Switzerland's new national airline, SWISS recorded a seat load factor of over 80 percent during the first half of 2002 on its intercontinental and Middle East network. The airline revealed that sales were substantially above target at 1.8 million Swiss francs ($1.2 million) instead of CHF 1.2 million.
With the strong sales and pre-bookings, SWISS will end the year 30 percent ahead of its initial business plan. “Our goal is to continuously upgrade our fleet of 128 planes…That process will start with the introduction of the first of 13 new Airbus A340-300 aircrafts as the successor to the MD-11 – the transition starts in June next year and will be completed by August 2004,” said Area Manager for SWISS Arabian Gulf, Felix Rodel.
SWISS currently operates a total of 31 weekly flights from the Middle East, including daily flights from Dubai, six weekly flights from Cairo, four weekly flights from Karachi, three weekly flights from Riyadh, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, and Tehran and two weekly flights from Jeddah. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
