NNA – Airport - The first Swiss International Airlines flight from Zurich arrived in Beirut this afternoon. The Airline is scheduled to make two weekly flights to Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, namely on Thursdays and Sundays of each week.

The first flight, with 60 passengers on board, was greeted by the Company's Director in Lebanon, Ibrahim Derian, and representatives from the General Directorate of Civil Aviation.

Referring to the significance of this step, Derian said: "We view positively the arrival of the first Swiss Airlines flight from Zurich to Beirut, and we consider that this matter will reflect positively on activating communication between Lebanon and Switzerland."

He added: "The Company will currently operate two weekly flights to Beirut on Sunday and Thursday, and we hope this step will succeed because of its positive impact on the Lebanese-Swiss rapprochement at various levels.”

Derian also hoped that this step “will result in greater vitality with approach of the new year, in terms of air transport movement between Lebanon and countries abroad, and consequently the movement of Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut and the movement of the Lebanese between Lebanon and Switzerland and vice versa.”

==========R.Sh.