By James Ratemo
Swiss International Airline, Switzerland’s national carrier has launched the latest Airbus, with direct flights to Kenya beginning next month.
Starting July this year, the airline will also have onward flights to Mombasa to cater for increasing demand of tourists headed to the Kenyan Coast.
The airline’s newest long haul Airbus330-300 also comes with first-class seating (8 passengers), business class (45 passengers) and Economy class (183 passengers), which is missing in the current company’s airbuses.
The new aircraft is part of the fleet renewal programme of SWISS with investments reaching well over Sh67 billion (with current exchange rates), which involves the replacement of smaller A330-200 aircrafts with the nine new airbus A330-300s.
"As only fourth market to receive the all-new A330-300, we are marking an another milestone for SWISS operations here," said Yves-Alain Yersin, Country Manager, Kenya, Swiss International Airlines.
Last year and until 2011, SWISS is replacing nine A330-200s with the bigger and more advanced A330-300s.
Currently there are five direct flights from Nairobi to Zurich, Switzerland weekly and the airlines plans to upgrade to daily flights by next year.
Gracing the launch, Tourism Assistant Minister, Cecily Mbarire said Kenya is eyeing to tap into conference tourism and is contacting investors to build a replica of Kenyatta International Conference Centre in Mombasa and improve services offered in the facilities.
"We want Government to plough back five per cent of income so that we can enhance our marketing activities," she said.
