2012-12-03 — /travelprnews.com/ — SWISS has named a further member of its aircraft fleet after a Swiss municipality. Airbus A320 HB-IJL now carries the name “Nyon”, in honour of the town in Canton Vaud. The naming, which was performed at an official ceremony in the town today, is part of SWISS’s broader endeavours to raise its presence and profile in Western Switzerland.
The naming of the aircraft was jointly performed by SWISS Chief Operating Officer Rainer Hiltebrand and Daniel Rossellat, the mayor of Nyon, in a ceremony which was attended by several other guests from the region along with media representatives. A further local VIP invitee was André Borschberg, the pilot of the Solar Impulse solar-powered plane.
“As the airline of Switzerland, we are determined that SWISS should represent all of our country’s many and varied regions,” said SWISS’s Rainer Hiltebrand at the naming event. “And we want this cultural and linguistic diversity to be reflected, too, in the names that are carried by our aircraft fleet.”
“Western Switzerland is a vital market for SWISS, not only in passenger terms but in the cargo sector as well,” Hiltebrand continued. “Being so conveniently close to Geneva Airport, Nyon is the preferred location for the branch offices of numerous international companies and organizations. And through the air services we provide, SWISS plays an active part in strengthening that appeal.”
Nyon mayor Daniel Rossellat was equally pleased. “We feel honoured that a SWISS aircraft will now carry and promote the name of our town all over Europe,” he declared. HB-IJL is one of 23 Airbus A320s operated by SWISS, which are all named after Swiss cities and towns.
The Airbus A320 is 37.6 metres long and 11.6 metres high, has a wingspan of 34.1 metres and seats 168 passengers in its SWISS cabin configuration. With its range of 3,650 kilometres, “Nyon” will be deployed on SWISS’s medium-haul routes in Europe, and on services to Africa and the Middle East.
From left to right: Daniel Rossellat, mayor of Nyon; André Borschberg, pillot of Solar Impulse; Frederic Delalay, SWISS Flight Attendant; Luc Wolfensberger, SWISS Commander
Swiss International Air Lines Ltd.
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