GVANEWS
Autumn-winter 2017-2018 - No.68
Air Mauritius returns to GVA Genève Aéroport is delighted to welcome Air Mauritius back for the 2017/18 winter season. This development is good news for Geneva’s long-haul network and has long been awaited by frequent travellers to this dream destination. Air Mauritius first landed in Geneva exactly 30 years ago, in 1987, and operated uninterrupted for almost 25 years. The decision therefore heralds the return of an iconic carrier well known for the quality of its service and with 50 years of experience as the national airline of Mauritius. Air Mauritius will fly throughout the height of the winter season, from November 2017 to February 2018. Flights will initially take place on Saturdays (from 18 November to 16 December), moving to Fridays from 22 December to 23 February, in view of the heavy weekend traffic at Genève Aéroport during the winter period. The end-of-day departure time is particularly suitable, allowing passengers to enjoy a comfortable night flight to Mauritius (departure from Geneva at 21:15, arriving in Mauritius at 11:15). The return flight takes place during the day, leaving Mauritius at 9:20 and landing in Geneva at 17:55. One of the advantages of this exotic destination is the very slight time difference with Geneva (+3h in winter).
Mauritius, a magnificent island with a population of only 1.3 million, is located in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Madagascar and near Reunion. In addition to its pristine beaches and idyllic landscapes, it offers excellent tourist infrastructure tending towards the upmarket. It has a rich and diverse culture, making any stay an enriching experience from the human point of view as well. And above all, the fact that the island is Frenchspeaking is a major plus for Swiss and French passengers in the Genève Aéroport catchment area. This new destination in the southern hemisphere is a welcome addition to the direct flights available from Genève Aéroport, in line with one of its stated objectives, namely, to enhance the quality of its long-haul network. www.airmauritius.com
AIRLINES
SWISS : new plane, new pass ! As it renews its fleet in Geneva with the Bombardier C Series 300, SWISS is strengthening its position and attachment to western Switzerland by having French-speaking Swiss artist Fichtre create a special livery.
At the same time, SWISS is innovating, launching a new pass from GVA called Flightpass, a trial ticket for 10 flights from Geneva to destinations in Europe. Sales will be trialed from 20 September to 31 December 2017 on www.flightpass.ch. After that date, passengers who bought the pass will be able to reserve flights for another 6 months and travel for another 12. There are two types of pass: (1) the Discover Europe Pass, for CHF 799 (10 one-way flights to/ from GVA, reserve up to 21 days before departure); (2) the City Pass, starting at CHF 999 (10 one-way flights to/from GVA, reserve up to 7 days before departure). The advantage: more flexible reservations and stable prices. www.swiss.com
3 new seasonal routes with EZY Launch of Adria Airways Switzerland Swiss regional carrier Darwin Airline, founded in 2003, is now flying under the brand name Adria Airways Switzerland. Adria Airways has its head office in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The company flies Airbus A319s and Bombardier CRJ900s and CRJ700s to 19 destinations in Western and South-eastern Europe, clocking up 196 flights per week. It carried 1.3 million passengers in 2016 and generated total annual revenues of roughly 157 million euros. A member of the Star Alliance since 2004, the company currently has nearly 400 employees.
For the 2017/18 winter season, the orange carrier is opening three new routes: • Funchal, 1 flight a week (Wednesday, from 1.11.17-21.03.18)
• Gran Canaria, 1 flight a week (Thursday, from 2.11.17-22.03.18)
Adria Airways Switzerland flies to the following destinations from Geneva: Biarritz, Ibiza, Olbia, Cagliari and Brest. Its fleet consists of six 50-seat Saab 2000 turboprops and four 68-seat ATR-72500s. www.adriaairways.ch • Southampton, 3 flights a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday, from 14.12.17-14.04.18)
Fly Valan launches Geneva-Genoa
From late November, Fly Valan will offer two weekly flights (Monday and Friday), on Genoa, starting point for many Mediterranean cruises. www.flyvalan.com
www.easyjet.com
TRANSPORT PROMOTION Official car valet service Starting 1 September 2017, Genève Aéroport has two official partners providing car valet services to make your trip even easier: easy-park.ch and Valet Parking AMAG. Remember: all other service providers are unofficial ! www.easy-park.ch www.valetparking.ch
Mauritius campaign Genève Aéroport has used various media (posters, bus adverts, etc.) to flag the return of direct flights by Air Mauritius from 18 November 2017 to 23 February 2018 and remind passengers of the company’s 50th anniversary.
Le spécialiste de l’Ile Maurice
Nouveau vol direct
Genève - Ile Maurice du 18 novembre 2017 au 23 février 2018 Genève, Tél.: (41) 22 732 05 60 www.airmauritius.com
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable and renewable solutions for aviation Genève Aéroport and the Finnish firm NESTE, which specializes in renewable oil products, have signed a cooperation agreement whereby airlines will fill their aircraft tanks with a mix of 1% biofuels as of late 2018. www.gva.ch
SPONSORSHIP
Geneva 20k by Genève Aéroport The first edition of this new race on the shores of Lake Geneva, sponsored by Genève Aéroport, took place on Sunday, 29 October 2017 and was an immediate hit! The 20-km route was located entirely on the right bank and could be run alone or as a pair (as a pair: participants could run between 8 and 12 kilometres). https://www.20kmgeneveaeroport.ch
New B2B campaign Genève Aéroport is updating its B2B campaign with the Metadesign agency: strong, elegant images in black and white with messages touting Geneva’s advantages in terms of tourism, business, infrastructure and international organizations. More at www.gva.ch/b2b
GVA NEWS
New landside shopping zone For reasons relating to airport operations (chiefly expanding security), the shops located to the right of the CSC, except the foreign exchange office, will all have been shuttered by December, leaving room for extra security checkpoints to be opened in July 2018.
DIARY DATES
Smile Offer - the best deal ! Deployed at Genève Aéroport’s bars and restaurants, Smile Offer indicates a modestly priced bottle of water and snack. Look for the green Smiley logo !
TTW fair trade
Genève Aéroport and online companies
The area near the Foodcourt will thus become the only shopping zone on the Departures level, with shops that have been transferred (Interdiscount and KKiosk) or refurbished (Martel and the Pharmacie Principale). Armchairs, lamps and recharging docks for cell phones, tablets and computers are also due to be installed, making the area even more convivial and attractive.
« Le Shopping – Genève Aéroport »
Genève Aéroport moves Envol 2018 ahead to January The 20th edition of Journée Voyages & Evasion will take place on Sunday, 28 January 2018 in the shopping area of the CFF train station. The aim: spark visitor interest well ahead of the summer vacation period! Reserve a stand. www.gva.ch/envol
New duty free concession Following a bid for tenders, the Lagardère group has been awarded the concession for Genève Aéroport’s duty-free shops. The shops have been entirely made over and will gradually open starting 3 October, under the « aelia duty free » brand.
The shopping follow-up to the new communication campaign «Les Restaurants – Genève Aéroport», created in collaboration with MC Saatchi, is being deployed under the name «Le Shopping – Genève Aéroport».
new date
Come and visit us at : Ferien - Bernexpo 11 to 14 January 2018 www.ferienmesse.ch Envol – CFF station at Genève Aéroport January 2018 www.gva.ch/envol Mahana - Lyon 2 to 4 March 2018 www.salons-du-tourisme.com/Lyon
Genève Aéroport • Marketing & Business Development • Case postale 100 • CH-1215 Genève 15 • gva.ch • marketing@gva.ch Photo credit : Genève Aéroport, Air Mauritius, SWISS, Fotolia, Neste, Travel Inside Printed on Cyclus Print 100% recycled paper