Cork Airport is flying high following today’s announcement that Swiss International Air Lines is to commence a new Cork – Zurich service. The new service will operate throughout the summer season, starting on June 2 and operating through to September 29, 2017.

SWISS will operate a Bombardier C Series aircraft, which carries 125 passengers. The convenient service will fly weekly each Friday from June and will increase to twice weekly, including a Monday flight, throughout July and August.  The new route means an additional 6,750 passengers in 2017.

Welcoming SWISS, a new airline to the region, Niall MacCarthy, Managing Director at Cork Airport said: “We are delighted that SWISS has come on board as our newest partner and we have been working with them for some time to secure the new route for the Munster region. We believe that the route has great potential from both an outbound as well as an inbound market. Switzerland has been a target market of ours, primarily due to its close business and pharmaceutical connections with the region. But also, we have the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East, both right on our doorstep.

“This Swiss city has plenty to offer those flying from Cork; Munster outbound tourists can take in the city and nearby alpine sights. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with yet another new airline starting operations in Cork in 2017.”

Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. The alpine centre for Swiss business and tourism offers passengers some of the best chocolate and timepieces in the world. From a business perspective, Switzerland currently imports 5.5% of all Irish exports annually.

Pat Dawson, CEO of the Irish Travel Agents Association said: “We look forward to working with Cork Airport in making this new service a resounding success. Swiss tourists will be able to enjoy the rugged beauty of the Wild Atlantic Way and Ireland’s Ancient East, with both journeys beginning in Cork.

“Likewise, we encourage the people of the South of Ireland to support Swiss colleagues when planning business and leisure travel to Switzerland,” he continued.

Swiss International Air Lines, Switzerland’s national carrier, is part of the Lufthansa Group and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world’s biggest airline grouping. The partnership is a further boost to the steady increase in capacity and routes that Cork Airport, the gateway to the South of Ireland is providing to passengers.