SWISS doubles its commitment to the A350-900
December 7, 2024
Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS) will add five additional Airbus A350-900s, augmenting the five that are already on order, as part of a wider overall investment by owners, the Lufthansa Group.
Swiss International Air Lines AG (known as SWISS), is the current flag carrier of Switzerland and is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, and (as such) a Star Alliance member.
The airline was formed following the bankruptcy of Swissair in 2002. Swissair was then the flag carrier of Switzerland. The new airline was actually built around what had been Swissair’s regional subsidiary, Crossair, which changed its name to Swiss International Air Lines. This new airline officially began operations on 31 March 2002 using Crossair’s IATA code LX (Swissair’s IATA code was SR), but with Swissair’s ICAO code of SWR (not Crossair’s CRX), in order to maintain international traffic rights.
The Lufthansa Group acquired a minority stake (11%) in Air Trust, a new company set up to hold Swiss International Air Lines shares, on 22 March 2005. Swiss International Air Lines operations were gradually integrated with Lufthansa’s in late 2005, and Swiss joined Star Alliance (and became a member of Lufthansa’s Miles and More frequent flier programme) on 1 April 2006. The full takeover was completed on 1 July 2007.
The long-haul fleet of Swiss today consists of four Airbus A340-300s, 14 Airbus A330-300s, and twelve Boeing B777-300ERs.
In late 2022 the airline announced its intention to acquire the A350 replace its four remaining four-engined Airbus A340-300s in what was said to be an effort to make its flight operations more sustainable, while the new ‘SWISS Senses’ cabin interior was intended to elevate its customers’ “air travel experience to new levels in all seating classes.”
Then-SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger said at the time that: “Our new Airbus A350s will make our fleet even more modern. This is a major investment, and a vital one to ensure that we continue to meet our customers’ high expectations. With these advanced twinjets and their innovative cabins, we’re bringing our long-haul aircraft fleet up to a totally new level of modernity, sustainability and inflight comfort for our guests.”
On 5 December 2024, Swiss announced that it had decided to increase its commitment to the Airbus A350-900s from five to ten. All ten aircraft will be drawn from open orders for 25 A350-900s held by the Lufthansa Group, and originally placed in 2019.
The first SWISS A350-900 will be delivered in the summer of 2025, with the remaining four aircraft from the first order following gradually by the end of 2026. The second batch is due to arrive from 2027 onwards.
CEO Dieter Vranckx greeted the addition of five more A350-900s by saying: “Our decision to acquire the Airbus A350-900 is a clear commitment to further enhancing the sustainability of our flight operations. Our new long-haul twinjet will play a substantial part in achieving our ambitious climate goals. And in adding this latest-generation aircraft to our fleet, with all the additional inflight comfort it will provide for our guests, we are also further confirming our position as a premium air carrier.”
