Air India to Make Its Re-Entry in The Switzerland Market

Air India is all set to enter into the Switzerland market. The airline has announced the launch of its first destination in the country. From June month, it will start non-stop services between Delhi and Zurich, becoming the second airline to do so.

Switzerland holds a huge significance in the history of Air India. In 1948, the inaugural international flight also used to make a stopover in Geneva, the second most populous city in Switzerland.

Air India: Second Swiss Connection

The flag carrier of India has announced the launch of its maiden destination in Switzerland. From June 16, it will operate non-stop flights connecting Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) and Zurich International Airport (ZRH). The airline will operate four times a week on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The arrival of this flight between Zurich and Delhi will be on the next day. Here is a quick look at flight timings:

Similar to most of the European operations, the airline will deploy its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on this route. Air India has a fleet of 27 B787s. These aircraft are configured with 18 Business and 238 Economy class seats. Moreover, the airline is consistently improving its product offering on long & ultra long haul routes.

With this launch, Zurich will become the tenth European airport to handle Air India operations. The airline will be operating 60 flights on a weekly basis to mainland European cities.

According to the data present on the website of DGCA India, 40,801 passengers traveled from Switzerland to India in the Oct-Dec 2023 quarter. In the same period, 39,109 passengers traveled in the opposite direction.

Penetrating Deeper Into The Market

With the launch of this service, the airline is not just looking to cater to passengers to and from Switzerland, but also those in Southern Germany and Western Austria. It will provide passengers with seamless connections to other cities in India, Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, and Australia.

Campbell Wilson, the Chief Executive Officer of Air India gave some insights about the market. He said that there are 18,000 Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) in Switzerland. More than 250 companies from Switzerland are operating in India. Even, Noida Airport is being constructed in collaboration with a Swiss company named Zurich Airport AG. With this new route, the airline is aiming to promote business, tourism, and cultural exchange between both countries. He added that the airline is committed to enhancing flying options for passengers.

Both Air India and Swiss International Airlines are codeshare partners. According to the website of Air India, the airline shares its IATA code with Swiss on 2 routes: Mumbai to Zurich & Delhi to Zurich. In February month, both airlines expanded this agreement to include Pune in the network as well.

Aviation Market Between India & Switzerland

In 1949, India and Switzerland officially signed an Air Service Agreement. This agreement allowed airlines from both sides to operate flights to each other’s airports.

In 1948, Air India launched international operations with a Lockheed Constellation L-749A aircraft named Malabar Princess. The inaugural flight, which originated from Mumbai Sahar Airport for London made a stopover at Cairo and Geneva Airport. The air service agreement between both countries was again altered in the 2000s. The latest revision was done in 2019.

Currently, Swiss International Airlines is the only airline offering flights between both countries. It operates daily from Zurich to Delhi and Mumbai. The Mumbai route is exclusively served by Airbus A330-300s, while the Delhi route sees the deployment of a mix of A330 and A340 operations.

According to the Points of Call data available on the website of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), airlines from Switzerland are allowed to fly to seven airports in India, namely Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. Airlines from India can operate in any city in Switzerland.

Conclusion

Air India is all set to make its re-entry into the Switzerland market. The airline will operate between Delhi and Zurich from June month. Zurich will become the 10th European Airport to witness Air India’s operations. After resuming flights to 3 major cities and adding Amsterdam to its network, this launch defines the airline’s intent to go heavy in the European market.

What do you think about this launch between Delhi and Zurich? Discuss in the comment section.