Inaugural Edelweiss flight lands in Bristol from Zurich
Edelweiss celebrated the launch of its inaugural flight arriving at Bristol Airport from Zurich on Monday.
The busy flight from Switzerland landed welcoming visitors to the region for business and pleasure, with some arriving for meetings and others returning home from Switzerland or other countries, having connected in Zurich, as well as those taking the opportunity to explore the South West.
The new route with Edelweiss means customers can now travel directly to Switzerland from their local airport. It also allows for onward travel with its sister company SWISS, to other European cities including Munich and Vienna.
The twice-weekly service will operate on Mondays and Fridays, providing access for both business trips and leisure travellers alike, whether they are arriving at Bristol or heading to Zurich, one of Europe’s leading financial centres and a gateway to the Swiss Alps.
The flight took less than two hours and customers were welcomed at Bristol Airport with goodie bags filled with gifts, including locally hand-made luxury chocolate from renowned Bristol chocolatier Guilbert’s, and a visitor’s guide to the region. A celebratory reception was attended by Jon Chamberlain from Visit West, Céline Vautravers from Network Planning & Development at Edelweiss and Rupert Lawrie, Commercial Director at Bristol Airport.
Rupert Lawrie, Commercial Director of Bristol Airport, said:
"The new route marks a significant milestone in regional tourism, offering Swiss visitors a direct gateway to the South West rather than having to commute to the region, once they arrive in the UK. And Zurich is a highly sought-after destination with Edelweiss providing customers in the South West and Wales with a direct connection to a major European hub, enhancing travel and trade links between the South West, Switzerland and other major cities in Europe."
Jon Chamberlain, Head of Marketing Visit West added:
“We are thrilled to welcome the inaugural flight to Bristol from Zurich with Edelweiss. The International Passenger Survey data for 2023 showed record numbers of Swiss visits to Bristol. For the West of England as a whole, the 2023 numbers were just behind the record high in 2019. Swiss visitors are a critical part of our local visitor economy and we look forward to being able to grow those numbers and spend this year, working in partnership with the Airport and airline.”
