SWISS is optimising its route network. The airline is providing its passengers more attractive travel possibilities by virtue of altered take-off times on its Zurich - Johannesburg and Zurich - Cairo routes. Starting with the introduction of the Winter timetable on October 27, 2002, the airline will be increasing frequencies on the routes from Zurich to Rome, Nuremberg, Cologne and Lugano.

More attractive take-off times to South Africa: SWISS is improving its offer on intercontinental routes. Instead of daytime flights, SWISS will fly by night from Zurich to Johannesburg, effective February 8.  Both business travellers and vacationers will profit from this innovation. They will enjoy an additional day in southern Africa. Take-off from Zurich will be at 22:10. There are good connecting flights to many destinations in the region such as Cape Town, Durban, Harare, Lusaka, Port Elizabeth, Victoria Falls or Windhoek. The return flight leaves the South African metropolis at 21:00, arriving in Zurich at 06:20, in good time for connections to the morning flights to numerous international destinations.

Improved links between Zurich and Cairo: The departure times on the route between Zurich and Cairo will also be more attractive. In future, SWISS will fly six times weekly from Zurich to Cairo at 09:45 (instead of 12:30). The return flight will be with Boeing MD-11 leaving Cairo at 16:10 (instead of mornings at 07:35).

Increased frequencies to Tokyo and Teheran: In the Winter timetable, Tokyo, the Japanese metropolis, will be served by six flights per week, instead of the previous five.

Starting on February 9, 2003, the Swiss airline will increase frequencies on the Zurich - Teheran route from twice to three times weekly. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, SWISS will fly from Zurich to the Iranian capital. Return flights will in future be on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Adapting the European route network: Starting with the Winter timetable, SWISS will be expanding its flight offer in its European route network. On the route between Zurich and Rome there will be an additional pair of flights. From Cologne/Bonn and Nuremberg, SWISS will be offering five flights per day to Zurich. Kiev will be served five times per week instead of four. With fine-tuned take-off times and increased frequencies, passengers in Zurich will have better connections and shorter transfer times.

In order to be able to offer passengers from Germany optimal flight connections and transfers to the intercontinental network, SWISS is serving the twelve airports of Bremen, Hamburg, Hanover, Berlin Tempelhof and Berlin Tegel, Dresden, Dusseldorf, Cologne/Bonn, Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Nuremberg and Munich.

Effective October 27, Swiss will withdraw the two daily flights on the Basel - Cologne route. In addition, the Basel - Friedrichshafen, Zurich - Munster and Zurich - Leipzig services will no longer be operated.

The seasonal flights from EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg to Naples are suspended in the Winter timetable. It is planned to reintroduce Naples in the 2003 Summer timetable. SWISS will be reducing services on the Basel - Marseilles route from three to one per day during the Winter season.

Increased offer within Switzerland: In the Swiss Domestic route network, SWISS has adapted the Geneva - Zurich and Zurich - Lugano routes to the European and intercontinental connections. With two additional flights per week, SWISS will serve the Lugano - Zurich route five times daily. Business travellers will benefit from changed flight times which will improve early morning and late evening connections on all routes within Switzerland. 

Seasonal scheduled flights:
Starting on December 21, friends of Winter sports may benefit every Saturday from SWISS London - Sion, Basel - Sion and Jersey - Geneva flights to the Swiss skiing regions.

SWISS operates a fleet of 132 aircraft which, during the coming Winter timetable, will be serving 117 destinations in 59 countries. Further information concerning the Swiss airline may be found in the Internet under www.swiss.com.

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