ZURICH, July 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- SWISS will usher-in a new era in the history of its long-haul aircraft fleet next January with the arrival of the first of its nine new Boeing 777-300ERs. The new SWISS twinjets will seat 340 passengers, include three-classes of service, and offer wireless internet connectivity. The 'Triple Sevens' will be deployed on routes to and from the US west coast, South America, and Asia from the 2016 summer schedule onwards.   

As a part of its 'Next-Generation Airline of Switzerland' strategy, SWISS will begin the renewal of its long-haul aircraft fleet in 2016. A total of nine new Boeing 777-300ERs (Extended Range) will be gradually assimilated into the fleet from the beginning of next year. This will result in the creation of 360 new cabin crew jobs in the future.

In SWISS configuration, the Boeing 777-300ER will offer 340 seats: eight in First Class, 62 in Business Class, and 270 in Economy. The redesigned cabin interior of the new SWISS flagship will provide comfort and aesthetics to meet the most discerning of demands in all three seating classes.

The SWISS First seat can be transformed into one's own private suite and includes a 32-inch screen, the largest in the industry. SWISS First guests will also enjoy electrically-adjustable window blinds and their own personal wardrobe.  

The SWISS Business seating offers optimum privacy and freedom of movement, while the seat cushion's firmness can be individually regulated. The seats can be easily converted into a lie-flat bed that reclines into more than six- feet long in length (@6'7").

SWISS Economy customers can also look forward to a new air travel experience with new seat-cushion technology and further innovations that include a large personal touchscreen. In addition to the regular cabin service, all SWISS Economy guests will be able to make use of a self-service kiosk offering a wide range of drinks and snacks.

All nine Boeing 777-300ERs will also feature wireless internet via a broadband connection, enabling passengers to surf or send emails on their laptop, tablet or smartphone device.  "With our new Boeing 777-300ERs we will be setting new benchmarks in terms of our guests' overall comfort and travel experience," says SWISS CEO Harry Hohmeister. "And on top of that, with their state-of-the-art engines, our new twinjets will give us substantial savings in fuel consumption and carbon emissions terms."   

From the 2016 summer schedules onwards, the new aircraft will be deployed primarily on services to Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Bangkok. San Francisco, São Paulo and Tel Aviv will also receive Boeing 777 service several times a week.  

The first delivery of six of the new Boeing 777-300ERs will replace six SWISS Airbus 340s that will be returned to the lessor.  Between 2017 and 2018, SWISS will receive an additional three Boeing 777-300ERs. These new aircraft will replace three other A340s which will enter the fleet of SWISS's sister carrier Edelweiss.

Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) is Switzerland's national airline, serving 106 destinations in 49 countries from Zurich and Geneva and carrying over 16 million passengers a year with its 95-aircraft fleet. The company's Swiss WorldCargo division provides a comprehensive range of airport-to-airport airfreight services for high-value and care-intensive consignments to some 120 destinations in over 80 countries. As "The Airline of Switzerland", SWISS embodies the country's traditional values, and is committed to delivering the highest product and service quality. With its workforce of some 8,250 personnel, SWISS generated total operating income of CHF 5.2 billion in 2014. SWISS is part of the Lufthansa Group, and is also a member of Star Alliance, the world's biggest airline network.

Extensive media documentation on the Boeing 777-300ER will be found at www.world-of-swiss.com and also at www.swiss-777.com. The latest images of the new SWISS Boeing 777-300ER's cabin design are available via this Link.

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SOURCE Swiss International Air Lines

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