SWISS International Air Lines (SWISS) is moving ahead with renewed momentum, building on the successes achieved since the start of operations in March 2002.
A broad range of innovations, covering all aspects of the flight experience, has become a reality for SWISS customers both in the air and on the ground.
“The success of SWISS during 2003 can be attributed to those who have worked to realise the new SWISS,” says Felix Rodel, area manager for Middle East, Pakistan and Iran. “For 2004, we are in a stronger financial position, our seat load factors, particularly from the Middle East, are excellent, and we are looking to keep this trend going for the remainder of the year.”
As the national flag carrier for Switzerland, and one of the youngest airline fleets in the world, SWISS truly personifies the classic Swiss values of reliability, care and hospitality. SWISS understands the needs of customers across the travel spectrum, and on long-haul routes SWISS offers customers the luxury and exclusivity of Swiss First, the comfort and calm of Swiss Business, or the friendly service of Swiss Economy.
SWISS has taken delivery of its new flagship, the Airbus A340-300, which is equipped to the latest standards, carrying 228 passengers in a three-class layout: eight in First, 48 in Business and 172 in Economy Class. Passengers will have a highly-modern information and entertainment system and the cabins will offer the highest standards of travel comfort.
In SWISS First Class, the accent is firmly on providing passengers with maximum comfort and privacy, in a calm, pleasant setting. First class passengers can enjoy state-of-the-art seats, which convert into generous 203 cm x 60 cm flat beds. Seats are provided with a flexible, spacious table for work or dining. Every seat also comes with an ottoman for foot support, which can also be utilised as a seat for other passengers, enabling work or meals to be shared. Communication facilities comprise laptop power connection and SMS messaging. To enhance the sense of well being en route SWISS provides amenity kits tailored to specific needs, complete with carefully-selected La Prairie toiletries or cosmetics.
SWISS’ selection of entertainment and information options include a special noise cancelling headset, designed to enhance your movie or music listening experience by reducing ambient cabin noise. Passengers can also tune in to the Silent Channel for a truly peaceful in-flight experience. As for entertainment, onboard viewing and listening programmes are built around personal choice. Each seat is fitted with a personal screen in the seat back, with a number of films and games to choose from. An added benefit for First class passengers is the use of personal DVD players, complete with a wide range of movies.
SWISS places a lot of emphasis on the individual, offering an array of special meals for those with particular dietary preferences. When it comes to food and beverage, SWISS premium classes has something for every palate. The cuisine selection has been created with exclusivity in mind, with an emphasis on personal taste, taking inspiration from the multinational cuisine of Switzerland.
In Business Class, passengers will enjoy the ideal combination of quality, innovation, efficiency and care – in other words quintessential Swissness. The Business class cabin offer seats arranged in a two-two-two configuration, providing additional leg space of 55 inches and wider seats. A business trip often means intense preparation followed by a hectic series of meetings, the SWISS onboard experience should be the opposite – a quiet time to rest and restore energy.
As part of its service for Arab travellers, SWISS offers a variety of tailor-made services including; Halal meals with Arabic menu cards, Arabic newspapers and a special Arabic music channel. There is also special assistance for passengers who speak only Arabic, or families travelling with young children.
SWISS currently operates a daily non-stop service from Dubai to Zurich and return, offering one of the earliest arrival times for connections within Europe.