SWISS names Airbus A321 “St. Moritz”

SWISS Airbus A321 HB-IOC now bears the name “St. Moritz”. The name of the famous resort in Canton Grisons, Southeast Switzerland was symbolically bestowed on the aircraft in a ceremony on the Corviglia above the town today. HB-IOC was flying between Geneva and Zurich at the time.

As well as Peter Barth, the present mayor of St. Moritz, who formally named the aircraft, the ceremony was attended by Hanspeter Danuser, managing director of the St. Moritz Tourist Board, SWISS chairman of the board Rolf P. Jetzer, SWISS chief operating officer Gaudenz Ambühl and numerous media representatives.

SWISS Airbus A321 HB-IOC may not have earned its new name of “St. Moritz” at its usual cruising altitude; but the name was at least bestowed at over 2 500 metres above sea level on the Corviglia above the town by its current mayor Peter Barth. The champagne ceremony was also attended by local tourist board managing director Hanspeter Danuser, SWISS chairman of the board Rolf P. Jetzer, SWISS COO Gaudenz Ambühl and further invitees.

“St. Moritz’s name and fame extend well beyond Switzerland,” Barth said. “We’re delighted that our many guests from all over Europe can now come to our country on the ‘St. Moritz’. And as a top vacation destination and a top-quality airline, St. Moritz and SWISS make an excellent match.”

SWISS is gradually naming its aircraft after its home country’s cantonal capitals, airport communities and major tourist destinations under its new fleet naming concept. As one of Switzerland’s top resorts, St. Moritz was an obvious choice.

“This town has a superb reputation among tourists from all over the world,” SWISS chairman of the board Rolf P. Jetzer added, explaining the team-up between the resort and Switzerland’s national airline. “And what we both share are an international outlook, a commitment to the highest quality and a strong sense of Swiss hospitality.”

The symbolic naming ceremony on the Corviglia was accompanied by drinks and snacks offered by Reto Mathis, managing director and chef de cuisine of Mathis Food Affairs. Hans Wiedemann, director of the local renowned Badrutt’s Palace Hotel, provided further culinary delights by executive chef Frédéric Breuil. Mathis and Breuil are also the current featured chefs on SWISS flights under the airline’s “SWISS Taste of Switzerland”* inflight culinary concept: their regional Canton Grisons creations will continue to be served to SWISS’s First and Business Class passengers until March 18.

* “SWISS Taste of Switzerland” is an inflight culinary concept that was introduced by SWISS in 2002 and has already earned the prestigious Mercury Award for its innovative catering approach. The concept offers SWISS’s First and Business Class customers culinary creations by leading chefs from Switzerland’s various regions. The programme has already featured the cooking of numerous cantons including Vaud, Basel, Valais, Zurich, Ticino and Appenzell.