SWISS reveal new network

Read the forum code of contact

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,253

11.07.2003

New SWISS route network from winter 2003/04

Swiss International Air Lines continues to put its new business plan swiftly into practice. The carrier’s newly-devised route network retains services to all key business destinations around the world. The company aims to achieve the business viability it requires by focusing on profitable and high-potential routes. The new network, which will be introduced with the 2003/04 winter schedules on October 26, extends to 71 destinations and will be operated by a 79-aircraft fleet.
SWISS is also making rapid progress with the further pillars of its new business plan. Discussions with suppliers over volume and cost reductions are proceeding well; and the company’s unions have also indicated a willingness to contribute to the turnaround desired.

The new SWISS network puts a clear focus on profitable and high-potential routes and destinations. The modifications called for under the new business plan are essential if the company is to achieve the profitability required within a reasonable timeframe.

Network and fleet

While resizing its route network, SWISS will continue to serve all key destinations. Total available seat-kilometre capacity will be reduced by 27 per cent. The network will be operated by a 79-aircraft fleet.

The new European network will extend to 41 destinations (compared to the current 56). By streamlining its network and aligning aircraft size even more closely to market demand, the company aims to raise European seat load factors above 60 per cent. On the intercontinental front, SWISS will continue to serve its 30 most important destinations (ten fewer than at present).

Destinations

From Zurich

A total of 70 destinations will be served from Zurich from the start of the 2003/04 winter schedules.

New network

Intercontinental
Bangkok, Benghazi, Boston, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Chicago, Dar es Salaam, Douala, Dubai, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Karachi, Los Angeles, Malabo, Manila, Miami, Montreal, Mumbai/Bombay, Muscat, Nairobi, New York (JFK), New York (Newark), Riyadh, São Paulo, Singapore, Tel Aviv, Tripoli, Tokyo, Washington and Yaounde

Europe
Amsterdam, Athens, Barcelona, Basel, Belgrade, Berlin, Birmingham, Brussels, Bucharest, Budapest, Copenhagen, Dublin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, Hamburg, Hanover, Istanbul, Lisbon, London (Heathrow), London (City), Lugano, Luxembourg, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Milan, Moscow, Munich, Nice, Nuremberg, Palma de Mallorca, Paris, Prague, Rome, Stockholm, Stuttgart, Thessaloniki, Vienna and Warsaw

22 destinations will see their present services withdrawn.
In Europe: Cologne/Bonn, Oslo, Graz, Venice, Florence, Bologna, Valencia, Kyiv, Zagreb, Ljubljana, Prishtina, Sofia, Krakow and Skopje.
Intercontinental: Rio de Janeiro, Lagos, Accra, Jeddah, Tehran, Libreville, Beijing and Delhi.

From Basel

Basel will have SWISS service to 13 destinations from the start of the 2003/04 winter schedules.

New network

Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Birmingham, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Hamburg, London (Heathrow), Madrid, Manchester, Rome, Vienna and Zurich

Eight current destinations will no longer be served: Munich, Hanover, London (City), Nice, Milan, Bern, Lugano and Geneva.

From Geneva

A total of ten destinations will be served from Geneva from the start of the 2003/04 winter timetable.

New network

Europe
Athens, Barcelona, Lisbon, London (Heathrow), Madrid, Moscow, Paris, Rome and Zurich

Intercontinental
New York (JFK)

Services from Geneva to eight destinations – London (City), Nice, Warsaw, Basel, Lugano, Malaga, Tunis and Casablanca – will be withdrawn.

From Lugano

SWISS services between Lugano and Zurich will be operated with Avro RJ Jumbolino equipment instead of the current Saab 2000s from the start of the winter schedules. The slightly larger aircraft will keep total seat capacity at current levels despite a reduction in frequencies to four daily flights. The new arrangement will also allow SWISS to offer an attractive fare structure on the route.

From Bern

SWISS services from Bern will be withdrawn.

SWISS is currently in discussions with various codeshare partners on their possible assumption of services no longer operated by SWISS from the stations concerned.

The new business plan

Alongside the above network modifications, work is continuing apace on the further cornerstones of the new business plan, and the restructuring of the company is proceeding at all levels.

The new European concept, which is currently being developed as a top priority, will be crucial to the plan’s success. The new concept will provide both a Premium Business Class and an extremely reasonably-priced Economy Class product. Fares will be geared directly to demand: when demand is low, the fares will be comparable to those of the low-cost carriers; but if demand increases, fares will rise, too.

All seats on intra-European flights will be bookable on transparent terms and at clear and understandable prices. SWISS will also guarantee to always offer the lowest fare available at the time of booking.

Inflight service will be specifically tailored to each customer’s individual wishes and needs. Passengers will also be able to combine different fares and classes for their travel, i.e. take Economy Class for their outward journey and return in Business Class.

The entire range of products and fares will be bookable via travel agencies or through a new booking tool available on the www.swiss.com website. Whatever fare they pay, customers will also continue to earn Swiss TravelClub miles.

SWISS Corporate Communications
P.O. Box, CH-4002 Basel
Phone: +41 848 773 773
Fax: +41 61 582 3554
E-mail: [email]communications@swiss.com[/email]

hmmm... not as bad as had been rumoured, but it still leaves a massive hole as far as destinations avaliable ex-BSL... (AF, the other 'national' carrier from here has 8 destinations, all domestic)

Original post

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 7,536

why in heavens name they removed Delhi....they always got full flights!

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 4,333

Why the hell do they fly both JFK and Newark ?????

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 7,536

Originally posted by Hand87_5
Why the hell do they fly both JFK and Newark ?????

good point hand!

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 2,253

well, with regards to New York, at the moment, Swiss have three daily flights , ZRH-JFK, which is an afternoon flight (leaves ZRH @ 12:40), ZRH-EWR, an evening flight (leaves ZRH @ 16:05) and the 'UN shuttle' (formerly SR111) GVA-JFK (leaves GVA 12:15). In addition there's a codeshare ZRH-JFK @ 11:55 (op'd by AA).

Now, why Swiss think they need two ZRH flights to JFK within 45 minutes of each other, I dunno.

Don't all (Western) European airlines that serve NY operate to both EWR and JFK? what you've got to remember is that they serve totally different markets: JFK serves Queens, Brooklyn and the lower end of Manhattan, while EWR serves the Upper West side of Manhattan, Harlem, and all the Swiss Pharmaceutical companies that have their American bases in New Jersey (although they all have their Global HQ's in Basel, so why ZRH rather than BSL? but I digress...)

To be honest, I don't think it costs much more offering flights to both. (GVA has to go to JFK, for ease of access to the UN building)

As for Delhi, well, I dunno. Nor do I know why they still want to operate to LCY from ZRH, but not from either GVA or BSL.

I do know why they're cutting a lot of services to Germany: it's all down to Hapag Lloyd Express,Germanwings and Germania squeezing them out of teh market.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 4,333

Thanks Bhoy

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 3,279

Good to see them cutting the overcapacity they have, Switzerland is a small country, it doesn't need such a large airline. If cutting the route network means their survival then so be it.