Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) has posted a solid first quarter, with higher revenues and profits driven by surging demand linked to the Middle East conflict, especially on Asian routes. +Get the most important news from Switzerland in your inbox Between January and March, SWISS turnover rose by 0.3% to CHF1.22 billion ($1.56 billion), the Lufthansa subsidiary reported in a press release on Wednesday. The conflict in the Middle East significantly boosted demand, particularly on Asian routes, and thus contributed to the increase in revenue. Operating profit soared to CHF30 million, compared with CHF3.3 million for the same period last year. The rise in the cost of aviation fuel has not yet had a major impact on the airline, as changes in market prices only affect results with a time lag. However, costs associated with the conflict in the Middle East are expected to rise considerably in the second quarter. Adapted from French by AI/sb How we work We select the most relevant …