Swiss International Air Lines launches Seoul-Zurich flight for first time in 27 years

Industry

Published: 09 May. 2024, 18:21 Updated: 10 May. 2024, 18:15

Swiss International Air Lines launches Seoul-Zurich flight for first time in 27 years

Officials speak during a press conference at the Swiss Embassy in central Seoul on Thursday held to mark the inaugural flight of Swiss International Air Lines connecting Seoul and Zurich, which commenced the previous day. [SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIR LINES]

Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) launched its direct flight service connecting Seoul and Zurich, marking its return to the Korean market after a hiatus of 27 years.

Swiss discontinued its last route linking Gimpo to Zurich in 1998 due to low passenger numbers.

Inaugural flights commenced on Wednesday, with Swiss deploying its A340 fleet with 215 seats for each service. Flights between Seoul (Incheon) and Zurich operate three times a week, departing Seoul on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at 9:55 a.m. local time, and arriving in Zurich at 4:50 p.m. local time.

Departures from Zurich are 1:40 p.m. local time, with arrivals in Seoul the following day at 8:25 a.m. local time. During a press conference on Thursday, Swiss officials mentioned plans to increase flight frequency or use larger aircraft in case of growing demand.

The new route will offer passengers four cabin classes: first class, business class, premium economy class and economy class, catering to various travel preferences.

"Koreans appreciate Switzerland as a holiday destination. They appreciate the stunning views and mountains in Switzerland," Chief Financial Officer of Swiss International Air Lines Markus Binkert said during a press conference held at the Swiss Embassy in central Seoul on Thursday. "Heidi, chocolate and Roger Federer are important exports from Switzerland to Korea."

Swiss has observed a rising interest in Korean culture among its passengers, with Korean TV shows and films, like Squid Game and Parasite, as well as Korean cuisine and K-pop gaining popularity in Switzerland, he added.

"This route between Zurich and Seoul was a missing piece in our network," said Binkert. "For years, Swiss has been looking into connecting Switzerland and the Republic of Korea, but it was only within the crisis of the pandemic, when Swiss transported urgently needed goods between the two countries, that the initial seed was planted for this relationship."

With Star Alliance's Swiss entering the Incheon-Zurich route, previously served solely by SkyTeam's Korean Air with three weekly flights, competition in the market is expected to increase, potentially leading to decreased airfares.

Swiss aims to differentiate itself by offering passengers a "Swiss experience," both in-flight and on the ground.

"We're partnering up with very well-known Swiss partners ... including on the culinary side, but also to cultural and sports events," said Julia Hillenbrand, vice president of brand experience at Swiss.

Swiss revamped the in-flight meals to include dishes from Hiltl, the world's oldest vegetarian restaurant, along with Lindt chocolates and Valser mineral water. She also noted that they've collaborated with top local brands for amenities .

Officials pose for a photo during a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the launch of Swiss International Air Lines' new regular route between Incheon and Switzerland at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 on Wednesday. [INCHEON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CORPORATION]

In addition to its flight services, Swiss, leveraging its affiliation with the Lufthansa Group, will provide various customer conveniences, including the Rail&Air service introduced in 2023, allowing passengers to seamlessly purchase tickets and connect to eight Korean cities, including Daegu and Busan, via KTX trains.

"Last year, we celebrated 60 years of diplomatic relations," said Ambassador of Switzerland Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli in a congratulatory remark. "This new direct line between Switzerland and Korea is an important milestone for the accession of people to people relations that have been built up over the past decades."

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]