SWISS inaugurated its new daily service between Switzerland and Shanghai on May 9 when flight LX 188 departed from Zurich operated by an Airbus A340. The passengers aboard the first flight included Swiss Federal Councillor and Minister for Economic Affairs Doris Leuthard. And the inaugural ceremony in Zurich prior to departure was attended by H.E. Dong Jinyi, China's ambassador to Switzerland, Thomas E. Kern, CEO of airport operator Unique and Rolf P. Jetzer, Chairman of the Board of Swiss International Air Lines. The flight's boarding was formally opened by SWISS CEO Christoph Franz together with Federal Councillor Leuthard.
 
The new flights, which are operated with Airbus A340 equipment, provide a daily non-stop connection with mainland China to complement the airline's existing services to and from Hong Kong, and should further raise SWISS's profile and presence in the growing Chinese market.
 
The new route offers promising prospects: recent years have seen sizeable increases in the numbers of Swiss tourists visiting China and vice versa; and on the business front, trade volumes between the two countries have increased by almost 50% since 2005. "The demand for business travel between Zurich and Shanghai is growing all the time," said SWISS Chairman of the Board Rolf P. Jetzer, "so we are delighted to be further expanding our long-haul network with the addition of our new non-stop Zurich-Shanghai service." Jetzer was also aboard the inaugural flight to Shanghai, together with SWISS Chief Network & Distribution Officer Harry Hohmeister and invited guests. 
 
Also aboard the initial flight to Shanghai was Swiss Federal Councillor and Minister for Economic Affairs Doris Leuthard, who underlined the importance of the new SWISS service. "Good air connections greatly enhance Switzerland's appeal as a business centre and a tourist destination," she explained. "And I'm extremely pleased that this new non-stop SWISS service to Shanghai will substantially strengthen the air links between Switzerland and China. After all, China is one of our most important trading partners in Asia."