The Swiss Romandy – the most beautiful gate to Europe and the rest of the world
Western Switzerland is always worth a visit – home to picturesque places like St-Ursanne on the river Doubs, impressive cities such as Neuchâtel, famous for its castle, the spectacular scenery of Lavaux, cultural highlights such as the Montreux Jazz Festival near to the glistening waters of Lake Geneva. Thanks to SWISS and Geneva Airport, Romandy has also become an exciting place to take off on your travels: SWISS connects Geneva directly to 33 different cities and – via Zurich – to 90 other destinations in 43 countries.
The Bombardier C Series – our most state-of-the-art aircraft
The Bombardier C Series is the most modern aircraft in the SWISS fleet. Its new-generation engines significantly reduce noise and fuel consumption while the spacious, light cabin ensures the highest level of comfort for all passengers. SWISS is dedicating its first CS300 plane to the people of Romandy and their homeland.
From a competition to a printed film
As a testimony to its commitment, SWISS is dedicating its very first Bombardier CS300 to Swiss Romandy and its citizens. A wide-scale two phase competition was held over a number of months. Firstly, SWISS asked the Swiss Romands: What does Swiss Romandy mean to you? The response quote was phenomenal: more than 7,000 people answered with a slogan, a phrase or just a word. Their replies once again demonstrated the diversity and richness of Swiss Romandy. But all the answers had one thing in common: pride in the region, its nature, its inhabitants and their achievements. There was also a second question: Who is your Swiss Romand hero? SWISS received many testimonies inspired by very poignant personal stories, sometimes amusing but mostly moving. SWISS then chose 49 of these stories at random and their heroes’ names are each printed on one of the seats of the new aircraft.
The artist: Mathias Forbach, aka Fichtre
Mathias Forbach, 34, is an independent graphic designer in Vevey who works for a range of customers both at home and abroad. He was amazed by the huge number of suggestions and interpreted the many entries into one graphic design.
“The aim of an artist is to convey his art and allow it to travel. What could be better than using a plane?” he said, commenting on the project. But how did the design get onto the plane? The design, printed on a special film, was carefully transferred to the aircraft by a firm specialized in this field. The workers needed utmost concentration throughout because the film is only 0.05 mm thin!
The heroes of Swiss Romandy
This aircraft is dedicated to Romandy – and the Swiss people of Romandy. It’s dedicated to the nurse who works for Médecins Sans Frontières and soothes the pain of those most in need. It’s dedicated to the 90-year-old grandmother who still makes time for herself to do the things she enjoys. And dedicated to a disabled friend who still tackles a marathon despite his handicap. This is the very essence of Swiss Romandy – a brave community in which courage and humanity reign.
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