With its first B777-300(ER), HB-JNA (msn 44582), due for delivery in January next year, Swiss (LX, Zurich) has officially outlined the type's intended route network which thus far encompasses destinations on the US west coast, South America, and Asia.

Beginning February 21, Swiss will begin B777 operations from its Zurich hub to New York JFK followed by Montréal Trudeau on March 27, Hong Kong International on April 10, and Los Angeles International on June 9. Thereafter, flights to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, São Paulo Guarulhos, Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, and San Francisco will begin during the second half of the year.

As the first six B777s begin to arrive during the course of next year, so they will replace six A340-300s which are to be returned to their lessors. Thereafter, a further three B777s - set to arrive in February and April of 2017 and March of 2018 - will replace three other A340s - destined for Swiss's leisure subsidiary Edelweiss Air (WK, Zurich) - over the same period.

As previously reported, Swiss Global Air Lines (Zurich) will wet-lease the B777 fleet out to Swiss as per its existing crew labour agreements.