SWISS To Grow Airbus A350 Fleet

SWISS is preparing to revamp its fleet and has announced commitments to enhance the Airbus A350’s future presence across the business.

The Switzerland-based carrier, part of Lufthansa Group, says it will take delivery of more long-haul aircraft from the A350 family than initially expected.

Considered an enhanced investment from Lufthansa Group, SWISS is expected to grow its initial five A350s to 10, doubling the total as a signal of intent for future flying.

The A350-900 has been selected. From 2027 onwards, additional units equipped with the new SWISS Senses cabin interior are expected to arrive.

The first A350, however, will be delivered next year in 2025 during the summer season, assuming no further complications. The deliveries are expected to continue for six years until 2031.

The routes on which the A350 will be deployed have not yet been publicly disclosed, and the airline is expected to continue finalising them before formally revealing them before the first delivery.

Overall, Lufthansa Group knows SWISS has an important role in meeting future demand across Europe, but the fleet needs substantial improvement.

While the primary carrier, Lufthansa, attempts to revamp its fleet and advance rapidly, SWISS’s fleet has become quite dated. Thus, its operational performance could not be as optimal as desired as the mid-2020s approach.

SWISS’ CEO says that the Lufthansa Group’s investment will cater to the ever-evolving requirements laid out by its customer base.

Furthermore, the arrival of more A350s will facilitate the retirement of older, less efficient planes that would ideally depart sooner rather than later to meet sustainability targets.

Additionally, with more A350s in the airline’s name, future network expansion for markets deemed of interest to SWISS will be possible.

The announcement that the A350 presence will grow in the SWISS network ultimately doesn’t come without hurdles.

The broader Lufthansa Group has been grappling with persistent aircraft delivery delays, which have impacted many airlines’ abilities to transition towards next-generation aircraft.

These frustrating delays have also meant that many airlines have been forced to retain their older, less efficient aircraft, which, while beloved by aviation enthusiasts, are rightfully coming to the end of their operational life.