 aircraft of wet-lease partner Helvetic Airways. The new route should prove especially popular among winter sports enthusiasts in the UK. The new European services initiated to Bologna, Nantes, Sofia and Vilnius in this year’s summer schedules will also be continued in the coming winter timetable period. Elsewhere, services to destinations such as Belgrade, Porto, Alicante, Barcelona and Málaga will be expanded. On the intercontinental front, SWISS flights to Asia will also be increased: Bangkok will receive daily service again, while Singapore, Delhi and Mumbai will each have six weekly frequencies. SWISS passengers will also be able to enjoy the new Premium Economy Class for the first time this winter throughout the Boeing 777 long-haul fleet.

A wider range of services from Geneva, too

SWISS extends collaboration with AirPortr to Zurich Airport

Following a successful trial phase with the new ground product at Geneva Airport, SWISS is expanding its partnership with AirPortr to Zurich Airport, offering smart-baggage services to addresses across the whole of Switzerland.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is expanding its successful partnership with AirPortr to Zurich Airport, and to addresses across the whole of Switzerland. The attractive baggage service has been available to customers departing from Geneva Airport since last October under a trial phase. SWISS travellers departing or arriving at Zurich Airport can now also make use of AirPortr’s smart baggage services, to have their bags collected and checked-in, or delivered back to their home or hotel. These services can be booked any time on www.swiss.com.

«Following our initial success with our new partnership with AirPortr, we can now further enhance our customers’ travel experience,» says SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. «The popularity of this simple ground baggage transport service between people’s homes and Geneva Airport has shown us already that there is a strong demand for coming to the airport less burdened with bags. So we’re really pleased to be extending this attractive option to all our customers all over Switzerland.»

Randel Darby, CEO of AirPortr Technologies: «From today, SWISS customers travelling from all over Switzerland can enjoy bag-free journeys to, through and from not only Geneva, but also Zurich Airport. This extension of the AirPortr offering into their main hub is a fantastic step forward in our collaboration with SWISS, having proven the product during a successful six month testing phase. With highly attractive market pricing, we expect to see continued strong growth in demand from Swiss consumers; with baggage-free, intermodal travel to and from the airport now more accessible than ever before.»

By selecting the AirPortr option on www.swiss.com, customers can have their baggage collected from their home or hotel up to 23 hours before their flight. All the traveller needs to do is check in online. Their boarding pass will be verified during the collection, and their bags are then sealed to ensure secure transportation to the departure airport, where they are subjected to the usual security checks. Bags are collected in the normal way from the baggage carousel after landing.

Those using the arrival service complete a simple Customs ‘e-declaration’ online, which allows AirPortr to collect and clear the passenger’s bags through Customs, and deliver them to their final address. Customers are kept up-to-date via email and text at every step of the way. They can track their bags at any time through AirPortr’s web-app, and are sent digital copies of their airline baggage receipts.

An easier airport journey – with public transport, too

The AirPortr service saves travellers a lot of time and effort. They can travel baggage-free to their departure airport, skip the check-in lines, and proceed directly to security when they get there. When flying into Zurich, there’s no need to wait for their bags to arrive in the baggage hall, passengers can head straight to their final destination.

Travelling baggage-free also makes passengers more mobile, and unlocks the use of public transportation for those that would not previously have considered it. A recent AirPortr study has shown that some 66 percent of AirPortr users switched from vehicle usage to public transport as a direct result of being unencumbered by their bags.

The price of the AirPortr service is based on the collection and delivery location, and ranges from CHF 39.00 for 2 bags in Zurich, and up to CHF 69.00 in areas further away from the airport. The service is available for all SWISS flights, and can be booked online at www.swiss.com.

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SWISS has terminated state-backed bank loan facility ahead of time

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) terminated its bank loan facility guaranteed by the Swiss Confederation at the end of May 2022. With the pandemic situation now more stable and with the eased travel restrictions prompting positive trends in the company’s liquidity, SWISS is now able to meet its financing needs on the capital markets via the Lufthansa Group. In view of this, SWISS has terminated the bank loan facility which was 85% guaranteed by the Swiss Confederation ahead of its regular end date of 2025. SWISS has never drawn more than half of the total loan amount available under the facility since it was established, and paid a total of CHF 60 million in interest and fees during the loan facility period.

“The COVID pandemic triggered the greatest crisis that the aviation sector has ever experienced all over the globe,” says Reto Francioni, Chairman of the SWISS Board of Directors. “We are thankful to the Swiss Confederation, led by the Federal Department of Finance, for their belief in the future of our company in this very difficult period. And we have demonstrated in return just how much substance and how much further potential we have within our ranks. Through this great collaborative achievement, the Swiss Confederation, the banks and SWISS have jointly ensured that one of the most vital companies to the Swiss economy has been able to meet and master the acute threat it faced as a result of the COVID crisis.”

All loan conditions met

SWISS reacted immediately following the outbreak of the pandemic in March 2020, initiating extensive cost-saving measures to reduce its liquidity outflow. The Lufthansa Group also supported SWISS with CHF 500 million in loans during the pandemic. The bank loan facility which was guaranteed by the Swiss Confederation was also tied to certain locational conditions, compliance with which was monitored by the Swiss Aviation Foundation. The prime requirement here was the proportionate development of SWISS compared to the further airlines of the Lufthansa Group.

“We are very grateful to the Swiss Confederation that, together with the banks, it provided SWISS and Edelweiss with the liquidity they needed during the COVID pandemic,” says Dieter Vranckx, Chief Executive Officer of SWISS and Chairman of the Edelweiss Board of Directors. “As a result, we were able to secure the jobs of a large part of our Swiss-based workforce and give ourselves sustainably competitive cost structures, while still keeping Switzerland connected with the world throughout the pandemic period. And we have now been able to ramp up our operations again at our Zurich hub in harmony with the further hubs of the Lufthansa Group, and to proportionately develop our range of air services.”

A return through restructuring to financial stability

SWISS initiated a restructuring in summer 2021 which saw its aircraft fleet downsized some 15 per cent and its workforce reduced by around 1,700 full-time positions by the end of last year. “The actions we took are having their effect,” confirms SWISS Chief Financial Officer Markus Binkert. “After incurring cumulative losses of more than CHF 1 billion in the past two years, we have now been able to return SWISS to financial stability, and generated a positive cash flow in the first quarter of this year. This in turn enables us to emerge from the Swiss state’s support ahead of time and meet our future financial needs on the capital markets via the Lufthansa Group.”

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Hotel 101: One&Only Private Homes and ‘The Residences’ are now available for sale in Dubai's latest landmark 

Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo expand joint business agreement to include Swiss WorldCargo

Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo announce today the entry of Swiss WorldCargo into the airlines’ joint business agreement, providing cargo customers with more direct connections, more flexibility and more time-saving.

The entry of Swiss WorldCargo builds on the joint business agreement signed in 2016 between Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo, which enables the two airlines to cooperate in terms of sales, pricing, contracts, and the handling of shipments between Hong Kong and Europe.

Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa Cargo already have a close collaboration on international lanes via their hubs in Hong Kong and Germany, while the handling of cargo in Hong Kong is coordinated under one roof at the Cathay Pacific Cargo Terminal of Hong Kong International Airport.

Under the expanded joint business agreement, Cathay Pacific, Lufthansa Cargo, and Swiss WorldCargo will work closely together on network planning, as well as on sales, IT and ground handling. Initially, the airlines will cooperate on traffic from Hong Kong to Zurich and Frankfurt, with traffic to and from Hong Kong and the rest of Europe planned to be included later this year.

Cargo customers will be able to access the entire joint network via the booking systems of all three partners.

Cathay Pacific Director Cargo Tom Owen said: “We are delighted to welcome Swiss WorldCargo into our joint business agreement. Cathay Pacific is always looking for more ways to give our cargo customers greater choice and more options for shipments whenever they fly their goods with us. The addition of Swiss WorldCargo’s flights to the already large combined network of Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa will further bring Hong Kong, the world’s busiest air cargo hub, closer to Europe and strengthen one of the world’s great trade lanes.”

Lufthansa Cargo CEO Dorothea von Boxberg said: “We are very pleased about the trilateral cooperation just starting, bringing three well-known cargo carriers to the table and making our customers an even more attractive offer. Cargo customers will appreciate the opportunities for quicker and easier shipping. The expanded joint venture will generate numerous benefits for our customers because our networks, our hubs and our fleet complement each other effectively.”

Swiss International Air Lines Head of Cargo Lorenzo Stoll said: “We are very excited to be entering this joint business agreement between Lufthansa Cargo and Cathay Pacific, thanks to which we can not only strengthen our already close collaboration, but also expand our network offering to our customers, while staying true to our high quality and flexibility.”

The joint activities will be carried out in full compliance with all applicable laws, including the competition rules of the European Union and Hong Kong.

 

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Now you can pre-select your business class meal on SWISS flights......

Swiss International Air Lines - SWISS is further enhancing the air travel experience for Business Class guests on its long-haul services from Switzerland. With effect from today, such travellers can now pre-select their main inflight meal before they depart. The new option offers guests both a wider range of meal choices and the guarantee that they will be able to enjoy their preferred meal on board. The new pre-selection option is available with immediate effect for all long-haul flights from Zurich or Geneva from 1 June 2022. The meal desired can be selected free of charge via the separate swiss.com/preselect booking link within four weeks of and up to 36 hours before departure. SWISS is the first airline in the Lufthansa Group to offer the new service.

A varied selection of eight main meals

SWISS’s long-haul Business Class guests can choose from a wide and varied selection of eight main inflight meals. In addition to the four dishes featured in the current cycle of the ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ culinary programme, four further meals are offered. Three of these draw their inspiration from Swiss cuisine: a ‘Züri Geschnetzeltes’ (sliced veal in cream sauce), meatloaf with morel sauce and perch fillets with lemon butter. The fourth is a red vegetable curry with basmati rice from Zurich’s Hiltl vegetarian restaurant, SWISS’s long-standing culinary partner. The current ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ menu offers a main-meal selection of beef tenderloin with peppercorn sauce, herb-stuffed chicken, pikeperch fillet with lemon beurre blanc or the vegetarian option of Singapore noodles with vegetables which also comes from Hiltl, the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant.

SWISS guests in all classes of travel can still pre-order special meals (depending on the flight) such as kosher or gluten-free options. Such meals can be ordered free of charge, either when booking the flight or later via the Service Center.

 

 Help for Heroes.

Help for Heroes Charity helps to rebuild the lives of those with injuries and illnesses sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces. No matter when someone served, H4H give them the support they need to lead active, independent and fulfilling lives. They provide support to the whole family to help them all cope with the challenges they face. Long-term recovery is more than repairing damaged bodies and minds; it’s about rebuilding lives.

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New pre-select meal ption when flying SWISS business.

Swiss International Air Lines - SWISS is further enhancing the air travel experience for Business Class guests on its long-haul services from Switzerland. With effect from today, such travellers can now pre-select their main inflight meal before they depart. The new option offers guests both a wider range of meal choices and the guarantee that they will be able to enjoy their preferred meal on board. The new pre-selection option is available with immediate effect for all long-haul flights from Zurich or Geneva from 1 June 2022. The meal desired can be selected free of charge via the separate swiss.com/preselect booking link within four weeks of and up to 36 hours before departure. SWISS is the first airline in the Lufthansa Group to offer the new service.

A varied selection of eight main meals

SWISS’s long-haul Business Class guests can choose from a wide and varied selection of eight main inflight meals. In addition to the four dishes featured in the current cycle of the ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ culinary programme, four further meals are offered. Three of these draw their inspiration from Swiss cuisine: a ‘Züri Geschnetzeltes’ (sliced veal in cream sauce), meatloaf with morel sauce and perch fillets with lemon butter. The fourth is a red vegetable curry with basmati rice from Zurich’s Hiltl vegetarian restaurant, SWISS’s long-standing culinary partner. The current ‘SWISS Taste of Switzerland’ menu offers a main-meal selection of beef tenderloin with peppercorn sauce, herb-stuffed chicken, pikeperch fillet with lemon beurre blanc or the vegetarian option of Singapore noodles with vegetables which also comes from Hiltl, the world’s oldest vegetarian restaurant.

SWISS guests in all classes of travel can still pre-order special meals (depending on the flight) such as kosher or gluten-free options. Such meals can be ordered free of charge, either when booking the flight or later via the Service Center.

 

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SWISS and business travel provider Finass team up to further promote sustainable air travel

Swiss International Air Lines SWISS and business travel provider Finass have concluded a new partnership. Under the collaboration, which is the first of its kind in Switzerland, Finass’s corporate customers can opt to purchase sustainable aviation fuel or SAF for their air travel activities from 1 June onwards. By supporting such use of SAF, Finass’s customers will reduce the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions caused by their air travel activities, and thereby make a tangible contribution to promoting sustainable aviation.

“We are delighted to be further intensifying our long-standing Finass collaboration,” says Marco Willa, SWISS’s Head of Regional Sales Switzerland. “In committing to offering its customers the sustainable fuel option, Finass is taking on a pioneering role within the air transport sector. Commitments of this kind help tangibly promote the development of such sustainable fuels; and this in turn enables our entire industry to move closer to its goal of carbon-neutral flying.”

Finass Reisen AG CEO Claudine Furrer is equally enthusiastic. “We are very pleased to be the first business travel provider in Switzerland to offer their customers carbon-neutral air travel through SAF, in collaboration with SWISS and the Lufthansa Group,” she says. “Finass has set itself some ambitious climate objectives. And we’re proud that, with this new customer option, we can make a substantial contribution to promoting sustainable air travel.”

Carbon-neutral flying through the use of SAF

Sustainable fuels are non-fossil fuels that close the carbon cycle. Switching from fossil fuels to SAF should make the air travel of tomorrow virtually carbon-neutral. The sustainable fuels available at present are largely manufactured from biogenic waste such as used cooking oils.

Sustainable aviation fuels are not yet available in sufficient quantities, however, and are also significantly more expensive than conventional jet fuel. SWISS is therefore taking specific actions and engaging in targeted collaborations to support both the development and the increased production of SAF. Developing new sustainable fuel products is a key element in these endeavours.

 

Help for Heroes Charity helps to rebuild the lives of those with injuries and illnesses sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces. No matter when someone served, Help for Heroes give them the support they need to lead active, independent and fulfilling lives. They provide support to the whole family to help them all cope with the challenges they face. Long-term recovery is more than repairing damaged bodies and minds; it’s about rebuilding lives.

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not applicable to international or next day delivery. 

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SWISS names Julia Hillenbrand as its new Head of Brand Experience

Swiss International Air Lines - SWISS has appointed Julia Hillenbrand as its new Head of Brand Experience. She will take up her new duties in July 2022. In her new capacity Hillenbrand will be responsible, together with her team, for the entire SWISS brand and customer experience and for the overall strategic roadmap for all customer, product and marketing issues. She will report directly to SWISS Chief Commercial Officer Tamur Goudarzi Pour. Hillenbrand succeeds Caroline Drischel, who assumed her own new duties as Head of Corporate Responsibility within the Lufthansa Group on 1 April 2022.

“With her many years of marketing and commercial experience within the Lufthansa Group, Julia Hillenbrand is the ideal appointee to this vital position,” says CCO Tamur Goudarzi Pour. “I am convinced that, with her extensive expertise, she will successfully further develop and refine our attractive and valued SWISS brand. I look forward to working with her, and I wish her every success.”

Julia Hillenbrand can already look back on a long and international career within the Lufthansa Group. She has been in her present Madrid-based Senior Director Sales position since 2019 – with responsibility initially for Spain and Portugal, but for all of Western Europe since May 2021 – and has substantially increased revenues and market share in the regions concerned, together with her team. Prior to this she served as Director Sales Product & Programs Asia Pacific, based in Singapore, from 2016 to 2019; and from 2014 to 2016 she was SWISS’s London-based Head of Marketing & Pricing UK & Ireland, with responsibility for strategic marketing and pricing planning together with her international team – a role in which she successfully strengthened SWISS’s brand positioning in the markets concerned. She had previously acquired further valuable experience between 2005 and 2014 in various other capacities within the Lufthansa Group in Business Optimization & Network Planning, Business Development and Marketing & Sales, including a number of years working and living in Switzerland.

Julia Hillenbrand is a German national and holds a Master’s degree in International Business Administration from Pforzheim University. She has lived in 11 different countries and speaks six languages, including fluent English, Spanish, Portuguese and French.

                 Help for Heroes Charity helps to rebuild the lives of those with injuries and illnesses sustained while serving in the British Armed Forces. No matter when someone served, H4H give them the support they need to lead active, independent and fulfilling lives. They provide support to the whole family to help them all cope with the challenges they face. Long-term recovery is more than repairing damaged bodies and minds; it’s about rebuilding lives.

Use the voucher code MAY22FREE to get free delivery in May from Help for Heroes.

 Apply the code at the checkout for UK standard delivery. 

not applicable to international or next day delivery. 

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SWISS takes off with Google Cloud to make its flight operations more efficient and sustainable

SWISS is using artificial intelligence and Google Cloud technology to further enhance its flight operations. Its aim in doing so: to interlink all the relevant data from its various operating units to make its flight operations more stable, more efficient and more sustainable, too. The endeavours should also help minimize the impact of any irregularities on SWISS’s travelling guests.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has been working under a broader strategic partnership to use Google Cloud technology to develop a platform that facilitates the planning and steering of the airline’s daily flight operations. The new platform will help the teams working in SWISS’s Operations Control at Zurich Airport to consistently make the best decisions on the airline’s complex and highly dynamic flight operations all over the globe. The platform collates data from the various units and processes within the company such as passenger itineraries, aircraft assignments, crew rostering and aircraft maintenance, which the system can then use to propose the optimum scenarios for keeping its flight operations as stable and efficient as possible.

“As The Airline of Switzerland, we want to offer our customers punctual and reliable flight operations,” explains SWISS Chief Executive Officer Dieter Vranckx. “And our partnership with Google Cloud plays a decisive part in enabling us to maintain stable flight schedules. Google Cloud helps us further reduce our carbon dioxide emissions, by allowing us to deploy our aircraft more efficiently. So alongside our investments in other new technologies such as sustainable aviation fuel, we aim – through this project – to promote innovation in Switzerland in the operational planning field, and to further confirm our pioneering credentials.”

SWISS' Business Class Companion Special that offers discounted flights from London to major European destinations.

SWISS has just released a number of seats for its special offer from April 05th 2022 to April 26th 2022 that offers 50% off.  It is the  SWISS' Business Class Companion Special that offers discounted flights from London to major European destinations.

The travel period for those flights is April 11th - December 15th 2022.

Destination	Price for two tickets*
	Zurich	from £319 *
	Munich	from £339*
	Vienna	from £339*
	Lisbon	from £479*
	Lisbon	from £479*
	Porto	from £479*
	Mallorca	from £499*

* = Prices displayed may vary and should serve as a guide for your selected journey. The end price is subject to change. * Bookable from: Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Liverpool, Newcastle

The offer is also valid for many other destinations across Europe.

SWISS UK Booking special offer   

Zurich  - Recognized as one of the world's most livable cities, Zürich is more than a financial centre and reveals a rich culture accented by numerous opportunities for fine dining, nighttime entertainment, shopping and much more.  Admire the famous stained-glass windows of the Fraumünster Church during a stroll through the picturesque Old Town, then enjoy the fresh breeze by Lake Zürich before savouring a hot chocolate at a terrace. Whether you prefer the outdoors or the dance floor of a trendy nightclub, there is not much you cannot find in Zurich.         Book here for Zurich Hotels

Lucerne  -  Lucerne's idyllic landscapes and preserved medieval architecture make it the perfect gateway to central Switzerland. On Lake Lucerne and surrounded by mountains, Lucerne's setting is simply breathtaking. Journey through the remarkably preserved Old Town. Experience boat tours, cycling, eye-catching murals, skiing, covered bridges, and a lively nightlife. Venture to the top of Mount Pilatus, Titlis, or Rigi for spectacular views.  Book here for Radisson Blu Lucerne

Up to 50% off in Business Class and First Class

St. Gallen   -   Visit the historic Abbey Cathedral and Library of St. Gallen. Enjoy the stunning scenery on the shores of Lake Constance or from the lookout point atop Säntis.

Steeped in history and beautifully set between Lake Constance and the Säntis Alps region, St. Gallen makes an instant impression. Learn about the city's history as "the writing room of Europe." Explore the World Heritage-listed Abbey of St. Gallen. The Abbey Library contains many books dating back to early Medieval times.

For more information and the best prices visit here.

Basel  -   Basel is the cultural capital of Switzerland with its thriving art scene, historic sites, and cosmopolitan vibe.    

This Swiss city on the Rhine is bursting with culture and great shopping experiences. It is also a global centre for the pharmaceutical industry. Whether you are here for work or leisure, Basel will enamour you with its charms. Home to 40 museums, a beautiful Old town, a buzzing shopping street, a historic zoo, and fantastic food markets – Basel leaves you spoilt for choice.   -

Visit here for more information and availability