United Airlines has announced that it is celebrating its 20th anniversary of non-stop flights to Geneva, Switzerland, from New York. The airline has chosen to celebrate at Geneva Airport (GVA). The celebration commemorates the decades of convenient connection United has offered between the US and Switzerland. The airline, airports, and passengers have significantly benefited from the service for the past twenty years. It has offered passengers a great option when traveling between countries and has provided the airline and airports a steady revenue stream.

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Decades-old route

Since the airline first launched the route connecting GVA with Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in March 2003, it has transported over 1.7 million passengers. The passengers have been carried on over 12,000 non-stop flights. The route has proven to be a vital connection between the US and Switzerland. Leisure and business travelers have consistently taken advantage of this flight service enabling the airline to continue operating it for over two decades. Consistent demand for the route has given United, EWR, and GVA a constant revenue stream, as all three parties have benefited from the service.

The Country Sales Manager covering Switzerland and Germany at United Airlines, Reto Schneider, shared how the route greatly benefits Swiss travelers by providing a connection to the US and United's domestic network, which services over 70 destinations. Schneider stated,

"United has been connecting Geneva with the USA for two decades now. There is a non-stop flight to the metropolis of New York on the US east coast, and our passengers can transfer to over 70 destinations throughout America from our hub in New York/Newark,"

The CEO of GVA, André Schneider, added that United's daily flight services had provided the airport with an essential connection to the US. Schneider stated,

"We are delighted to congratulate United on 20 years of Geneva. United is a long-standing pillar of our connection to the entire US market. With two daily non-stop flights to our hubs in Newark and Washington, DC, United adds significantly to our intercontinental connectivity."

Flight details

The route is flown once daily aboard a Boeing 767. The aircraft features 16 Polaris Business Class seats, 22 United Premium Plus seats, 46 Premium Cabin seats, and 56 Economy seats. Due to a large number of premium seat offerings, the 767-300 only can carry 140 passengers. The airline has chosen to operate this flight with an aircraft in this configuration because it has an abnormally high number of passengers who prefer to purchase premium seats.

One possible explanation for the high number of premium seats offered on this flight is that the route connects the UN headquarters in New York with the UN facility in Geneva. This would also help explain why the route has seen success for decades.

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Historic route

United Airlines is the third-largest airline in the world. It also serves more destinations than any other airline. However, it was not always this way. It has taken decades for the airline to build itself up to this point. Decades of network expansion and airline acquisitions have made the airline's route network what it is today. The airline first entered Switzerland when it began flying to GVA in 1999. However, it did not open any direct routes to the US until 2003, when it opened the GVA-EWR route.

At the time, this direct route opened a newer, more convenient travel option for those traveling between the US and Switzerland. To this day, the route continues to act as a bridge for business and leisure travelers. The route was temporarily restricted throughout the pandemic as COVID-19 travel restrictions were implemented. However, the route was reopened as soon as possible, and demand for air travel between the two countries came rushing back. This proves that despite opposition, demand for the route remains strong and will likely remain for decades.

What do you think of United celebrating this route? Let us know in the comments below.

• 

  United Airlines

  Region:

  North America

  Loyalty Program:

  MileagePlus

• 

  Newark Liberty International Airport

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  EWR/KEWR

  Country:

  United States

  CEO:

  James Gill

  Passenger Count :

  15,892,892 (2020)

  Runways :

  4L/22R - 3,353m (11,000 ft) | 4R/22L - 3,048m (10,000 ft) | 11/29 - 2,050m (6,726 ft)

  Terminals:

  Terminal A | Terminal B | Terminal C