Next year, Swiss subsidiary Lufthansa wants to add new long-haul destinations to its programme. Five destinations have particularly good prospects.
In 2020 and 2021, the pandemic has thrown Switzerland brilliantly into the works. She had to put her plans on hold for her first two new long-distance destinations in years, Osaka and Washington. But now the situation looks different.
“In fact, we are considering adding new destinations again in another growth phase from 2024,” said Tamur Godarzi-Bauer, head of sales at Lufthansa’s Swiss subsidiary, Tamur Godarzi-Bauer, in May. Details will be announced in a few months.
Five favorite cities
Swiss network chief Benedict Escher now comments on the new long-distance routes from Zurich in Aeropers member magazine. “We’ll probably bring between two to four new destinations next year,” says the manager. The candidates are about the same as before the pandemic. “In the West, especially Washington and Toronto, and in the East, especially Osaka and Seoul.”
However, the new destinations could be those “that we no longer fly to, like Beijing,” Escher explains. However, flying to the Chinese capital is problematic because, unlike Asian airlines, Switzerland has to bypass Russia. “Beijing, yes or no? It will probably be answered between June and September.”
Not all tracks are daily
In general, according to the head of the network, the decision should be made in the summer of 2023 and the start will follow in the summer of 2024. He believes that three or four new targets are the most likely, “but there may also be surprises”. The challenge will be that with so many new routes you won’t be able to fly them all every day.
